Corporate plan

Local government is under unprecedented pressure particularly in large rural counties such as Lincolnshire, which is the fourth largest county in England and covers 5,921 square miles.

More than 50,000 people live in an area recognised as being in the 10% most deprived in the country. Four of the seven districts in the county are classed as either mainly or largely rural and the sparsity makes services more difficult and costly to deliver.

The current population of Lincolnshire is 768,400, but this figure is predicted to grow by 10% by 2041, with 30% of the population expected to be over-65.

Between 2011 and 2019 our main government grant was reduced by 90%, from £211m to £20m. More recently the council has faced significant cost increases, higher interest rates and inflation from the aftershocks of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. There remains uncertainty over future Government funding of local authorities and we continue to call for a national funding system that is fit for purpose.

However, despite the challenges, there have been great achievements:

• Pre-covid, the value of Lincolnshire’s tourism industry increased to more than £1.5bn. County heritage sites such as Lincoln Castle and the purpose-built Magna Carta vault contributed to the county attracting around 21m visitors, who made a vital contribution to our economy
• More than 1,200 Ukrainians have made Lincolnshire their temporary home through the generosity of our local communities and support from the council, partners and charities all working together to offer these people the warmest possible welcome to the county
• Children’s services and the youth offending services being rated as outstanding and widely regarded as one of the best in the country
• Being recognised as one of the highest-achieving highways authorities in the country, delivering an extra £19m investment in highways maintenance bringing the budget for 2023/24 to around £93m
• Securing additional Government funding for initiatives in Lincolnshire including electric vehicle charging points, adult learning, culture and heritage, and management of groundwater flood risks
• Delivering innovative property projects that have made efficiency savings, reduced emissions and benefited partnership working
• Roll-out of superfast broadband to 96% of the county

More widely, Lincolnshire has a strong mixed economy worth £15bn per year, with agrifood, tourism, logistics and manufacturing as the key sectors. We recognise key challenges from:

• A huge increase in demand for social care, which is predicted to grow
• The coronavirus pandemic changing demand for public services, resident’s lifestyles and how we work.
• Evolving technology and the need to equip residents with the skills of the future aligned with our local economy
• The need for new infrastructure and effective digital connectivity, water management and electricity supply across our rural county
• The scale of change required to deliver our evidence-led approach to climate change and leave a positive environmental legacy