Have your say on the Council's spending plans

RESIDENTS of North East Lincolnshire are being asked for their views on future investment in local services - as the council looks to build a stronger economy and stronger communities in the years ahead.

North East Lincolnshire Council is currently planning its budget for the financial year from April 2025 to March 2026 and wants to hear from local people as part of that process. You can find the survey at www.nelincs.gov.uk/have-your-say.

Those views will be taken into account as the final budget is prepared. This will go through the council’s democratic process to be considered by Full Council in early Spring.

The authority’s ambition is to work with partners to provide greater opportunities for people and business with investment guided towards those ambitions.

To do so, it needs to invest in supporting people to achieve and businesses to grow and locate here, whilst maintaining the statutory services required by councils – particularly those around waste and the environment, roads and infrastructure, and adult and children’s social care.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Assets, Cllr Stephen Harness, said: “Like other councils across the country, ongoing challenges will continue with finite resources and a growing need for investment. However here in North East Lincolnshire we are determined to work together with partners to build a strong future.

“By looking at different ways to invest in our people and continuing with our economic regeneration we can work towards achieving this.”

As reported, North East Lincolnshire Council has won significant Government grant monies in recent years, enabling the progression of many schemes including the purchase and regeneration of Freshney Place and work around Grimsby Town Centre, and the work due to start in Cleethorpes.

Economic relationships have also brought investment by businesses such as MyEnergi, ABP and DFDS on the new Pioneer Business Park – alongside the major strides in the renewable energy sector. All of this is needed to bring more people, and money into the borough.

Meanwhile North East Lincolnshire mirrors the rest of the country in its challenges with social care needs. Ten years ago, 43 per cent of the council’s overall budget was spent on ‘people’ (adult and children’s social care). In this financial year, that has risen to 66 per cent of its overall budget.

Reflecting on that change, Cllr Harness said: “We are not alone and the pressures on these services are clearly widespread across the country. We are well aware of this and are already looking at how we can work differently and together to provide services to support people through their lives.”

Work in the skills sector, children’s services transformation and helping adults to live independently are examples of the efforts being made, added Cllr Harness.

The budget consultation is open between 18 November 2024 and 13 January 2025. Visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/have-your-say to feed in your views.