A council is set to increase its share of the council tax by three per cent.
Members of South Holland District Council’s cabinet is recommending that bills go up by £6.39 – or a 3.06 per cent increase – for band D properties and equates to £214.92 for the 2026-27 financial year, writes Local Democracy Reporter Oliver Castle
A decision on whether council tax should be raised will be taken by members at the next full council meeting on Thursday, February 26.
Council leader Nick Worth (Conservative – Holbeach Hurn) backed the budget proposals at Tuesday’s meeting (February 17).
He added: “Achieving a balanced budget as we have without having to make any cuts to services.
“I think it’s just worth pointing out that the partnership (South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership) had a target of £42 million of savings over 10 years which it succeeded to do in five years.
“They’ve actually exceeded that target, heading to £47 million of savings already and that will continue.
“I think that is a fantastic effort, unlike I have to say the county council, who seem to be cutting services unlike us who have managed the budget quite well.”
Spalding Special Expenses – which is paid by residents in the town – is proposed to increase by £0.27 to £23.40 for band D properties.
While the Internal Drainage Boards levy (IDBs) will increase by 4.6% – a £179,000 rise.
This will push up the levy from £3.57 million in 2025/26 to £3.749 million in 2026/27.
Deputy district council leader Coun Paul Redgate (Conservative – Whaplode and Holbeach St Johns) said that creating the draft budget had been particularly ‘challenging’ as the outcome of the Government’s fair funding review did not become clear until December.
The councillor, who is also the director of finance, told Tuesday’s cabinet meeting: “Errors were flagged on the methodology used by the Government to calculate the figures announced in December.
“This meant that further adjustments had to be made by the Government in the final local Government settlement which was only released late last Wednesday.
“We are continuing to refine the budget position on the information provided post financial settlement.
“Whilst the position for 2026-27 remains unchanged, it is the future years that are affected with the gap being more than we had budgeted for from the original figures provided in the original settlement.”
Coun Redgate went on to outline some of the additional financial pressures which the authority has had to take into account in the draft budget – this has included the amount of business rates it is allowed to retain.
The Government has updated the rateable values of commercial premises which will come into force in April – which has resulted in higher bills for some firms.
Coun Redgate said: “The reset business rates and the revaluation exercise being progressed has materially reduced locally-retained income thus creating reliance on revenue support grants and transitional protection provided directly by the government.
“This is at a time when we are seeking to support those who are most vulnerable in our society, to create a vibrant district for our residents to live in and also to create an environment for businesses to grow.
“The budget also includes expenditure for the creation of the food waste collection service for which we received no additional resources from the government and which we have managed to budget for within existing resources.”
Coun Andrew Woolf (Conservative – Moulton, Weston and Cowbit), who is not a cabinet member, but told the meeting: “I think the crux of it was that we were getting less and being asked to deliver more.
“So, I think credit where it’s due to try and get these numbers to work in the best way that we’ve done.”
