Mid Sussex District Council to increase its share of council tax bills

If approved by full council next month, the change would see Band D bills rise by £4.95 to £184.95.

The bills would also include expected rises of £15 from Sussex Police and £77.67 from WSCC.

The cabinet meeting was told that the budget for the coming financial year would be balanced without the need to draw on reserves.

But the picture for the following years does not look so rosy, forecasting a £605,000 gap in 2024/25, £3.23m in 2025/26 and £3.28m in 2026/27.

A £4.28m capital programme has been set for 2023/24 with £1.2m earmarked for the Burgess Hill Place and Connectivity Programme and just over £1m to pay for temporary accommodation for the homeless.

Leader Jonathan Ash-Edwards said: “Residents rightly expect their local council to deliver high quality services and value for money and that’s what we are focused on delivering in Mid Sussex.

“Our proposed budget enhances a number of key services, such as expanding the availability of our garden waste and bulky waste services.

“It also progresses our investment plans for parks, playgrounds, sports facilities, and local infrastructure.

“The high rate of inflation is having a significant impact on our budgets and the costs of delivering projects locally, but our track record of prudent financial management puts us in a strong position compared with many councils.

“As a result, while council tax will increase, it will do so at a lower level than the government’s cap, and this budget is our first since the pandemic where we are not having to use reserves.”