Updated budget proposals include over £7m of extra funding for flooding, highways, anti-social behaviour and the environment.
On Friday 23 February, the council will set its budget for the 2024/25 financial year. Following additional, one-off funding from the government, the authority now plans to invest a further £7.8m in these priority areas. This is on top of the £646m the council plans to spend providing its wide range of vital services, such as adult care and children’s services.
Cllr Martin Hill OBE, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This extra investment will make a real difference to residents’ everyday lives. It’s thanks to our careful financial management over the years that we’re able to continue investing in our communities when many other councils are struggling. And we’ll continue to find ways to reduce bureaucracy and work more efficiently so we can continue to protect services despite the financial pressures we face.”
Flood prevention
The extra investment includes £3.3m for flood alleviation and prevention. Cllr Colin Davie, executive member for environment, explained: “Over the last six months, Storms Babet and Henk have thrashed the county and reminded us all of the devastating impact flooding can have on our homes and livelihoods.
“We’re looking to allocate a further £1m to our flood and water management team, to help communities get back on their feet after the storms through the Flood Resilience Grant Scheme. This will also go towards flooding investigations to find out what can be done to better protect each affected area in the future.
“And our highways team will benefit from an extra £1.8m to clear drains, gullies and culverts, which storm waters will have clogged up with silt and other deposits.”
Cllr Lindsey Cawrey, executive member for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, added: “The council had already allocated an additional £4m to support flood relief measures back in December 2023. We have now upped this to over £7m since Storm Babet in October. Although we are looking at preventing flooding, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue are often on the front line when the worst happens, so we’ve allocated £400,000 of this funding to provide crews with new equipment that will allow them to better deal with flooding.”
Highways improvements
The updated proposals also include a further £2.5m for additional highways improvements. Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: "This money is extremely welcome and vitally needed.
“In addition to the unprecedented funds LCC has previously put into road maintenance, this latest local funding boost further shows how seriously we take the condition of our roads. Keeping our county on the road is hugely important for the people of Lincolnshire, and that's something we continue to work extremely hard at to achieve.
"These new funds will go towards making more improvements to roads and footpaths across the county so that residents and businesses will see a very real uplift in how they get about."
Anti-social behaviour
The council is also making £1m available to help tackle anti-social behaviour across the county. Cllr Mrs Patricia Bradwell OBE, executive member for community safety, explained: “Although Lincolnshire is a safe place to live, we know that, at times, anti-social behaviour can affect residents’ quality of life. This can range from something causing mild annoyance to an experience that causes real fear. So I’m delighted that the county council has today committed an additional £1m towards efforts to reduce anti-social behaviour in our communities. If you’re struggling with anti-social behaviour, please know you are not alone, and that Lincolnshire’s local authorities and the police are here to help.”
Environment
Finally, the extra investment includes £1m for environment-related work. Cllr Colin Davie, executive member for environment, said: “Our green spaces are a great asset to the county for both residents and visitors. We’ve allocated £1m this year to accelerating our green masterplan sustainability projects, encouraging and supporting green tourism and improving rights of way, so everyone can access our beautiful countryside.”
Although the extra one-off funding from the government has helped to balance the budget for 2024/25, the council still faces a projected funding shortfall over the next few years. To help ensure the authority’s ongoing financial stability, the budget includes a 4.99% increase in the authority’s share of the council tax, which equates to an extra £1.44 per week for a Band D property. Despite this, Lincolnshire’s council tax rate is set to remain one of the lowest in the country for a shire county.
View the 2024 budget speech in full.