North East Lincolnshire residents' council tax to rise by 4.5%
The council originally planned for a 4.99% rise
The council tax rise in North East Lincolnshire in 2026/27 has been agreed. Households will see a 4.5 per cent rise in council tax, made up of a 2.5 per cent increase in core council tax and two per cent on the adult social care charge.
The council’s budget originally planned for a maximum pre-referendum or pre-Government request level of a 4.99 per cent rise. But this was amended the day before full council met by the council’s Conservative Cabinet.
Full council saw the rise agreed by 34 votes in favour, with one against. The council’s 2026/27 budget was also agreed by 34 votes in favour to one against and one abstention, with overwhelming cross-party agreement the order of the day.
Three amendments were passed to the budget by three different political groups. All were passed unanimously.
The Labour opposition group proposed a raft of measures, 12 in total. These focused in large part on street scene and waste management, but also included the creation of a heritage fund, and a step towards an exemption from council tax in future for terminally ill residents.
The Independent Group for North East Lincolnshire’s amendment focused on setting aside capital cash over the next three years towards bringing back a permanent library in Grimsby town centre. It allowed for the assigned cash, totalling up to £10m up to 2028/29, to go either on a new library or Grimsby Central Library building, dependent on a future decision on the Central Library.
Finally, the Liberal Democrats moved an amendment focused on reforming the local authority’s council tax debt recovery service. It will see a trial of a data-led early referral system for those in council tax debt to independent advice and support, and increased debt advice capacity.
The budget also reaffirms the council’s commitment to regeneration projects like the Freshney Place leisure scheme, and the trio of Cleethorpes Levelling Up Funded-projects. It was also announced at the budget meeting that the council is getting a significant £7.4m boost in highways funding above normal funding from the Department for Transport.
Observing the unanimity for much of the meeting, council leader Cllr Philip Jackson (Conservative – Waltham) joked: “Generally speaking, we’ve had an outbreak of violent agreement.” Concern was raised over the council tax rise late change by a couple of councillors.
Cllr Paul Henderson (Independent Group – Yarborough) noted the council’s Section 151 officer had recommended a 4.99 per cent rise in council tax. He said he found it “really difficult to support a budget with a council settlement not backed by the financial director”, and was the sole vote against the budget and council tax rise.
“The decision to reduce the council tax increase by 0.5 per cent has had zero budget scrutiny,” claimed Cllr Steve Holland (Independent Group – Freshney), dismayed by the lateness of the change.
He suggested it could be “short-sighted” to not seek a maximum pre-referendum increase, given the likelihood to have to go to Government “to get our begging bowl out” for funding for the likes of the transport hub. “The reason we’ve been able to propose a 0.5 per cent lower council tax is because we’re financially resilient,” said Cllr Jackson, adding as Conservatives, the administration wanted to see lower taxes.
The local authority’s council tax support scheme remains the same, at a maximum 65 per cent discount for eligible working age residents. This has seen an increased take-up in the past year. The council has put down to a mixture of greater accessibility to residents, prioritisation by local support organisations, and closer links to Universal Credit.