Budget agreed for West Sussex

West Sussex County Council has balanced its budget for 2025/26 without the use of reserves and with no cuts to front-line services.

But council tax will increase by 4.99% in April, taking the authority’s portion of the average Band D bill to £1,800.54 – a rise of £85.59.

The budget was approved during a meeting of the full council on Friday (February 14).

Jeremy Hunt, cabinet member for finance, said: “We appreciate an increase in tax is not ideal. But unfortunately, when government calculates how much money we should receive, it always assumes we will increase council tax. To not do this would leave us out of pocket and could ultimately mean we would be forced to cut services instead.”

The council’s net revenue spending – day-to-day costs – will be £827m. This is an increase of £58.7m on 2024/25. Additionally, £118.6m will be invested through the capital programme into roads, highways, schools, operational estate and IT and digital infrastructure.

Mr Hunt said: “This budget will ensure that we can continue to deliver excellent services to our residents over the coming year. It supports those most in need and it does see this council investing in the future of this fine county for the benefit of all our communities.”

He called the increase in employer National Insurance contributions, which comes into play in April, ‘damaging’ and said it would cost the council nearly £6million.

Adults services is the most costly of services run by the council. Its budget will increase to £292m – up from £263m in 2024/25.

A report to the meeting said that some 95% of that would be spent funding the social care needs of c8,500 residents who meet the national eligibility criteria set out in the Care Act.

Amanda Jupp, cabinet member for adults services, said: “Whilst a balanced budget has been set, the pressures on adults social care will undoubtedly continue. Unless we see meaningful reform of the care sector as well as sustainable long-term funding, the difficulties will only increase.”

Things don’t look so healthy in the coming years, with a budget gap of between £50m and £191m – depending on the level of council tax – forecast for between 2026/27 and 2029/30.

And in March 2026, a statutory override which keeps the council’s Dedicated Schools Grant deficit off the books will end. By that time, the shortfall is expected to be £222.5m – and that money will have to be found from somewhere.

Amendments from the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK were voted down, with the latter – which called for Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (DEI) staff to be axed – given short shrift by councillors of all political colours.  

The Liberal Democrat amendment called for an £88,000 increase in the budget for lollipop ladies and gents, as well as a campaign to attract more to the role.

It also called for one-off £1,000 increases in the highways maintenance and special needs assessment budgets and to pilot a preventative early intervention scheme to delay or avoid the need for care.

The budget was approved by 35 votes to zero with 11 abstentions.