Lincolnshire County Council is examining ways to reduce an annual £300,000 deficit across its six business centres, which support start-ups and small enterprises in areas including Lincoln, Holbeach, Market Deeping, and Gainsborough.
The council’s portfolio, which includes both office and industrial space, currently operates at a loss. Officials say the facilities must begin covering their operating costs while continuing to provide affordable premises for local businesses.
Options under review include revising energy charges, as the council currently pays 30p per kilowatt of electricity but recovers less than half that from tenants. Managers may also be given authority to commission maintenance directly rather than through intermediaries to improve efficiency.
The authority has ruled out selling any of the centres, with any cost adjustments to be introduced gradually. Around 92 per cent of units across the network are occupied, though the Holbeach Hub remains only half full.
The council’s regeneration team said the aim is to strike a balance between fiscal responsibility and supporting economic growth across Lincolnshire, where demand for start-up space continues to exceed supply.
