Eastbourne Borough Council accused of ‘misleading’ media over reported £112 million debt

Data released by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) in January found that the council owed £112,557,000 in long-term debt as of September 2023.

This was reported in several media outlets as its ‘total amassed debt’, which Conservative Group Leader for Eastbourne Councillor Robert Smart has called a ‘gross error’. He believes the council has ‘mislead’ media outlets by not disclosing the short-term debt and said he explained the error to Full Council six months ago.