Rother District Council (RDC), whose area includes Rye, will decide later this month on how much to increase its council tax charges from April, but its Cabinet was asked this week to propose an increase of 2.8 per cent.
Rye’s RDC Councillor Lord Ampthill (pictured above) leads on finance matters within Rother’s Cabinet.
Pressures on council finances include the withdrawal of central government funding, the higher costs of the new waste collection scheme and street cleaning contracts, and the increasing costs of homelessness.
The gross cost of providing emergency and temporary accommodation for the homeless has more than doubled over two years, and the gross cost is expected to be over £1 million in 2019/20.
Council members have been told the new waste contract “will cost significantly more than the current contract” and the council may have to dip into its reserves or possibly sell off some land it owns to cover its bills.
“The loss of all Government grants and the volatility in business rate income presents a major challenge for the council,” RDC has been told by its officers.
Image Credits: RDC .