Council Tax likely to go up in Pendle

An increase in Council Tax is expected to be recommended when Pendle Borough Council's Executive Committee meets at a special budget meeting on Wednesday.
Pendle Town HallPendle Town Hall
Pendle Town Hall

Councillors will again be reminded of the seriousness of the council’s forecast financial position and that difficult decisions have got to be made.

The council needs to make further savings of £511,000 this year in addition to the savings of £610,000 already made in next year’s budget.

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Further savings of around £1.9m. also have to be made by 2020/21.

At the meeting councillors will receive more detail about the financial forecasts and options from the council’s management team.

This includes recommending an increase in Pendle Council’s share of the council tax by 2.99%.

Coun. Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said: “We’ll continue to do all we can to protect investment in the services which matter most to our residents and businesses.

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“At our Executive meeting we’ll have a look at the options being put forward by Management Team.

“I stress they are just Management Team’s proposals at this stage and no decisions have been taken. The budget will be set by councillors so we’re not obliged to accept any of the proposals.”

Coun. Tony Greaves, deputy leader of Pendle Council, oversees the council’s finances.

He added: “The government is again reducing our grants and district councils, like ours, are among the worst hit.

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“We’ve been looking at different ways to cut our spending and raise our income, and so far we’ve done so with very little impact on services.

“But we’re now very close to being forced to stop doing some important things. The position is getting desperate but we’ll continue to do our best for everyone in Pendle.”

The full budget report is available from www.pendle.gov.uk/council

The council’s budget and Council Tax will be formally agreed at the council meeting on Thursday, February 22nd.

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Lancashire Constabulary has expressed an interest in buying land at Carr Road in Nelson which has been declared as surplus to requirements by Pendle Council.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and Lancashire Constabulary are in the early stages of exploring whether to build a new base on the land which is between Victoria Park and the M65.

Councillors will be asked to give the council the go ahead to negotiate terms with the police at the same Executive meeting.

Coun. Iqbal said: “We’re still at an early stage but the prospect of the land being developed into a modern, fit for purpose base for policing in Pendle is attractive.”

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A funfair and circus has been held on this land for some years and approval has been given for it to be held in 2018.

The council is looking for a suitable alternative site for the future, but despite a full review of council land, none have been identified yet.