Council Leader Urges Government for Local Council Support in Upcoming Budget

Worthing Borough Council’s leader, Cllr Sophie Cox, has urged the government to prioritise local council funding in the upcoming national budget. In a letter addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, and published in the Worthing Herald, Cox highlights the financial challenges faced by local authorities and calls for a long-term settlement period for funding allocations.

Cllr Cox, newly elected as the Labour Leader of Worthing Borough Council, wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister on 10th October, raising concerns about the sustainability of current funding models for local councils. She noted that the practice of receiving funding allocations on a yearly basis limits the council’s ability to plan long-term projects and meet growing demands in areas such as housing, emergency accommodation, and public services. Cox also highlighted the £1.5 million projected shortfall in housing costs for the year, which she describes as unsustainable without additional support.

The council leader also called for reforms to the planning system, particularly to prevent developers from sitting on approved sites and manipulating the market. She stressed the need for stronger regulations to ensure developers deliver on promised infrastructure and affordable housing, given Worthing’s geographical constraints between the South Downs and the coast. Additionally, Cox requested extensions to the Household Support Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to alleviate fuel poverty among pensioners in the area.