The idea of introducing a ‘tourism tax’ to help fund litter bin collections and other services has been put on the table in north Norfolk. 

At this month’s full North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) meeting, authority leader Councillor Tim Adams said investigating such a tax was part of the council’s corporate plan for the next four years. 

Mr Adams said: “It’s important to stress that we are not committed to introducing one yet, this needs careful consideration.”

He said NNDC faced “a great deal of pressure” maintaining its assets including Cromer Pier and promenade, and with litter bin collections. 

Mr Adams said: “We’ve done really well at funding all of those, if you compare us to some of the authorities which have come unstuck with their piers.

"But as time goes on, in the future, we might struggle to do that a bit more.

“This is just about investigating the possibilities of where the money could come from, and whether it is even realistic.”

Mr Adams said a tourist tax was something he had regularly been asked about. 

He said he could not say how such a tax would work in practice. In other parts of the world, tourist taxes have been levied on accommodation providers or restaurants.