Council Tax Bills Set to Rise
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN
Hastings Borough Council’s Cabinet has approved draft budget plans, including a 2.99% council tax increase for residents from April. This is the maximum rise allowed by the government without triggering a local referendum. The increase will bring the total annual bill for an average Band D property in Hastings to over £2,600.
Chief Finance Officer Kit Wheeler presented the Revenue Budget 2026/27, and Capital Programme 2026/27 to 2028/29 to senior councillors last Monday (2 February). He reported that the council’s financial position had “improved significantly” when compared to recent years. He praised the efforts of staff and councillors who had worked hard and made real sacrifices to cut costs and put staff vacancies on hold to make savings.
He acknowledged that austerity measures, imposed on the council three years ago by the previous government to avoid a Section 114 notice to prevent bankruptcy, had affected the delivery of local services. However, he insisted this was a “necessary part of our process to achieve our goal of financial sustainability.” The council’s reserves are expected to increase from just £4m – the minimum level considered necessary to withstand significant financial shocks – to “hover currently at about the £7m mark.”
The council’s budgetary pressures stem primarily from spiralling costs in the housing budget. Cabinet members were warned just last month of a predicted overspend of around £700,000 in the next financial year due to providing temporary accommodation (TA). This month, however, Chris Hancock, the Head of Housing, told Cabinet that more recent figures indicated a much-improved position, with 28 households moving out of private temporary accommodation into their own homes because of the council’s property acquisition policy. He added that he hoped to see sustained progress over the coming year, with a target of up to eight households a month leaving private temporary accommodation and moving into a permanent home.
Mr Hancock also highlighted the council’s work on homelessness prevention. He told the Cabinet that they were on track to spend around £193,000 less than it had budgeted for by the end of the current financial year.
Cllr Darren Mackenzie, the Finance, Risk and ICT Portfolio Holder, welcomed the improved budgetary position and thanked officers for their “incredible efforts”. Cllr Glenn Haffenden, the Council Leader, echoed the sentiments before adding that the budget proposals would “likely” see further changes before being signed off at a meeting of Full Council on 11 February.
East Sussex County Council will meet to set its 2026/27 budget on 10 February, where councillors are expected to confirm a council tax rise of 4.99%. This is made up of 2.99% on council tax and 2% on the Adult Social Care Precept.
Of your council tax income, over 73% goes to East Sussex County Council, around 13% to Hastings Borough Council, and 11% to the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner.
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