Council tax set to rise by 3.99% across East and West Sussex
Council tax in West Sussex looks set to rise by 3.99% next year to help fund £12m for improvements to its heavily criticised Children's Services.
In December, the Department for Education (DfE) found "systemic and prolonged" failures in the service. Jeremy Hunt, cabinet member for finance, said it was a challenge they must address and "future investment is a big part of that." It means council tax for a Band D home will rise by £55 per year, to £1,439. West Sussex County Council cabinet agreed the draft budget, ready for it to go before full council on 14 February for final approval. The council has also pledged £2.6m for improvements in the Fire and Rescue Service. Mr Hunt said they had a budget gap of £45m following ongoing cuts to funding from the government, so as part of a five-year programme the council is investing in income generating initiatives such as energy solar farms and battery storage projects. Council tax in East Sussex is also set to rise by 3.99% next year after its draft budget was approved by its cabinet. East Sussex County Council said it would spend £6.5m on roads and services for vulnerable people but would make savings of £3.5m. Chief executive Becky Shaw welcomed "additional government funding" but said: "We face ongoing pressures". The council tax rise includes 2% for adult social care and equates to £1.10 a week for a Band D home. Analysis: Ben Weisz Political reporter, BBC Sussex It wasn't long ago that East Sussex warned of running out of money, while West Sussex spoke confidently of investing to save - in green energy and infrastructure. The tables have turned. After a year to forget, a children's services scandal has forced West Sussex to dip into reserves to pay for the turnaround, while it's looking at big savings for 2020/21 - £18.4m. No cuts are easy but East Sussex barely has to save a sixth of that. In truth, East Sussex struck lucky with various pots of one-off money from Westminster that stay the axe another year. But the social care crisis isn't going anywhere and both administration and opposition accept that unless the government's long-awaited reviews into council funding and social care are kind to East Sussex, austerity is far from over, merely (mostly) on hold. As part of its £403m spending on services for 2020/21, the East Sussex hopes to give a £1m boost to highways, including pothole repairs, line repainting and installing dropped kerbs. Other plans include investing in its residential homes for children with disabilities, and help for vulnerable people and families at risk of homelessness.