4.5% council tax increase

The budget was approved at a full council meeting on Wednesday last week.

Describing it as a budget which could be summed up in one word '“ prudence - finance cabinet member David Logan said the extra cost during the year for a band D taxpayer would be 6.47. This was an average council tax bill of 1,406.66.

He said the rise was in line with a strict, three-year financial strategy designed to keep increases to a minimum while protecting key services to residents.

'If we were to play gesture politics and artificially reduce the increase to say three per cent, the effect on the band D taxpayer would be a saving of 2.15 '“ less than the price of a pint.

'But the effect on the council would be dramatic in terms of the sustainability of budgets and services.'

The budget was seconded by Cllr Nick Ellwood who said that every year councils had to face increases in salary, pension, fuel and insurance costs.

He said: 'There is no alternative.

'Either council tax keeps rising or you have to slash heavily into services.'

Wealden's 17 million budget pays for refuse and recycling, planning, housing services, leisure centres, environmental health, support for businesses and tourism and the administration of benefits.

Cllr Paul Sparks' proposed budget amendment sought to redirect money into specific renewable energy projects while upgrading and enhancing opening hours for public toilets.

The amendment would have reduced Wealden's own annual council tax bill by 15p.

It was defeated by 19 votes.