Bexhill and Rother households face paying more in council tax bills

The increase was voted through at a full council meeting on Monday (February 20) and is set to come into effect in April.

Cllr Kevin Dixon, who is cabinet member for transformation in the council’s cross-party Rother Alliance administration, said the increase came against a ‘very challenging’ financial backdrop.

Cllr Dixon (Lib Dem) said: “We all know that 2023/24 is still going to be very challenging and that is for things out of our control. Inflation is still rampant and we are not immune from that, along with the energy crisis.”

The council’s Conservative group voted against the council tax increase, but did not table any amendments setting out what alternatives should be put in place.

Conservative group leader Cllr Carl Maynard said his group’s position was due to concerns about the “long term sustainability” of the council’s finances and budget plans, with particular criticism of the council’s use of reserves in recent years.

He added: “We are not working together enough with other public sector bodies in terms of shared services. We are perhaps not being radical enough about the way in which we can take those things forward, so we can essentially project services but still keep costs down.”

The Conservative group’s position came in for criticism from members of the Rother Alliance, who defended their financial record.

Cllr Dixon said: “We are now where you planned us to be four years ago with reserves, within £64,000, which given the covid pandemic I think is a pretty good result.

“The fact you think we are not aware of the situation. Officers and members are acutely aware of the situation. In all the meetings we have the budget and balancing the books are always, always talked about.

“But, as [leader] Cllr Oliver says, where has this come from? It comes from the government. The government settlement that we get in December to try and then have to put a budget together for January. Ridiculous. The government funding of local councils and in particular district councils. Ridiculous. We are just not given enough to survive.”