Proposals to invest almost £9million across East Sussex due in autumn

While the financial outlook in the medium term is ‘very challenging and uncertain’ for the local authority, officers describe how there is a limited window of opportunity to consider any further preparations that can be made for the period ahead.

In July, a ‘state of the county’ report outlined how the impact of Covid-19 meant there was £8.855m that could be spent as a one-off reserve contribution.

Investments would either help the council better manage future demand for services or support the delivery of priorities in highways, infrastructure and climate change.

On Thursday (September 16), the council’s people scrutiny committee were told that proposals were currently being worked on and would be presented to cabinet in the autumn.

The meeting  also heard that Chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to announce a spending review alongside his autumn budget on October 27.

This is expected to set out spending and the funding settlement for local government for the following three years.

Charles Clark (Ind, Bexhill East) raised the fact they would be asking people to pay the new health and social care levy through increase National Insurance contributions on top of recent large increases in council tax bills, which have included a ring-fenced part of the precept going towards adult social care.

He expressed sympathy with officers having to plan ahead when they often did not know well in advance what money the council would be receiving from central government.