Henry Potter (District Councillor) Report for Westhampnett PC meeting 10/03/2025

The Cabinet of the CDC have thrown themselves in with WSCC supporting the early application to be considered for “Fast Track” inclusion in the proposal to Devolve more Power to regions in the form of Unitary Authorities. This, you might note, was done with no consideration for the electorate nor any form of consultation. Democracy has gone out of the window. On top of that, these local Authorities are expected to present a report on their vision for our futures by 21st March, in 3 weeks! What chance will we, the Electorate, have when fuller details of Devolution are still being worked on. Our Councils are in the dark and are expected to forecast our futures??

The Full Council met on Tuesday 25th February and the Agenda was essentially the Annual Budget setting for the forthcoming year ‘25/‘26. The Net budget requirement was agreed at £20,366,000 and this represents an increase of £5.58 for a Band D taxpayer which, at 2.99% is well below the threshold when a referendum would be necessary. As the billing Authority, CDC collects the tax in its area for WSCC and the PCC (Sussex Police) who incidentally raised their precept to £15,937,996, an increase of 5.54% on the previous year! A Band D taxpayer will contribute £266.91 towards the policing of our District. If only the service were to improve! For comparison, a Westhampnett Band D taxpayer will be paying £296.60 toward the District and Parish precepts, the Parish segment is £104.54 Band D is always quoted for guidance as it is midway between A and H. So, nothing too bad about this budget, imagine being in an Area where the Government have allowed the removal of the 5% cap on budgetary constraints.

At the same Budget meeting it was agreed to release sums of monies to support various projects through the coming year, £600,000 to assist WSCC Highways to remedy the hundreds of uneven paving stones in the City, we noted there is nothing coming from the City Council! Money to improve the facilities at Westhampnett Services due to enlarging the refuse collection fleet, a further freighter is needed solely for waste food collections from food outlets, and the entire fleet will in future use Hydrogenated Diesel fuel which is “greener” but will up the fuel costs by £85,000 per annum. And there is to be further excavations in Priory Park following on from the recent excavations which revealed interesting artifacts.

The issue of the cost to us all of the changes to the charging on National Insurance contributions is now apparent. The cost to CDC will be £545,000 this coming year and the Government have awarded us £110,000 by way of compensation! BUT ONLY FOR THIS COMING YEAR! Thereafter your taxes will have to rise to meet this draconian increase. CDC have contained this increase for this year as have you, the Parish Council. It will be a different story next year! The cost to Boxgrove who pay the Clerk the statuary LGA rate is going to be £670.00 per annum, ultimately needing a rise in the annual precept. Further taxation by the ‘back door!’

I have forwarded to your Clerk notice of a Permanent TRO which has recently been published, for a reduction of the speed limit to cover that stretch of Stane Street past the new, and inadequate!! entry into the RRMC extension. It would be nice if they listen!

It must surely be reduced to 30 mph, not 40.

Councillor Henry Potter,

CDC Member for the Goodwood Ward.