Historic council-tax cut approved

The move comes as a surprise to many, as Adur Council’s cabinet recently agreed to freeze the tax for a fourth consecutive year.

Adur Council leader, Neil Parkin, said: “As a Conservative-controlled council, we believe in low taxes.

“After freezing the council tax for three successive years, I am now absolutely delighted that this year we are able to cut it by one per cent.

“The Council has worked hard over the last few years to reduce our costs in the face of the Government’s austerity plan and still deliver the services that our residents value.

“This year we have managed to balance our budget and have some money left over which we are giving back to our residents.”

By working in partnership with Worthing Borough Council over the past seven years, Adur Council has saved the residents of Adur and Worthing more than £13 million.

Cllr Parkin said he hoped this would be the first of many reductions, and that he would like Adur’s council Tax to be the same as Worthing’s.

The decision was approved at Adur’s full-council meeting last night.

A council spokesman said that indications for 2014/15 are that Adur will be the only council in West Sussex to have reduced council tax in the past four years.

By freezing council tax for this time, Adur Council has effectively saved taxpayers 12 per cent on their bills.

Since the partnership between Worthing and Adur began in 2007/08, savings of more than £2 million have been made in senior management costs.

The new, recently-agreed leadership structure will cost £807,960, compared to £2.2 million in 2007/08, a reduction of 56 per cent.