Release date: 8 February 2023
Budget proposals to fund support, investment, and essential services for all West Sussex residents will be debated and agreed at a meeting of Full Council next week.
County Councillors will look at proposals for the annual budget, strategies for managing long term finances and investment, and the level of the County Council’s part of residents’ council tax for the year ahead.
The County Council is being invited to agree to spend a total of £1.86 billion to deliver day-to-day services to a growing population of 882,676 residents and 37,400 businesses across the county.
Pressure and additional expense are being felt particularly in adults’ and children’s services, where the County Council is supporting people who have increasingly complex needs.
The budget proposals include a plan to increase the County Council element of council tax by 2.99% - plus an additional 2% for adult social care – making a total increase of 4.99%. This would see an increase for an average Band D property of £77.67 per year or around £1.50 per week.
The proposed increase in council tax would mean the County Council can balance its budget and protect vital frontline services from the possibility of cuts.
The budget proposals have already been agreed by the County Council’s Cabinet at a meeting last week and endorsed by the Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee at a meeting on 25 January.
The budget-setting process sits alongside the County Council’s four year plan to shape how services are prioritised and define the outcomes the council wants to achieve for people who live and work in West Sussex.
More information about the proposed budget is available on the County Council website.
The Full Council meeting will take place from 10.30am on Friday 17 February at County Hall, Chichester. Any proposed amendments by minority groups on the Council will also be debated.
Residents can read the full agenda on the County Council website.
The meeting can also be watched online via a live webcast.
Anyone who wishes to make a comment on the proposed budget in advance of the Full Council meeting can email budget@westsussex.gov.uk
