Rother residents are to be asked for their views on council savings plans.

Rother District Council’s cabinet, On October 26, considered a report on proposals for its 2027/28 budget.

Cabinet members agreed to go out to public consultation and a potential 2.99 per cent increase in council tax.

The proposed cuts total more than £1m and include the potential to reduce or completely cut some grants the council gives.

Council leader Doug Oliver said no final decisions had yet been taken and the consultation process would provide more information. He said: “I think it is a very, very good exercise that we need to engage with the outside bodies, for all the right reasons.

“It will identify exactly where their needs are and how we can help them.”

The proposals include plans to: save £47,700 by reducing the De La Warr Pavilion’s grant; £8,500 by reducing a grant to Citizens Advice; £2,000 by reducing the Hastings Advice and Representation Centre (HARC) grant; and £5,000 by reducing the 1066 Tourism grant. The cuts represent a grant reductions of around 10 per cent.

The current proposals also include the potential to: save £18,000 by cutting a grant for events in Bexhill and Rye; save £4,000 by cutting a grant for Christmas lights in Battle and Rye; and £9,000 by cutting a grant to Battle Marketing Group.

These three proposals saw criticism from Battle councillors Vikki Cook and Kathryn Field, who argued the cuts would hinder opportunities linked to a national marketing campaign presenting 2027 as ‘the year of the Normans’.

Proposed areas of growth include: £12,500 for beach safety assessments and a review of public rescue equipment; and £24,000 for an AI programme to validate planning applications.

Other savings proposals are expected to be identified in the coming weeks, officers said.