Ed Davey Addresses Council Tax and Charges
The Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, has defended the decision by councils under his party's control to raise charges and council tax.
During a visit to Eastbourne, Sir Ed spoke to BBC South East, emphasizing the need to address the cost of living on a national scale rather than in isolated areas.
"The cost of living had to be tackled 'as a country, not just one little bit'."
He highlighted that the most significant concerns he has heard from the public relate to rising petrol and diesel prices, increasing energy bills, and growing mortgage costs.
Sir Ed attributed some of these pressures to the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
Various councils across the South East, governed by different political parties, have implemented increases in charges and council tax.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, commented on Wednesday that council tax must rise due to local authorities being "in massive debt."
The cost of living remains a central issue for the Liberal Democrats as they approach the local elections scheduled for May.
Lib Dem Councils' Approach to Financial Pressures
Sir Ed stated that many Liberal Democrat-led councils are actively working to minimize additional financial burdens on households.
He acknowledged that some local authorities face significant challenges related to the costs of adult social care and the provision for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), which they must fulfill.
"We do want to look after elderly people. We do want to look after disabled people. They've got to deal with special education needs. I think it would be wrong to take support away from disabled children."
Currently, the Liberal Democrats do not govern any councils with social care or SEND responsibilities in Kent, Sussex, or Surrey.
Maternity Care Reform Proposals
Sir Ed outlined the Liberal Democrats' plans to reform maternity care, which include a commitment to providing one-to-one midwife care for women during labour.
"We put forward a package of proposals making sure every mother has a midwife by their side the whole time and every maternity unit has a consultant obstetrician, a specialist doctor 24/7. If we did that, some appalling situations we see wouldn't happen."
He acknowledged the challenges involved but emphasized that investing in the system would be preferable to covering the costs of errors.
Council Tax Increases in Liberal Democrat-Controlled Areas
Eastbourne Borough Council and Chichester District Council, both under Liberal Democrat control, plan to raise council tax by the maximum allowable 2.99% for the 2026/27 fiscal year.
Other Liberal Democrat-run councils have also implemented increases: Tunbridge Wells Borough Council raised council tax by 2.9%, Mid Sussex by 2.95%, and Horsham by 2.94%.
In Eastbourne, the council has additionally increased parking charges and introduced fees for the use of public toilets.
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