Published: Friday, 24th February 2023
At last night's Full Council meeting, councillors approved the council's budget, and the level of its portion of the overall 2023/2024 council tax bill.
It was agreed that the borough's element of the council tax bill would reluctantly have to be increased, due to significant pressures, by £4.50 (£5.00 with special expenses) for the entire year on an average Band D Property, increasing to £143.87 for 2023-2024. This equates to a proposed rise of just under 9p per week, a much lower-than-inflation increase of 3.2%. The increase on lower-banded properties will be less than this amount.
Of this £143.87, a levy of £61.28 is paid to the Internal Drainage Board for the work they do to reduce flood risk to people, property, and infrastructure, and to manage water levels for agricultural and environmental needs.
When drainage board levies are removed from other Norfolk district council tax demands, it shows that the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk charges the lowest amount of council tax in Norfolk, even though it operates over the largest geographical area and bears all the increased costs and complexities related to delivering services across 500 sq miles. In fact, the borough remains one of the lowest charging shire district councils in the country (179th out of 181).
Despite cost pressures and unprecedented economic volatility brought by the pandemic and war in mainland Europe, this budget is not recommending cuts in services or massive increases in fees and charges. Charges that impact on many residents like car parking and brown bin charges are frozen for this year. Services will be maintained at current levels or improved. The council’s ambitious plans for transformational change, supported by government, county council and partner funding, will continue to bring economic, environmental, and educational improvements to the area.
This funded budget has been achieved by constantly reviewing the financial situation, looking ahead, prudential planning, and working effectively with partners. An approach that will continue across the remaining period of the plan.
| Taxbase | IDB Band D | Total District Band D | District Band D excluding IDB Levy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
BCKLWN |
52,984 | £61.28 | £143.87 | £82.59 |
|
Broadland |
48,127 | £6.11 | £129.91 | £123.80 |
|
South Norfolk |
52,335 | £3.97 | £165.00 | £161.03 |
|
Great Yarmouth |
29,851 | £10.18 | £181.48 | £171.30 |
|
Norwich |
38,260 | £0.17 | £288.59 | £288.42 |
|
Breckland |
45,925 | £1.85 | £108.63 | £106.78 |
|
North Norfolk |
41,086 | £11.64 | £163.62 | £151.98 |
The borough council collects council tax on behalf of all authorities in its area, including Norfolk County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner and parish councils. For each £1 collected, the borough council retains only 4p to deliver all its services.
In addition to council tax, the council funds its activities through fees and charges for certain services, government grants and prudent use of investments, borrowing and reserves.
Cllr Stuart Dark, Leader of the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, said:
"Members and Officers have worked hard to deliver a funded budget for the next three years. A budget that acknowledges the challenges people are facing by not increasing most of our fees and charges, but also recognises the need to continually improve the services and help we can provide.
“At a time when many councils in Norfolk and across the UK are considering reducing services, staff, events and ambition and reporting financial instability this stable budget allowing us to deliver all we do and to continue investing in making West-Norfolk better on such a low council tax requirement, is most welcome.”
The budget report is available at www.west-norfolk.gov.uk.