Rother rubber-stamps council tax rise of 3.94 per cent

A meeting of Rother's full council agreed to an increase in the authority's portion of the bill by 3.94 per cent '“ just 11p a week for a band D home.

That works out as an 8p a week increase on a band A property and 19p a week on a band G.

Full councli members agreed the yearly bill for band D homes from Rother should stand as agreed by Cabinet at 156.61 a year.

Although the collecting authority, Rother only keeps around 10 per cent of money from the total Council Tax bill. The rest goes to the county council, police and fire authorities.

In yearly terms the Council Tax increase is 3.95 per year for a band A home, 5.93 for a band D and 9.89 for a band G.

Bills will vary by area based on special expenses and precepts.

Rother's portion is used to fund more than 50 services including waste collection and recycling, parks, environmental health, regeneration projects, public toilets and disabled facilities grants.

The next year will also see projects from the council's corporate plan put into place.

These include:

'¢ A scheme to reduce eye-sores and fly-tipping

'¢ The redeveloped Bexhill Museum

'¢ Creation of new businesses premises at Sidley Goods Yard

'¢ Improvements to the Marley Lane junction of the A21 to create new jobs

'¢ More facilities for children.

Rother leader Cllr Carl Maynard said: "This Council Tax aims to provide the same level of high-quality services, but recognises too the increased financial burdens being placed on our residents in these difficult times.

"Our prudent financial strategy and success in finding efficiencies means there will be no cuts in what this Council offers despite our low level of Government funding.

"While other authorities are struggling, Rother continues to deliver a full range of strong services for comparatively little money."

Rother was able to keep its increase in council tax down thanks to a return of some of the funds it invested in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International in the 1990s, which crashed in the last recession.