Increase in Eastbourne council tax bill looms

If given the go ahead at a meeting on Wednesday February 19, a Band D bill would increase by £4.94 a year.

A council tax bill is divided between East Sussex County Council (73 per cent), Eastbourne Borough Council (12.5 per cent), Sussex Police (9.7 per cent) and East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (4.8 per cent).

East Sussex County Council plan to put the council tax up by 3.99 per cent meaning their share of a Band D bill rises by £57.25 to £1,490.03.

Despite the government putting a stop to all grant funding to the council, the Eastbourne authority increase is recommended to be only two per cent.

Council leader David Tutt said, “The profound cuts in our funding by the government, along with Brexit uncertainties, the general economic downturn and rising costs of emergency accommodation, are putting enormous pressure on public finances.

“Yet, in the face of these acute challenges, the proposals in our budget would see an increase to a Band D bill of just over nine pence per week. That is welcome news for our residents.”

The cabinet member for finances on the council Stephen Holt said, “Housing is a major challenge for us as a local authority and one of the ways we will be addressing this is to include a £25 million council investment in local homes over the next three years, within the draft budget.

“Despite the challenges faced by local authorities, our council adapts to the needs of residents, protecting services we value the most.”