Notes from the North: Broken council tax promises in Lancashire, illegal converted HMOs and punishment for lying
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Lancashire was the last Reform UK authority to declare what it is planning with regards to council tax - and it’s something that both sides of the political debate will shout about.
Reform UK will declare victory on the lowest council tax rise in 12 years - but opposition councillors will point out that they didn’t campaign on 3.8% increases. They campaigned on freezing, or even cutting, council tax.
That particular promise hasn’t gone well anywhere.
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Reform UK-led Lancashire County Council proposes increasing council tax by 3.8%
Reform UK leaders at Lancashire County Council plan to increase council tax by 3.8% if the draft budget is approved at a meeting of the full council next month.
The move will likely see Reform UK heavily criticised by an opposition who feel that the party overpromised on the campaign trail.
The draft budget for 2026/27, which will be presented to full council on 26 February, sees council tax increase with the view that it will allow the council to secure improvement to SEND services and manage the increased costs associated with that, manage to consequences of investing in government and commercial bonds and further invest in frontline services.
In addition, Reform UK will present savings worth £62m to be delivered in 2026/27 as part of an ‘ongoing efficiency review’ against a net budget of £1.324bn, which are hardly the DOGE-level savings that were promised.
No heating or hot water for residents at HMO in illegally converted hotel
A former hotel which was turned into an unlicensed HMO where residents did not have adequate heating or hot water was hit with a prohibition order.
The Nile Hotel, which sits next to the historic Cheshire Lines pub on King Street, closed down in 2017 and was later converted into bedsits without permission and became a frequent source of complaints over drug use and other criminal activity.
Most seriously, a man was arrested after a woman reported being raped inside the property in December 2023.
The buildings, which span 69-73 King Street, were first erected as three separate houses but converted into a hotel in 2001 and was most commonly known as The Nile Hotel. While its name seemingly alludes to the river which once ran through what is now the town centre and Birkdale, the hotel instead had a very different theme. Among its offerings were an Egyptian style lounge with adjoining cocktail bar, what was described as an “elegant walled garden with Moroccan mosaic fountain”.
Teesside politician wants MPs lying to become criminal offence
A Teesside MP has tabled an amendment to legislation in Parliament which would make it a criminal offence for MPs or members of the House of Lords to lie to the public.
Labour’s Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP, Luke Myer, has made an amendment to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, also known as the Hillsborough Law.
The bill was due to be voted on in Parliament on Wednesday (14 January), but a last minute change to the schedule yesterday means it will now be debated on Monday. As it stands would make it an offence for senior politicians like the Prime Minister or cabinet ministers to deliberately mislead the public.
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