Town Council sets out ambitious plans for town investment

Kendal Town Councillors approved a budget on Monday night which will add 11p per week to average council tax bills in the Cumbrian town. The uplift will help the council to unlock the potential of a further £170,000 in Community Infrastructure Levy, which will include an additional £50,000 on improving footpaths and £50,000 on improving the street scene and signposting from the town’s transport hubs. £66,000 will be available for Community and Festival grants and £30,000 will be available to ensure the town’s popular floral displays are resilient as well as vibrant. The festive lighting display from November through to Christmas will also benefit from a £30,000 uplift in investment.

Mayor of Kendal, Cllr Julia Dunlop said ‘this budget reflects the council’s priorities. We want Kendal to be a vibrant place, which residents and visitors find easy to navigate, and a pleasure to linger. This budget builds on our campaigning approach to the challenges of climate change, and will ensure that the Council will continue to deliver projects which improve the lives of all Kendalians.’

The Council will continue and expand its support for Kendal Futures, one of the key partners in developing a vision for the town. Cllr Stephen Coleman, who chairs the Council’s Management Committee added, ‘everyone recognises that these are challenging times. This is a budget to deliver real changes that our residents will start to notice.’

The total budget agreed was £867,500, of which £636,157 will be collected from the Council Tax in Kendal from 1 April with remainder from Community infrastructure levy, external grants and rental income.