Council tax to be frozen yet again

COUNCIL tax will be frozen for another year after Worthing Borough Council cabinet members voted unanimously for a freeze.

The councillors were considering whether to raise the council tax by 1.5 per cent or keep it the same for the fourth successive year.

At the meeting on Monday night, Leader Paul Yallop said: “Unlike some other local authorities, we have worked hard to deliver the savings required to pay down the national debt without calling on our residents to fill the shortfall or implementing unpopular cuts in the services we provide.”

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A consultation exercise with residents found around 60 per cent in favour of a small rise to protect against service cuts.

But a budget report presented to the cabinet showed a better than expected financial picture.

Goring ward councillor Mary Lermitte said she was happy to freeze council tax for this year but suggested in future years it should be raised. The view was quickly shot-down by other members.

She said: “I hope we can freeze council tax this year as people are still struggling a bit but next year we probably need to start putting it up.”

The decision will need to be ratified at a meeting of the full council, while West Sussex County Council is also set to freeze the level of the portion it collects as a precept.