Worthing Borough Council's council tax proposals debated

Council cabinet members met on Monday to discuss the authority’s annual tax position, voting to recommend the rise to full council later this month.

The increase equates to an extra £6.66 per year for a Band D property – a below-inflation spike, cabinet member for resources Edward Crouch said.

“We have an ambitious regeneration programme both in physical major sites like Union Place and Teville Gate, and digital regeneration with Gigabit internet and improvements to services,” he said.

“We also have challenges around homelessness and hardship and by setting council tax at this level we can continue to drive the town forward, whilst still making provision for the uncertainty associated with reforms to homelessness and issues around housing need in the town.

“The proposal will be debated in full at this month’s full council meeting before being finalised.”

A report to councillors noted £8,846,000 was expected to be generated for the council in council tax over the next financial year.

The amount received, along with income generated, is becoming increasingly important for the council, with financial support from the Government rapidly decreasing. The report said council tax represented an ‘increasingly significant proportion of the council’s overall taxation income over the next five years’ as a result.

While council tax made up a total of 63 per cent of the council’s income in 2017/18, it will form 75 per cent of income in 2022/23, when the council’s grants fall from ten per cent of its overall pot to less than one per cent.