Morecambe Town Council set budget for year but will keep £850k of ‘Frontierland tax’

The town council said that Morecambe residents are set to see a reduction in their precept via their 2024-25 council tax bill, amounting to a £48.69 drop for residents in Band D properties.

They have used £150,000 from the money collected through the Frontierland tax to subsidise the budget, reducing the amount residents will pay via the precept this year.

But they say the remaining £850,000 ‘will be held in reserves to safeguard delivery of existing services and help deliver any new priorities for the community as they emerge, while

Councillors consider whether any further funds should be returned via similar subsidy in future years.’

At the same time, the Council’s budget awards double the amount of grant funding to festival and event organisers amounting to £60,000 and a 40% increase in grants available to local community groups.

An additional £79,180 is to be invested in town maintenance and improvements and an additional £37,000 is to be invested in improving communications and community engagement.

Morecambe Town Council said the Band D precept of £97.56 marks a significant year-on-year reduction of £48.69, rolling back 47.7% of last year’s increase, and setting a rate £24 lower than the national average for comparable town and parish councils.

Most households in Morecambe (Bands A-C) will receive rates between £65.37 and £86.83 - working out at £1.26 - £1.67 per week, excluding additional discounts.

A Morecambe Town Council spokesman said: “Morecambe has a thriving festivals and events scene and a wonderful culture of proactive community groups which we are proud to support.

"The increases in grant funding will allow us to provide vital assistance to more of these local organisations, helping to alleviate their financial pressures and enabling them to focus on delivering essential services and projects to residents at a hyper-local level.

“The Council is also committed to enhancing its level of engagement with the local community, giving residents a robust local voice and advocating for issues that impact the town.

“Making improvements in this area will be a priority over the coming year.”