Budget

2025 to 2026 budget

Like all local authorities, the council is experiencing financial pressures that mean balancing the budget is increasingly challenging.

At the same time, we are working hard to make sure we retain good, high quality services for residents.

Public consultation

As always, we consulted on draft budget proposals. The consultation was between December 2024 and January 2025. 

Hearing your views is a very important part of the budget setting process. The council received over 130 formal responses to the budget consultation. We also got informal feedback at public engagement sessions run by our councillors across the borough.  

Overall, more than half of all respondents agreed or strongly agreed with all our budget proposals, individually and as a package. The consultation also showed strong support for our plans to:

• invest an additional £2.7 million to repair and improve the borough’s roads 
• work on promoting independence for vulnerable adults

Final budget proposal

The budget approved by Council on 26 February 2025 includes:

• £8.4 million of capital investment in our assets, funded by the council - this includes nearly £1 million on energy efficiency and environmental work that form part of our climate change action plan
• £250,000 revenue funding to support delivery of the action plan - this reflects the council’s commitment to achieve net zero as close as possible to 2030

Our largest spending pressures are in services to support vulnerable adults, reflecting current and expected demand. Adult social care spending alone will increase by £6.5 million next year. This and other pressures mean that Council Tax will be increasing by 4.99%. However, we will remain in the lowest 10% of unitary councils.  

We recognise that any increase is unwelcome and for some households may be unaffordable. For this reason, working age households who get Council Tax Support will see a £50 reduction in their tax bill. Other support is available for low-income households.

Any households who are struggling to keep up with their payments should contact Revenue Services who will be able to provide advice and support.

View our annual accounts

The following documents are our annual statement of accounts.

The financial statements include:

• the statement of accounts
• the narrative report
• independent auditor’s report

2023 to 2024 statements

2022 to 2023 statements

2021 to 2022 statements

Older accounts

Treasury management reports

Further documents

How your money is spent 2024 to 2025