The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
More expensive council tax bills for South Holland residents are expected to be approved on Wednesday (February 24).
Figures agreed by South Holland District Council’s cabinet last week were due to be rubber-stamped by full council, triggering the annual process of bills being printed and sent out within days.
The approval would represent a first rise in six years of the district council’s element of the bill (around a ninth of the total).
A Band D property is always used for comparison, although in South Holland there are almost four times as many Band A properties.
For 2016/17, the council’s portion rises by £5 to £159.84 – 3.23 per cent.
Council leader Gary Porter tweeted: “Less than 10p a week on a band D less than 1p a day on most homes.”
As well as the weekly household waste and recycling collections, the district council’s services include:
- affordable housing, housing advice and homelessness accommodation
- community development
- inspecting food premises
- dealing with planning applications
Lincolnshire County Council’s portion of the bill is by far the largest.
For 2016/17, it rises by 3.95 per cent (1.95 per cent plus two per cent for adult social care). That sees the average householder paying £1,128.83 – up £42.89.
Last year the increase of the local authority’s element was 1.99 per cent – the first rise in five years.
The Police and Crime Commissioner’s slice of the bill has risen too – by 1.96 per cent to £201.51.
With the precepts for parish and town councils added in, it is Tydd St Mary residents who will feel the biggest pinch with the most expensive bill – £1,559.76.
Holbeach comes in next highest at £1,553.21, with Crowland and Sutton Bridge close behind (both just over £1,541).
Surfleet is the cheapest council tax – the only place to have a sub-£1,500 bill.
Meanwhile, Spalding residents will benefit from a rise in the number of homes liable for council tax, paying slightly less from April than the current financial year. Although the Spalding Special Expenses precept rises by more than £5,000 to £200,782, the council tax element of £22.99 is 11 pence less than 2015/16.
