2024/25 Council Tax Bill

Yes, indeed, my 2024/25 Council Tax Bill came through the letterbox this afternoon, unsurprisingly it's gone up again, this year by an overall 4.7%. January saw the last official British inflation rate at 4% and it was projected to drop over the year. So, the rise is slightly more than the inflation rate at the moment, but of course, prices have increased significantly more than 4% since March 2023.

Adult Social Care has the lowest increase since last year at 2%; East Sussex County Council, Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex Fire Authority have all had increases of 3%; as usual, the amount of increase gone to the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner is higher, that is by 5.4% (remember this when you're told more money is being spent on increasing the number of police officers).

Local elections coming in May, General Election soon-ish?!?

Council Tax Increases Again for 2022/23

It doesn't look great for us this year, financially, with our Council Tax Bill 2022/23 increasing in Hastings by 4.07%, made up of an increase in the Hastings Borough Council of just 1.99%, increased to 4.07% because of the Police, Fire Authority and East Sussex County Council Adult Social Care precepts added to the total council tax.

Council Tax Bills should be sent out to us this week, and all households in Bands A to D will receive a £150 Council Tax Rebate in our bank accounts in May if Council Tax is paid for by Direct Debit; if you don't pay by Direct Debit go to this council website page for further information.

The trouble for many will be that, when increases in the State Pension rate, for example, were declared in October, the inflation rate was at 3.1%, thus pensions will increase by that amount in April (Government website), whereas the inflation rate is quickly rising above the 5.4% it had already increased to by January, and the Bank of England (website) expects it to rise to 7.25% by April!

So, if taking account of the astronomical increases expected in energy costs following ofgem's price cap increase for next year (website) and with world gas and oil prices increasing, notably following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions on Russia (yahoo news), food prices and energy costs will go through the roof, and inflation is likely to increase even further!

Of course, the £150 Council Tax Rebate is a Government scheme to help us with increasing energy costs, together with a £200 loan we will be given this Autumn via the energy company we use; this is called a "discount" by the Government (website), but is in fact not a "discount" as we have to pay it back over the next 5 years, presumably added to future energy bills.

So, things do not look so great for us financially, start economising folks!

Council Tax Bill 2020-21

So the latest Council Tax Bill, for 2020 to 2021, arrived on most doorsteps this week, not really any surprise regarding the make-up... East Sussex County Council increase from last year 2.0%, Adult Social Care increase of 2.0%, Hastings Borough Council increase of 2.0%, East Sussex Fire Authority 2.0%.

But what about for the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner? Again, this exceeded the average increase, as it has done in recent years, eg 7.8% compared to 3.0% 2018-19, a whopping 14.5% compared to 3.0% 2019-20 (blog), and this year 5.3% compared to 2.0%. So, whilst Hastings receives no central government grants at all now, we keep on being asked for money over the inflation rate (11.5% over inflation this year passing!) to fund the Police. I doubt many would deny the Police need more funding, with over 23,000 fewer police officers now than in 2010, thanks to austerity cuts, but we keep on paying more, and I don't see any increase in police numbers walking the beat in Hastings, though the occasional support officer or two patrol in police cars.

Indeed, the Prime Minister has suggested he will ensure police numbers are added to by 20,000 officers, but still not enough to equal the number in 2010, and 30,000 fewer than Home Office and Police officials say will actually be required! The reason for that 30,000 number is because "so many are set to leave the service" (BBC).

Don't hold your collective breath.

Save the Isabel Blackman Centre!

Due to austerity cuts thanks to central government, East Sussex County Council have planned to stop day services being provided at the Isabel Blackman Centre, that is, 'social care facilities for adults over 50 suffering from... dementia; stroke; learning disabilities and other long-term conditions.'

This has been going on for a while now, but consultation time is quickly shortening. There are petitions around town, and online (for example at the ESCC website), which need to be completed soon should you wish to support these continued facilities for vulnerable people in Hastings; the ESCC online petition runs until the 12th of October.

Once it's gone that will be it sadly...





Council Tax Questions?

I presume that you, like me, have received your council tax bill with its heralding a 3.56% increase, a new charge for Adult Social Care, and no telling what cuts to ensue... 

Well, if you do have questions you would like to ask, Hastings Borough Council has a link from their website where you may find suitable answers.