Authority to raise council tax by nearly 5%

Brighton & Hove City Council has voted to increase council tax by 4.99%, as members backed a budget totalling about £1.1bn for the 2025/26 financial year.

The increase includes 2% ring-fenced for adult social care, the biggest single area of council spending.

Precepts from the Sussex police and crime commissioner and East Sussex Fire Authority take the average band D council tax bill to £2,455, more than £200 a month up from the previous year.

The Labour-run authority said it had managed to reduce its predicted budget deficit by £20m, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Deputy leader Jacob Taylor said the council had forecast a £36m budget gap – the difference between how much it expected to spend and its revenues.

But the government's autumn statement had reduced the hole in the budget to £16m.

The Green leader of the opposition, Steve Davis, described the budget as having "more cuts – but with a different coloured axe".

Meanwhile, Conservative leader Alistair McNair criticised the national government for slowing economic growth and criticised the effects of increased national insurance contributions for hurting businesses, charities and schools.

He also argued that money spent on equality, diversity and inclusion could be used to fund libraries threatened with closure or cuts to their opening hours.

The Greens and Conservatives put forward a series of amendments to the budget, but they were voted down.

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