2023-24 budget approved

Councillors agreed updates to Hastings Borough Council's corporate plan and the budget for 2023-24 at last night's Full Council.

The updated corporate plan reflects the fact that the council needs to focus on addressing the housing crisis in Hastings to survive into the future. Updates include working with partners and the voluntary and community sector around health and culture; work with other organisations and Southern Water following the flooding in January and other ongoing water and sewage issues; and making sure residents are aware of the need to have ID to vote in the future.

The budget sees the Hastings element of council tax increase by 2.99%, which is 16p a week for a band D property, £8.42 a year.

Cllr Simon Willis, lead councillor for finance, said: "This has been a very difficult budget to put together with our finance team. The ever-increasing costs of housing with decreasing national funding mean we have had to make some difficult decisions to help us balance the budget.

"Alongside the hard work we are doing internally we will also continue to lobby the government for the funding we need to deliver our services and to provide what our residents need in these difficult financial times."

Cllr Paul Barnett, leader of the council, said: "Our top priority for the coming year is to tackle the housing crisis we have in our town. We know that making sure our residents have safe and secure homes can start to address many of the inequalities there are within Hastings. We are looking forward to working with the many voluntary and community sector organisations within the town as we look to become an enabling council."

Council tax and benefits accounts will be unavailable through My Hastings from 23 to 27 February while finance systems are updated.

Council tax bills will be being sent out in mid-March. They will be able to view through My Hastings from Monday 13 March.

The updated corporate plan is available online now, and the updated budget papers will be available on the council's website in the coming days.