Financial future ‘is going to be difficult’ for Mid Sussex District Council

Mid Sussex District Council offices at The Oaklands, Haywards Heath. Pic Steve Robards SR1521476 SUS-150809-224918001

This was the news shared during an online meeting of the cabinet on Monday (June 1).

Members were told there had been a £10,000 overspend in 2019/20 – £21,000 more than had been forecast at the last meeting in February – with £257,000 transferred to reserves.

Leader Jonathan Ash-Edwards told the meeting that the report into the last financial year contained early signs of things to come, especially with the loss of car parking and other income once the lockdown started in March.

While Cllr Ash-Edwards said the council had been in a strong financial position in the lead-up to the pandemic, he warned there was a ‘very significant ongoing risk’ to its income.

Andrew MacNaughton, cabinet member for housing and planning, praised the financial work carried out over the past years to place the council in a sound position.

He said: “If we hadn’t have done all the hard work we’ve already done, I don’t know how we would go into the future – because we wouldn’t have been able to cope if we hadn’t done the sterling work that’s been done by everyone in Mid Sussex.

“I look forward to the future. It is going to be difficult but if we weren’t where we are today with the work done before, it would be bleak.

“And I don’t believe it will be bleak. I believe we will continue to work very hard to support all our communities.”

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