Council Launches £120,000 Campaign Asking Residents To Stop Asking What Council Tax Pays For

By Robin Sheffield, Editor

EAST SUSSEX — A Sussex council has launched a £120,000 public information campaign encouraging residents to stop repeatedly asking what their council tax actually pays for.

The campaign, titled Your Council Tax: It's Complicated, will include leaflets, posters, social media adverts and a dedicated website containing several colourful diagrams that officials insist "make everything much clearer."

Residents say they do not.

The initiative follows an increase in enquiries from members of the public asking why their council tax has risen while roads, bins and various other things they can physically see remain roughly as they were.

A council spokesperson said the campaign would help tackle widespread misunderstanding.

"Council tax funds an enormous range of important services," they explained.

"It isn't simply a case of taking the amount somebody pays and explaining where it goes."

Asked whether the new website would explain where it goes, the spokesperson said:

"Broadly."

New Online Calculator

As part of the campaign, residents will be able to enter their council tax band into an interactive calculator.

The tool then produces a colourful pie chart divided into categories including Essential Services, Community Investment, Strategic Priorities and a surprisingly large section marked Other.

Clicking "Other" opens a PDF.

The PDF is 84 pages long.

Resident Graham Collins attempted to use the service on Thursday.

"I just wanted to know how much of my council tax goes towards fixing roads," he said.

"Three clicks later I was reading something called the Medium-Term Financial Strategy."

"I still don't know."

Residents Reassured

Council officials insist the £120,000 campaign represents good value for money.

"This is about transparency," the spokesperson said.

"We want residents to understand exactly how public money is being spent."

When asked for a breakdown of the £120,000 campaign budget, officials said a detailed breakdown would be published "in due course."

Approximately £18,000 is reportedly being spent on branding.

Another £27,000 has been allocated to "community engagement and awareness."

Nobody was immediately available to explain what the remaining money was for.

Further Engagement Planned

Residents who remain confused will be invited to attend a series of public information sessions.

The sessions will explain the council's finances using presentations, flowcharts and several phrases containing the word "framework."

A feedback form will be distributed afterwards asking attendees whether they now understand their council tax.

Anyone selecting "No" will be directed back to the website.

Council leaders say the campaign will run until next spring, when council tax bills are expected to increase again.

At the time of publication, one resident had submitted a Freedom of Information request asking how much the campaign cost.

The council replied:

£120,000.

The resident has now asked what that paid for.