Cabinet to discuss draft budget proposals

Hastings Borough Council's draft budget will be discussed by Cabinet members on Monday 12 February at Muriel Matters House from 6pm.

The draft budget shows an improving picture for the council's finances, partly due to the numbers of households needing emergency accommodation starting to stabilise, and also savings that the council agreed to make across other services in December. As the council expands its housing acquisition programme over the coming year there will be further savings from not paying out large amounts of money to private providers.

The budget for 2024/25 also no longer includes costs for building the hotel at Cornwallis Street after Cabinet agreed in principle on Monday 29 January to sell the car park land to Whitbread for them to build the hotel at their expense.

The budget includes a 2.99% rise in the borough council element of council tax (an increase of 17p a week and £8.93 a year for a band D property).

Councillors will also be discussing the introduction of a 100% premium for all properties that are empty for a year from 1 April 2024 as well as a 100% premium on second homes from April 2024.

Cllr Paul Barnett, lead councillor for finance, said: "The numbers of people needing emergency accommodation are starting to stabilise, meaning the costs of providing this is not increasing as quickly as it has been. Work by the housing team to reduce the cost of emergency accommodation is also starting to come to fruition, alongside other savings being made across the council, so things are starting to look more positive for the council's finances.

"The Government settlement is yet again a real terms cut for Hastings after allowing for inflation, and they also expect us to increase council tax by the maximum allowed of 2.99%. We know that an increase in council tax is not something that people want to hear, but this increase is less than inflation has been in the last year, and we are continuing to offer council tax reduction to those who are unable to afford to pay."

Members of the public are welcome to attend the Cabinet meeting and ask questions. You can also watch online, and read the full reports online. If the proposals are agreed by Cabinet they will be discussed by Full Council on Wednesday 21 February at 6pm. This meeting will also be online and the public will be able to attend.

Editor's note:
The council's Cabinet agreed on Monday 29 January 2024 to a new agreement with Whitbread on the Cornwallis Street hotel. You can read the report online and watch the meeting.

The budget proposals were out for consultation in November and December last year with more than 100 responses.