Council Tax Set To Increase in East Sussex Again This Year

East Sussex residents could see council tax increase by the maximum amount again later this year. 

On Tuesday (January 24), East Sussex County Council’s cabinet endorsed their draft budget plans for the 2023/24 financial year, which include both a 2.99 per cent increase in council tax and a two per cent increase in the council’s adult social care precept.

When combined, the increases will see an average band D council taxpayer pay £1,693.80 to East Sussex County Council in 2023/24 — a figure which comes to £32.57 per week.

Conservative council leader Keith Glazier said:

“[It] is something we don’t relish on any occasion, that is raising our taxes.

“But clearly, in the government’s assessment of the spending power of East Sussex County Council they have built in the assumption that we would raise council tax by the maximum — 2.99 [per cent] — and the adult social care precept by two per cent. 

“The alternative to that, as we all know, is making another £15m worth of cuts. I don’t think the people of East Sussex will relish us doing that at this stage.”

If agreed at full council, the proposed increase would mark the 10th year in a row that ESCC has increased its share of council tax. With some notable exceptions, other East Sussex authorities have also mostly increased their share of the bill during this period. 

Assuming other local authorities — including police and fire services — also increase their share for the coming year, most band D residents can expect their full bills to be somewhere between £2,220 and £2,311 in 2023/24. 

For comparison, a band D council taxpayer would have paid somewhere between £1,539.77 and £1,614.43 in 2013/14 and paid between £2,131 to £2,219.29 in 2022/23. 

Even with the latest increase, the council’s financial plans identify a £41 million funding gap by 2025, unless more support is given to the council by central government. 

The budget proposals do not include any new savings for 2023/24, although previously planned savings of around £937,000 will fall in the year.

While there was little discussion of the details of the proposals,  there was some criticism of the council’s spending priorities by opposition parties.

Liberal Democrat leader David Tutt said:

“Within the report we talk about targeting basic need and I am not for one moment suggesting that we fail in our statutory obligation in terms of the services we provide and I don’t believe that we do. 

“But in terms of the aspirations of East Sussex residents, I think they aspire to something more than basic need.”

Cllr Tutt said these aspirations included improved adult social care, faster Special Educational Needs and Disability assessments, highways maintenance and stronger carbon reduction plans.

Cllr Glazier defended his party’s proposals, however, saying all of the areas identified by Cllr Tutt were areas set for future investment by his group’s administration.

The budget proposals are set to go to full council next month, when a final decision will be made.