MP slams funding

A shake-up in the way Whitehall allocates cash to councils will now inevitably lead to massive increases over coming years in council tax bills in the South East.

Wealden has received the lowest increase of any district council at 3% compared to 7.1% in the East and West Midlands, 6.6% in the North West and 2.3% in Yorks and Humberside. East Sussex received the second lowest of any county council at 3.8%.

Mr Hendry said: 'When the costs of next year's National Insurance increases are taken into account, together with the increased contributions councils must make for people's pensions and the extra duties they are being required to take on by the government, these figures actually represent a cut in funding.

'Although the huge numbers of people who wrote in to the Minister objecting to his plans have stopped the worst scenario coming about, people will still be facing a big increase in council tax over the next few years, with many families having to face bills of over 1,000 for the first time.

'This shows the very cynical approach the government is taking and moving local government funds from the South East to its own heartlands and marginal seats,' he said.

'It is not surprising that people increasingly see a Labour Government which is forcing us to have thousands of new homes in the county, which is not prepared to do anything to prevent future flooding in Uckfield and which is now forcing through massive increases in our council tax as having only contempt for the South East.'