Rother council tax - latest

The figures were given by Rother leader Cllr Carl Maynard at a start of a 15-minute debate on Monday which resulted in a recommendation to the full council meeting to accept the recommended 2009-2010 budget.

If the proposed 4.04% increase in the Rother element of Council Tax is agreed on Monday, March 2, the budget increase will mean another 12p a week on a Band D property.

The banding system starts at Band A, for which the recommendation involves an 8p a week increase - 3.95 a year extra.

The leader began Monday's introduction by thanking overview and scrutiny committee members for their study of the budget proposals and head of service Robin Vennard and his team for their report.

Keeping the Council Tax increase as low as possible while maintaining the quality of service provided by the authority had been at the forefront of Rother's mind in producing the budget, he said.

But he again reminded members that not only had the Government awarded Rother very little increase in grant aid, it had also loaded the authority with extra responsibilities without proportionate aid.

A further return of some of the funds Rother lost through its investment in the failed Bank of Credit and Commerce International in the 'Nineties has given the authority some respite.

The leader reminded members that despite the increase, Rother's Council Tax levy was still 'by some margin' the lowest in East Sussex.

Commending the budget to colleagues, he concluded: "We have struck the right line between offering good services and Council Tax at the lowest possible level."

If agreed, the occupier of a mid-range Band D property would pay Rother 156.77 in the coming year.

Monday's meeting recommended the full council to approve spending totalling 13.569m next year.