Lowest tax rise in the UK

EAST Sussex County Council is to put its tax up by 4.9 per cent the lowest increase in the country.

But the decision was greeted with cries of derision on Tuesday from both the LibDem and Labour camps who accused the Tory majority of seeking short-term headlines at the expense of services for residents.

Tory leader Cllr Peter Jones told a full meeting of the council that East Sussex was one of the poorest counties in the south with what used to be the highest council tax rate.

The new budget marked a major change from the shambles that had marked previous administrations, he added.

The average band-D bill for county services will be 777.69, about 3 extra a month.

The council will spend more than 405 million on services, 25 million more than before.

Deputy leader Cllr Daphne Bagshawe said an extra 750,000 would be placed in general reserves, plus 700,000 to support efficient working practices, plus 300,000 for a rural regeneration reserve.

But LibDem leader David Rogers accused the Tories of extreme pomposity and not enough consideration for the people.

He said the Tories were obsessed with gaining the lowest possible tax rise at the expense of everything else.

They were trying to grab the headlines, he added, when the most important thing was the standard of services delivered.

LibDem budget amendments, including extra cash for education, social services, passenger transport, libraries and flood schemes, would represent only another two per cent increase on the rate, he added.

Labour leader Cllr Jeremy Birch said the Government had put extra money into local government but the Tories had used it to cut its rate increase and put more cash in reserves.

'There is money available to be spent on the people of East Sussex,' he added, 'but you are not going to spend it. It is a disgrace and a scandal.

'You are cutting money for voluntary organisations which means less matching external funding coming in for them.

'You are threatening to make up to 100 members of staff redundant because of your lack of willingness to make use of funds at your disposal.'

He said the extra money Labour would put into schools, social services and voluntary organisations would add up to an extra 36p a week in council tax.

Cllr David Tutt said: 'This is a budget in which the Tories have sold their souls for a headline.

'The price will be born with pain and suffering by the people of East Sussex.'

Cllr Bagshawe replied: 'We are not seeking headlines.

'I believe in people keeping as much of their income as possible. We have 220,000 households in East Sussex who pay council tax.

'One cut we are making is in the council tax increase.'