A concerted effort is being made for the government to make allowances for South Holland District Council continuing to fund internal drainage boards.
The local authority is one of fewer than 20 across the country which collects a precept for IDBs. Were it not for that, South Holland’s council tax bill would be the second lowest in the country.
The council is unable to challenge the amount which IDBs request, although members at last week’s full council meeting (February 24) were at pains to point out the appreciation and value of them locally.
Coun Chris Brewis, who sits on North Level Internal Drainage Board, said: “The fact is we have the best-run drainage boards in the world – not just the UK. During the recent high rainfall nobody in South Holland was left with wet feet.”
Leader Coun Gary Porter told the meeting that he had spoken to Environment Secretary Liz Truss to try and make the case for support from the Treasury in a similar way to the two per cent precept for adult social care made by the county council.
Coun Porter told the meeting that £2.3million – more than half of South Holland District Council’s element of council tax – was going straight to IDBs.
Meanwhile, members unanimously agreed to approve the 2016/17 budget and four-year financial plan.
Council tax for a Band D property will increase by £5 per year.
A council spokesman said: “This small increase, the first in six years, was agreed in order to protect frontline services following heavy reductions in Government funding.”
The move will ensure weekly refuse and recycling collections, and environmental services will continue, according to Coun Peter Coupland, portfolio holder for finance.
He said: “This rise goes against my instincts but we simply won’t lose essential services that our residents rely on.
“We are in financially challenging times and have seen our annual Revenue Support Grant reduced by 30 per cent compared to last year, putting us under heavy pressure to find efficiency savings, particularly as we continue to pay 50 per cent of the council tax we charge per year to Internal Drainage Boards in the district for land drainage management as part of our flood defences.”
Chief financial officer Julie Kennealy said: “Through continued innovation we will change the way we operate and work with partners to meet the needs of our community including those most vulnerable, while delivering a minimum of ten per cent efficiency savings.”
