Blackpool Council collection rates improve to the tune of £3m

At the end of November 2017, council tax collection stood at 68.3 per cent compared to 68.1 per cent at the same month in 2016/ 2017, meaning the total amount collected has risen by £1.8m.

This is also due to increases in the amount of council tax people must pay and in the number of people paying it.

There has also been an increase in business rate collections, up to 68 per cent at the end of November compared to 66.2 per cent for the same time in the previous year.

This increase in collection of 1.8 per cent equates to £1.3m.

The figures were contained in council leader Coun Blackburn’s report to full council.

He also told the meeting, growth in business rates would help deliver infrastructure for job creation projects such as the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone which is now expected to create up to 5,000 jobs.

This is an increase from the original projection of 3,000 jobs.

Coun Blackburn added the 15-year partnership with Merlin to run leisure assets including the Tower was paying off.

He told the meeting he could not reveal when Merlin would be able to pay a dividend to the council because the deal was subject to commercial confidentiality.

But he added: “I am perfectly satisfied with the deal.”

Meanwhile funding applications are being submitted for the Blackpool Museum project at the Palatine site at the Sands venue.