Council Tax Guide 2024 to 2025 Priorities and Key Themes

Published: 12 March 2024

Adult Social Care Precept

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has made an offer to adult social care authorities. (“Adult social care authorities” are local authorities which have functions under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, namely county councils in England, district councils for an area in England for which there is no county council, London borough councils, the Common Council of the City of London and the Council of the Isles of Scilly.)

The offer is the option of an adult social care authority being able to charge a “precept” of up to 2% on its council tax for the financial year beginning in 2016 without holding a referendum, to assist the authority in meeting expenditure on adult social care. Subject to the annual approval of the House of Commons, the Secretary of State intends to offer the option of charging the “precept” in relation to each financial year up to and including the financial year 2019-20.

In relation to the financial year beginning in 2016 the Secretary of State has determined (and the House of Commons has approved) a referendum principle of 4% (comprising 2% for expenditure on adult social care and 2% for other expenditure), for adult social care authorities. These authorities may therefore set council tax up to this percentage in 2016 without holding a referendum.

Three overlapping cricles containing the text: Our Council: Finances, Structures, Partnerships, Policies, Governance; Our People: Leisure, Skills, Health and Wellbeing, Vulnerable Groups and Communities;, Our Place: Economic Growth, External Investment, Social Regeneration, Enhanced Environment, Infrastructure
Our Council, Our People, Our Place

Our People

The wellbeing and success of our residents and communities is of upmost importance to the council. Our residents have varied and sometimes complex needs. We must ensure that we work with partner organisations, communities and residents themselves to address their issues and have a positive impact on their lives. We recognise that managing expectations in relation to time and resources available is essential. We are therefore clear that we will be working to improve matters over the medium to long term.

We have identified three strategic focal points within this theme of the Corporate Plan:

  1. Health and Wellbeing: to reduce health inequalities and promote wellbeing across the district through the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
  2. Vulnerable Groups and Communities: to create strong and self-reliant communities and promote positive life choices for disadvantaged residents.
  3. Education and Skills: to facilitate the creation of a highly educated and skilled workforce, that meets the present and future needs of the local and wider economy.

Our Place

West Lindsey is a predominantly rural district, centred on three historic market towns (Caistor, Market Rasen and Gainsborough); interspersed with rural communities. It is imperative that we aim to protect what is important to current and future residents. We will achieve this by meeting the need for homes and infrastructure and diversifying the economic and employment opportunities available in the district. Improvements in particular to the road infrastructure and traffic schemes are essential to accommodate the planned growth of the district and support the development of Scampton and Hemswell Cliff, in addition to strengthening the economic corridor to the Humber and its ports. We also acknowledge that some of our communities are vulnerable and suffer from deprivation. Key to assisting such communities is the achievement and harnessing of continued economic success and ensuring that social regeneration is integrated within and across our key strategies.

We have identified three strategic focal points within this theme of the Corporate Plan:

  1. Economy: to ensure that economic regeneration in West Lindsey is sustainable and benefits all of our communities.
  2. Housing Growth: to facilitate quality, choice and diversity in the housing market, assist in meeting housing need and demand and deliver high quality housing related services to support growth.
  3. Public Safety and Environment: to create a safer, cleaner district to live, work and socialise.

Our Council

It is the Council’s strategic aim to be a well managed and well-governed Council, delivering high quality services that demonstrate improvement and meet public aspirations. The Council is aware that, despite the challenge of reduced budgets, it has a key role to play in the current and future wellbeing of West Lindsey residents through the efficient delivery of excellent services and joint working with partners.

It must also promote the preservation of the environment and conduct its operations in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Key considerations are: ensuring effective commercial and financial planning; putting the customer at the heart of all we do; supporting our staff and Councillors to fulfil their respective roles and ensure that decision and governance arrangements support the Council in achieving its ambitions.

We have identified three strategic focal points within this theme of the Corporate Plan:

  1. Finances: to remain financially sustainable.
  2. Customer: to put the customer at the centre of everything we do.
  3. Staff and Members: to maintain our position as a well managed and well-governed Council.