Cabinet to review annual report that will guide council spending

A REPORT that will guide the council’s priorities and help councillors develop new ideas will be presented to Cabinet next week.

The annual State of the County report and the accompanying report looking back at 2025/26, will give the new Cabinet the opportunity to review in detail the current position of the county council. The report will also explore the needs of residents, the policy context and the resources available to the council.

It is an important part of the authority’s robust financial and service planning and ensures statutory duties, policy ambitions, risks and performance are considered when decisions about services and budgets are made.

The report highlights the 31,000 people supported by adult social care services and the 48,000 who have been in contact with children’s early help and social care services, as well as work that has taken place on more than 2,000 miles of roads across the county, the two million items loaned through county libraries and the management of almost a quarter of a million tonnes of waste.

The report also explains the challenges which have led to a growing need for services the council is legally required to provide for vulnerable children and adults which account for three quarters of the council’s budget.

This, the report says, is at the same time as “ongoing escalation in costs right across the council as a result of national and international economic challenges which has significantly increased the expenditure required just to maintain the delivery of the most essential services”.

Looking ahead to 2027/28, Cabinet members will be told that financial planning begins from a position of “substantial financial challenge” after the 2026/27 budget had to rely on exceptional Government permission to borrow to fund day to day services.

The report highlights the importance of continuing to lobby central Government calling for “funding that accurately reflects the true costs of meeting the needs of East Sussex residents for statutory services”.

As part of the State of the County report, Cabinet will also review details of the county’s changing demographics.

‘Focus on East Sussex’ will give councillors details of the current population make up and how it is expected to change, as well as latest information on the health and wellbeing of the county’s residents, deprivation and the local economy – all issues which will have an impact on the level of demand for the council’s statutory services.

The reports will act as a resource for councillors to refer back to throughout the planning process, and in September Cabinet and Full Council will be asked to approve the basis for detailed service and budget planning for 2027/28.

Full details of the reports being presented to Cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday, June 30 can be found at Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday, 30th June, 2026, 10.00 am | East Sussex County Council

Ends.

Karen Bowles

Monday, 22 June 2026