Some good news to celebrate this week, with the official opening of the new Battle Pavilion after a decade of hard work and dedication.
I was disappointed not to have been able to attend the celebration but send my warmest wishes to all those involved and congratulation for their achievements.
The pavilion, which replaces outdated facilities, will become an integral part of the community offering space for grassroots sport, social gatherings, and much more.
I’m so pleased that the town council and the community have persevered with the project and happy that Rother District Council has been able to give it financial support. I’ve no doubt it will very quickly prove a popular place to be, and I wish it every success.
I met with my fellow Cabinet members this week to discuss our budget for 2026/27 and make recommendations to Full Council, who will make the final decision.
We have recommended that Council Tax be increased by 2.99 per cent, which will put an extra £6.30 a year on a Band D property.
Increasing the burden on the public is not something anyone in local government wants to do but it is becoming increasingly necessary to enable us to deliver those vital public services that people rely upon.
But even with the Council Tax increase, we will have to make further savings to deliver a balanced budget and this year a raft of proposals is planned to save the council nearly £690,000.
It will be for all councillors to consider and agree the new budget and that discussion will take place towards the end of the month.
Ensuring better use of our limited funds is becoming more important than ever, which is one of the reasons we are encouraging residents to sign up for a revenue and benefits online account.
We will spend more than £45,000 this year sending out 47,000 letters notifying resident of their council tax charges.
By signing up for an online account, residents can help ease the burden on the taxpayer and will have a more convenient way to access council tax balance, housing benefits, payments, and more.
People can find out more and sign up for an online account by visiting Revenues and Benefits Online Accounts – Rother District Council
We have recently launched a public consultation on our Local Plan which is the blueprint for how Rother will grow and develop.
New, higher housing targets set by Government means we will be facing some very difficult decisions about where new development will go.
It’s so important that we hear from residents and businesses to help us ensure that homes, jobs, infrastructure and open spaces are carefully planned and delivered.
More information, including the proposed sites can be found at The consultation, which can be found at Draft Local Plan 2025-2042 – Rother District Council Here, residents can also take part in the consultation. You have until 5pm on Monday, March 23 to have your say.
Ends.
Published: 6th February 2026
