West Norfolk Council still awaiting financial benefits of second home tax and drainage board funding

West Norfolk Council is still awaiting the benefits of larger taxes on second homes and increased funding for drainage boards.

At the authority’s full meeting last Thursday, its cabinet member for finance, Cllr Chris Morley, was asked what is being done to ensure finances are not “down the pan” in three years time.

Cllr Terry Parish referred to a previous report published in summer 2023 which suggested the council would be in a budgetary deficit come 2026/27.

He then cited recent plans to double council tax on second homes in the borough and to receive more funding for internal drainage boards.

He asked: “Assuming that the settlement from government next year is not going to be overly generous, what options remain to ensure we are not financially down the pan in three years - other than becoming a unitary council, that is?”

Cllr Morley jokingly responded: “I am not sure I should thank you for that question, but I do.”

He said he could not be too specific about plans because they have not yet been officially put to the council.

However, he did say he does not believe the council will receive the additional drainage board funding this financial year.

A significant 44% of the council tax the borough council receives currently goes towards funding IDBs.

Meanwhile, the authority is still looking at closing some job vacancies as part of its plans to save cash.

Cllr Morley admitted there is currently a “very precarious balance” between whether the council uses up its financial reserves or not.

But he added that the Independent-led administration plans to become “a council which is not just spending money, but is encouraging people to spend money in the area”.

This is likely to have been a nod to several high profile projects in Lynn town centre, such as the riverfront regeneration scheme.

Cllr Morley also said the council hopes to receive a “good wallop” of money from an increased tax on empty homes.

• Cllr Alistair Beales, the council leader, was asked if the authority would consider deleting its X (formerly Twitter) account due to alleged harmful content being published on it.

He admitted the platform is not “very significant” in the council’s reach to residents.

However, he said some people may argue that perceived harmful posts on X are merely an example of people utilising their freedom of speech.

• Cllr Beales also told Cllr Parish that he had been in touch with South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy, as well as his North West Norfolk counterpart James Wild, about increased taxes on farmers.

He said he believes there are a “number of issues” with Labour government plans to increase inheritance tax on family farms.

Following discussions with dairy farmers and chicken farmers in the area, Cllr Beales has learned that some have “shelved their plans” as a result of the announcement.

The leader believes it was right to do something about the exemptions on farms, but that “the level is wrong”.

• Councillors were told that a pump which feeds into the Gaywood River is not working.

This came after a question from Cllr Deborah Heneghan about “stagnant water” in the stream flowing through The Walks in Lynn.

She says this causes it to become blocked by algae during the summer months.

Cllr Bal Anota, the borough council’s cabinet member for events and open spaces, told her that a pump which feeds the river is not working.

It has already been replaced twice, but has broken down again due to a “high level of silt build-up”, Cllr Anota said.

The council has gone out to tender on two possible new pumps.

• Cllr Sandra Squire, cabinet member for environment and coastal, told the meeting that there has been no noticeable rise in fly-tipping incidents since a new booking system at Norfolk’s tips went live.

However, at the time of the meeting, it had only been in operation for one week.

“Obviously, we will be monitoring the situation going forward,” Cllr Squire said.