PENDLE Council’s Executive will make decisions about its fees and charges at tonight’s meeting.
Coun. Linda Crossley, who leads the council on finance, explained: “This is our annual review of fees and charges in preparation for next year’s budget.”
“We’re taking care over the fees we charge because we recognise that these are tough times for everyone, not just for the council.
“That’s why we aren’t increasing charges for things like rents for market traders or for trade waste.
“This is part of our bid to support local businesses.”
The council will also not be making any increase to local land charges for people buying a house.
Some fees and charges are going up slightly, to help us balance our books.
For example, there’ll be some small increases to the hourly charge of hiring out community centres.
If Executive councillors agree, they’ll be increased by 30p per hour during the day and 50p per hour for evenings and weekends.
It’s also being proposed that there’s a small increase (3.2%) in charges for the use of playing fields for football.
“But I’m pleased to say that we are proposing that football and rugby for the under 16s is completely free of charge,” added Coun. Crossley.
Other fees which councillors may decide to increase in the next financial year include a 50p increase for residents’ parking permits from January with a £5 admin charge for replacement permits.
The Executive will also look at a proposal of increasing burial charges of 3.2% to bring Pendle in line with other East Lancashire authorities.
Once decided, most of the new fees will come into force from April 1st.