Lancashire County Council's 'Inspirational' Budget

Forget Mozart’s Requiem. Don’t bother with Constable’s paintings. You can even dispense with religious works of poetry. If you truly want to get enthused, moved, strengthened, and stimulated, you need to read Lancashire County Council's 2025-26 Conservative budget. County Councillor Michael Green appeared on social media, describing his party's budget as “inspiring”. This, he tells us, will result in an “exciting future for Lancashire”. Furthermore, it will allow the county's denizens “to enhance our life prospects”. Truly inspirational (INSP-IR-AT-ION-AL).

At first, I suspected that this was just some hyperbolic waffle from a little-known, provincial politician who will soon be forgotten. But I decided to see the budget for myself. Sure enough, I was mesmerised by its neat columns and soothing figures. Somehow, just somehow, my flagging spirits began to revive. Despite the new budget netting Lancs County Council a whopping £1,244.620 million this coming year, which is a 4.99% rise in Council Tax (just about under the cap), County Councillor Green’s words were ringing true: I began to feel INSPIRED. Well might he have been appointed the county’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing. Truly, we are blessed to have such a one among us. There might be some who find these annual tax rises a burden, and wonder what the County Council does with its existing revenues (not fixing pot holes, that’s for sure). I would say to any such grumblers: forget all your worries and troubles, and just allow yourself to be inspired by County Councillor Green’s inspirational and life-enhancing spreadsheets, columns and totals.

Therefore, because you tread down the poor and take grain taxes from him, though you have built houses of hewn stone, yet you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink wine from them. Amos 5:11, NKJV

Image by Alexa from Pixabay