Draft budget approved by Cabinet

A DRAFT budget has been approved by North East Lincolnshire Council’s Cabinet, with £131.6m of spending across key public services.

The annual budget-setting process, which started late last year, and includes public consultation in January, ending in February with the final budget being presented to all 42 Councillors to vote on.

Within the draft budget is a projected 1.98% increase in Council tax and a 1% increase in the adult social care precept.

At a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet last night, Councillors agreed that the ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic and challenges on spending for adult social care and children’s services, which account for two thirds of the Council’s spending on services, meant an increase was unavoidable.

Cabinet members also praised officers for managing to keep the proposed increase below the rise in council tax seen last year.  

Councillor Stan Shreeve, Deputy Leader and portfolio holder for finance and resources, said:

“When we started this process, we did a lot of work to try to avoid any increase to council tax. We know that many in our area have had a difficult few years due to the pandemic, and we don’t want to add to that burden.

“This budget will ensure that the services that we all use will be properly funded, whilst support remains for those that are struggling and there is investment to encourage more people to move to the area and for businesses to thrive.

“Our biggest challenges without a doubt are the funding of adult social care and children’s services. These are our biggest priorities.

“People can still have their say on the budget. The public consultation is open until 27 January 2022. We really do welcome feedback and input from residents – this has to be a budget that works for them and provides them with the services that they need.”

The draft budget will now go before a formal scrutiny panel before being submitted to a meeting of full council in February.

Residents can complete the Budget 2022 consultation at www.nelincs.gov.uk. If anyone requires a paper copy of the consultation to complete, they can call 01472 324380 or email [email protected].