Wealden District Council has approved a 2.7% increase in its share of the council tax bringing the average increase to £76 per year.
Wealden District Council collects the council tax on behalf of a number of public services including East Sussex County Council, Sussex Police, the Fire and Rescue Service and your local parish or town council. The total council tax a Wealden householder pays will, on average, increase by £1.47 a week from April – Wealden’s share of this increase will be 10 pence.
“We continue to provide very good value for money for local council tax payers,” said Councillor Bob Standley, Council Leader. “The Commercial Strategy we embarked on a few years ago is now bearing fruit. Our new crematorium opens this spring providing a much-needed local service and a source of revenue for the Council. This, and the rental income we receive from our investment in the Vicarage Field shopping centre, will help support services. Otherwise we would be totally reliant on council tax and the proportion of the money we receive from business rates.”
This July will see the start of a new joint waste collection contract, using Biffa. Increased contract costs and the ending of County Council recycling credits have added over £2 million to the cost of waste and recycling collections in Wealden. This will be funded in part through a charge of £50 a year for households who wish to continue to receive a garden waste recycling service.
Possible changes in government policy on recycling collections are being monitored and the Council will respond as necessary.
Here’s a break-down of next year’s annual council tax, collected on behalf of East Sussex public services. It applies to mid-scale Band D property:
Annual charge for a Band D property: 2019/20
East Sussex County Council: £1,434.78
Sussex Police: £189.91
East Sussex Fire & Rescue: £93.67
Wealden District Council: £192.44
Average Parish/Town Council precept: £100.71
Total amount: £2,011.51
Wealden’s share of the council tax is just 9.5% of your overall council tax bill.
