Council sets aside extra cash to house locals

A local authority in West Sussex has announced it is putting aside more money for housing local people with nowhere to live.

Adur District Council said councillors have backed allocating an extra £400,000 in its upcoming budget to deal with increasing homelessness, which it called its "greatest financial pressure".

It said funding temporary accommodation for Adur residents now uses up one in every £6 it takes in.

"Supporting the increasing number of local residents who have nowhere to live is expected to continue to be a challenge for us over the next year," the local authority said.

The council said the draft budget would also see "significant investment" in waste, recycling and cleansing services.

"A new food waste service will be rolled out to all homes in the district during 2026/27," it added.

There would also be increased investment in Adur's community and village centres, towns and in the protection of its coastline, said the authority.

Adur District Council said its cabinet has recommended increasing council tax by 2.99%, a rise of less than 20p a week for an average Band D home.

This "will be enough to balance the books while continuing to invest in the services the community needs", it said.

There will also be "small increases" in charges for services such as on-street parking, venue hire and commercial waste collections of up to 3.5%, the council added.

The full council will consider the draft budget at a public meeting on 26 February.

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