Council tax news

It was confirmed this week that council tax will rise by 4.3% for 2007/8. Council leaders say this is the lowest increase they can bring in without major cuts to services.

This means that the average Band D council tax payer will have their bill increased by just under 12p per day, and will pay 1,047.

This is part of the plan for council tax rises to go down year on year in East Sussex. The authority plans a rise of 3.9% for 2008/9, reducing to 3.5% the year after.

Deputy Leader Tony Reid says that the budget plans were announced last year and the authority is sticking to its guns.

"We said we would bring down increases in council tax and we are delivering on that promise.

"At the same time we set out increased resources for key areas like care for the elderly and an even greater focus on increased efficiency.

"People in the county want us to reduce the council tax burden and provide quality services, and we are determined to deliver on both of these.

"Although central Government has given more funding to local government overall, we feel that East Sussex has again been given a rough deal.

"Outside school funding, we've only received a small grant increase (2.7%). It means that we will have to find 7 million of savings in order to keep council tax rises down and still give additional funding to our main priorities such as care for the elderly.

"Through careful planning and a hard look at how we do things we have been able to keep real cuts to a minimum but some difficult decisions have been inevitable."

Although the budget has been set for the forthcoming financial year, Councillor Reid gave a warning for the future.

"We've been able to produce this budget and a medium term plan through having clear policies and sound financial management but with rising costs this is not a sustainable situation in the longer term.

"The government must recognise the huge increases in the costs of elderly care and provide adequate funding. All we are asking is for East Sussex to be given a fairer deal."

The council will spend an extra 12 million in 2007/8 on key services bringing the total revenue budget up to just under 300m.

The council recently announced a series of budget 'one-offs' on core priorities amounting to a further 3 million and this was approved by the full Council this week.

Councillors also approved the County Council capital programme which will see the authority spending an extra 77 million investing in, among other things, roads, school buildings and core facilities for the elderly.