Stop press items

East Sussex County Council has scored a spectacular success in national performance league tables as the CPA (Continuous Performance Assessment) review issued by the Audit Commission has judged East Sussex to be the most improved County Council in the country.

It has leapt two categories to become a 'good' council with a well run and efficient administration.  It now has a two star rating. (31.12.03)

In the same week as the CPA ratings were awarded, central government announced that East Sussex was to receive only £5000 from an emergency government fund intended to help local authorities keep council tax down, whereas Kent got £8million, and Hampshire £7million with Essex receiving £7.7million.  Surrey also had additional funding of over £8million.  Very strong representations are being made by East Sussex on the basis there is absolutely no logical reason for such a paltry sum and that it must be an error which needs to be put right.(31.12.03)

Sussex Police Authority will not receive any additional help from the additional £340million that central government has allocated to the rest of the country.(31.12.03)

Only a few weeks before this latest announcement, central government had announced an increase in funding for the coming year for East Sussex of about £12million but £11.6million must be put into Education leaving a ridiculously low figure of circa £400k for the rest of the key services that East Sussex must provide - another decision by central government that shows no understanding whatsoever of local needs. (2.01.04)

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