THERE could be big changes ahead for our district as discussions continue over central Government giving greater power to local areas and the system of local government changing.
The Government’s plans for devolution have dominated the headlines over the past few weeks, with East Sussex County Council voting to bid to become one of the first areas in the country to undergo massive reorganisation in response to the Government’s White Paper on devolution published on December 16.
There has been some confusion about what this will mean, and understandably so — this is an extremely intricate process and a huge undertaking, although the model exists elsewhere in the country.
Ultimately, the Government’s plan could result in an elected mayor governing a new strategic authority covering the whole of Sussex – East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove. A reorganisation would then happen which could see the creation of three new unitary authorities, effectively abolishing the existing district and boroughs and the County Councils.
Our focus will always be on what is best for the district and its residents and as the situation unfolds, we will keep a close eye on developments and make sure we are at the forefront of discussions.
While these discussions continue, we are in the process of finalising our proposed budget for 2025/26 and I am extremely grateful to the many people who took the time to give us their views in our budget consultation. Your contribution gives us a better understanding of how any changes may affect the people relying on our services and will be full considered when decisions are made.
With a funding shortfall of nearly £1.2m for the next financial year, we are having to make some difficult decisions which could include a 2.99 per cent increase in Council Tax and the introduction of car parking charges in car parks that are currently free to use.
No councillor enters local government to make cuts or increase taxes, and both officers and councillors are working tirelessly to ensure that vital services are protected as much as possible. Full council will debate and decide on the budget at the end of February.
A little over two years ago we introduced environmental enforcement in Rother to tackle the growing problem of littering, dog fouling and fly-tipping which was costing the taxpayer a significant amount of money.
Last month, Cabinet gave approval for a new contract to be arranged when the current agreement with National Enforcement Solutions Ltd (NES) ends in July 2025.
The result of the decision means officers can invite enforcement companies to bid for a new contract, which will run from 2025 to 2030.
We had a lot of feedback when enforcement first started and questions about the idea behind the measure, but the results demonstrate why the work is so important.
Previously, Fly-tipping at our recycling centres and commercial waste leaving litter bins overflowing was a real problem in the district. Since enforcement started, incidents have reduced significantly and the feedback we have received is that the district is looking much cleaner and tidier as a result.
The development of a new, state-of-the-art GP surgery in Bexhill has taken a step closer after Cabinet approved the necessary legal agreements.
This is an important development that will result in a new, fully accessible, state-of-the art GP surgery for the residents of Bexhill at a time when the population is rising. The latest approval means we can enter into a Design and Build Construction Contract to get work started on the site.
It’s not every day that we are able to push developments like this forward and we look forward to continuing to work with the NHS to help provide high quality care and improve health outcomes for residents.
Councillor Doug Oliver.
