Leader responds

lt was very disappointing to read that the town council’s decision was allegedly as a result of ‘Arun’s decision to axe support to town and parish councils’.

This is not correct.

Arun has decided to fully fund in 2014/15 the localised council tax support grant it made to town and parishes in 2013/14.

There has been no decision to reduce this discretionary grant paid by Arun.

Arun has previously agreed it would maintain its grant for 2014/15 to Littlehampton Town Council at £147,000, despite Arun suffering a reduction of more than 20 per cent in Government funding over the period leading up to the introduction of localised council tax support.

Town and parish councils are the only part of local Government not to have suffered any cutbacks over recent years as a result of the Government’s austerity programme.

lt is, at best, disingenuous of the town council to say there would have been ‘no change’ to its tax rate without Arun’s intervention, when the town council was already fully aware this discretionary grant by Arun was to be paid in full again for 2014/15 and that Arun had told all town and parish councils nearly six months ago that Arun would consult them on any changes that might be proposed for 2015/16 and beyond.

The Government guidance is absolutely clear on this grant.

lt is not a statutory grant for town and parishes and there is no legislative duty to pass down funding. Despite this, Arun has maintained its payment to Littlehampton Town Council.

As with all other parts of the public sector, it is important that all tiers of local government continue to look at more efficient ways of working together in order to protect services that residents value rather than threaten withdrawal from continuing with partnership funding for some essential local services, which would not be in the best interests of the council tax payer.

Gillian Brown

leader of Arun District Council

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