A council is expected to require financial support for the "foreseeable future".
At a meeting of Adur and Worthing council’s cabinets on Thursday, October 10, members noted an update on next year’s budget forecast, with a predicted shortfall increase of around £600,000 from July.
A committee report said the predicted shortfall for the council’s 2026/27 budget would be around £4 million, saying the council would likely need to seek exceptional funding support from the government for the "foreseeable future".
Worthing cabinet member for resources, Councillor John Turley, for Gaisford, said next year’s projected shortfall increase was mostly due to increases in the housing needs budget.
He said the council is currently receiving exceptional financial support from the government, which he said meant there was "an expectation" council tax will increase next year by 2.99 per cent, the maximum amount allowed.
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Higher than expected inflation and borrowing costs, as well as "mounting" costs from the new Worthing Integrated Care Centre (WICC) are also impacting the shortfall, he said.
Cllr Turley said the government’s fair funding review and annual funding settlement had not been published yet, but that they expected to continue to need exceptional financial support.
Leader of the council Sophie Cox said the council was facing "considerable pressures" financially, saying the council was spending 26 per cent of its net revenue budget on housing and accommodation.
