A summary of the report given to Walberswick Parish Council on 14th February 2022, by our East Suffolk District Councillor.
ESC REPORT TO WALBERSWICK PARISH COUNCIL
I am supporting the council tax increase of 2% or £5 for band D. Our council tax was frozen last year, because the Conservatives felt that they could use reserves for a “rainy day”. I predicted, correctly, that the outlook was not that great either. Because of that freeze we will have £350k less this year and forever more. Our employees will not be happy with their 1.5% pay increase this year and local government finances continue to be squeezed. I am advocating investment as a way of increasing revenue to fund our carbon budget and build more social homes.
The Second home loophole that allowed second homeowners to dodge rates and council tax will finally be closed next year. I am trying to find out if any fraud was committed in Covid business grants locally, but the council is refusing to release details. I am taking them to a tribunal on March 1st. We really need holiday lets to be a separate use class so that we can control their spread through our village. I welcome tourists for our economy but feel we must keep at least half our homes lived in.
I am now on the Planning committee as well as Scrutiny, and pressing for the local views to be taken into account so that we can keep our green village.
The Harbour Management Committee advisory panel is working well, but the new harbour study does not seem to have a solution to the eroding sea walls which threaten flooding ot homes in Walberswick. They seem committed however to replacing the south pier at £10m.