Crawley council tax to rise as budget is set to cope with ‘extreme financial pressures’

This, coupled with a Police and Crime Commissioner increase of £15 and an expected increase of £71.82 from West Sussex County Council, will see Band D bills rise by £91.77 for the year.

The Crawley figure was recommended during a meeting of the cabinet last week and should be agreed by the full council on February 24.

On Band C homes, the rise will be £4.40 a year, taking the bill to £190.08.

Leader Peter Lamb said: “The council is facing extreme financial pressure at the moment motivated almost entirely by Covid-19 and its impact upon the council’s main source of funding.

“The council is having to make about £2.4m of savings this year, £1.6m of which is being made through back office savings – but over £800,000 coming out of service delivery.

“Some of that is being tempered for the next few months until October due to some additional funding we got from the government at the last minute.

“Regardless, council tax will need to go up by 2.37 per cent.”

Other changes in the 2021/22 budget will include taking £826,300 from reserves to increase the amount available to buy temporary accommodation for the homeless.

That budget currently stands at £273,700, which would not be enough to buy the necessary properties once they hit the market, so the increase is recommended.

Describing the past year as ‘challenging’, Conservative leader Duncan Crow said both political groups had worked closely together to prepare the budget.

He said: “What’s really important is we set a budget that keeps the council on a sound and stable financial footing.

“It is the best budget that we are able to do and I’m confident that it will enable the council to provide sustainable and good quality services going forward.”

Karen Dunn , Local Democracy Reporting Service