Council tax to rise

Bosses at Rother District Council are considering increasing their precept to 140.41 a year from 130.72, which is the current annual rate.

This means residents would have to shell out an extra 9 a year, or 19p per week.

The total council tax bill is made up of payments to the county council, Rother District Council and other bodies such as Sussex Police Authority.

But town hall bosses have yet to decide on the proposed increase, which is to be discussed next Tuesday.

In a report to cabinet members, Joy Cooper, director of resources for Rother District Council, said the council's budget was set to rise by more than 1 million over the next year.

She said: "The increase includes an additional 237,000 for the introduction of free bus travel for the over 60s."

Mrs Cooper added that extra money from the Government revenue grant was also coming from Whitehall over the next two years amounting to a total grant of 5.7 million.

She said: "The council should be pleased with the headline increase in the Government grant.

"However, it must be remembered that a substantial part of the increase relates to the introduction of free bus travel for the over 60s."

She added there was a predicted shortfall of more than 183,000 for 2007/08.

Mrs Cooper said: "There remains a continuing gap between the level of funding the council requires and the resources available.

"Work continues both at officer and member level to drive down costs where we can and identify and increase sources of revenue.

"The projected council tax for 2006/07 is 140.41, an increase of 9.69, or 7.41 per cent

"This increase is above the five per cent benchmark that the Government is expecting.

"To bring the Council Tax down to this level requires savings of just under 150,000 to be identified."