WASTE COLLECTION CHARGE TO START, PARKING FEES TO BE INCREASED, COUNCIL TAX FREEZE ALL LIES

First Published by: This is Lincolnshire 

PROPOSALS which could see residents charged for the collection of green waste have been blasted by a former district council leader.

Councillor Jeremy Webb has warned that such a move would result in householders amalgamating green waste with other rubbish which would all end up in landfill - incurring a tax penalty for the authority.​

Accusing the administration of having "lost its way", he said East Lindsey District Council also risked forfeiting its reputation for responsible environmental stewardship.

It emerged at a full meeting of the authority that by charging for green waste collections from 2013/14, the authority could raise an estimated £800,000 a year to help it fill a looming £1.2million shortfall.

It is also considering increasing car parking charges to a level that could bring in £400,000 more than it receives at present.

This idea also provoked concern from Mr Webb who said "sweating the motorist" this way would discourage them from parking in market towns where trading conditions for most retailers were already "increasingly fragile."

However, his concerns carried little sway with either the Conservative administration or with the Labour group which found themselves largely in agreement on budgetary arrangements.

Later in the meeting, the authority rubber-stamped proposals to freeze Council Tax in 2012/13 despite needing to find savings totalling £2.4m from its net revenue budget of £17.8m as a result of reductions in Government funding and budget pressures such as increases in fuel and utility prices.

Portfolio holder for finance, Councillor John Upsall, said: "This was an important 2012/2013 budget for the council and through rigorous financial management and planning we've successfully made the savings required to agree a balanced budget without an impact on front line services.

"The challenge becomes even greater and there are still some tough decisions to be made. In making the saving for the next year we will continue to review the services we provide to look for opportunities to make further savings that help to protect services to local people."

Despite the freeze, residents will still see an increase in their Council Tax bills due to a decision by Lincolnshire Police Authority to increase its precept by 3.96 per cent.

In some cases, town and parish councils have also made slight increases to their precepts with Chapel St Leonards residents facing a bill of £51.92 for a Band D property.

No other parish council is setting more than £50, and many, including Wainfleet St Mary, Conisholme and Harrington, have settled on a nil precept.

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