The leader of South Holland District Council has called on more funds to make Christmas in Spalding extra special next year, if possible while a proposed council tax increase for the town’s residents was given the green light.
Lord Gary Porter has called on the council to dip into its reserves to fund a bigger celebration for the area if allowed.
And he’s also called on reserve money to be spent on the planned Spalding Cemetery improvements.
Speaking as a ward councillor at the Spalding Town Forum last week Lord Porter said he’d like to put the district council “on notice that we would like to be drawing down on some of that money that is sitting in that reserve.
“If the infections go down and the world is a better place, I think we’re going to have to be doing something exceptionally good to try and replace the failed Christmas we’ve just had and to do something to address the high street fall off we’re going to see,” he said. “Thankfully the economy in South Holland hasn’t suffered as much as some places in the country but no doubt our retailers and the support services have taken a right hammering so we need to be collectively doing some really big stuff out of there.”
Coun Harry Drury added: “We’re all fully aware of what a poor Christmas it’s been for traders and retailers but subject to whatever the new normal will be and the months leading up to it, we could make some real efforts to make this Christmas extra special to attract people into the town to use our shops and the market.
“The money is sat there in the reserves. We often say we save this for a rainy day, I think there’s a storm out there and it’s important we utilise this and embrace what we can do.”
As previously reported works on improving the cemetery are being planned including looking at the siting of the town’s drinking fountain there.
Lord Porter said: “The cemetery is a fantastic asset to the town and I think we need to do something on a significant scale this year to be looking after it.”
Coun Sneath is one of those involved with the cemetery plans.
“The wonderful volunteers I work with down there who have been such a big help and those who have started using the site even more during lockdown, will be delighted. It’s been so good for their mental health and wellbeing and it’s just fantastic we’re going to make the most of this marvellous asset we have in the town.”
The Town Forum also backed the increase of the Spalding Special Rate, the share of the council tax that only people in the town pay for amenities such as the upkeep of the cemetery.
It was increased by 1.5 per cent, a rise of 36p a year for a Band D property to £24.18.
