By Grimsby residents react to proposed increase in council tax
Residents in North East Lincolnshire are set to face an increase in their council tax, according to a draft budget released by the council.
Within the draft budget, there is a projected 1.98 per cent increase in council tax and a one percent increase in the adult social care precept.
Local residents have been left frustrated by the proposed rise in tax, stating that they simply do not have enough money to pay a higher fee should energy bills continue to rise.
One frustrated resident wrote: “How can this be acceptable? The council proposes wasting an enormous amount of money on a car park and puts prices up again, for already strained house hold bills!
“The council should be cutting tax to help its residents not punishing them further to line their own coffers!”
The increase was announced at a council cabinet meeting on Wednesday, with councillors stating that the rise as unavoidable due to the Coronavirus pandemic and challenges on spending for adult social care and children’s services.
Another resident shared that they were “barely scraping by as it is,” and that the proposed increases on top of the energy bill crisis would leave them “going without”.
Some have also been left annoyed by the rise in tax after the council recently announced a £3.5 million upgrade for Grant Street car park.
One resident stated that, despite rises in council tax, the area “still has no police and over flowing bins.”
They went on to say the council will attempt to justify the increase by “[popping] up another car park or rip something nice out and replace it.”
The budget is subject to approval by a formal scrutiny panel and the public can voice their opinions during public consultation until January 27 on the council website.
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