Council tax is set to rise by the equivalent of £5 per year on a band D home, which means that the overall cost for all Wyre's services will be just under 52p per day.



The budget and council tax for the year ahead were approved at a meeting of the Full Council on Thursday 2 March.

Councillor Peter Gibson, Leader of Wyre Council (pictured), said: “We aim to keep council tax as low as possible while at the same time protect frontline services.

"Our council tax is the lowest on the Fylde coast and one of the lowest in Lancashire. I believe that 52p a day for the wide range of services we provide is extremely good value for money.

"Funding from the Government has been cut by £655,000 this coming year which brings the overall reduction to £6.3m over the last seven years. To protect residents from the full impact, we make on average £762,000 in efficiency savings every year.

"Despite the financial challenges, our residents continue to benefit from investment in the borough thanks to a consistent approach of investing to save in the long term and success at bringing in external funding.

"Rossall sea defences, a £63m flood defence scheme that will protect 7,500 properties, will be completed in November and we are just starting out on plans to continue restoring The Mount Pavilion and Gardens in Fleetwood following £142,000 support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

"£6m investment in leisure centres at Poulton, Thornton and Garstang is starting to pay dividends, as we are now experiencing an increase in income and reducing the subsidy from the council tax payer. We're also generating revenue by making best use of our assets and adopting commercially minded ways of working across the council.

"Going forward, growing the economy remains a top priority as Hillhouse Enterprise Zone in Thornton expands including proposals for £800m investment in a gas fired power station and a Coastal Communities Team has been formed to develop an economic plan for Cleveleys.

"We also plan to develop our work with parish and town councils to make a difference, particularly in rural communities, through the Together We Make a Difference initiative.

"82% of Wyre residents surveyed last year said they were happy with their local area as a place to live and our refuse collection service won a top national award in December. I'm proud of the high standard of services we deliver to communities across the borough."

Find out more at wyre.gov.uk/budget.