At a meeting of Full Council on Wednesday 11 February we set our net budget for 2026-2027 at £817.6 million and agreed to a council tax rise of 4.90%. The maximum rise allowed by government without triggering a referendum or seeking permission is 4.99%.
At the meeting a number of budget-related reports were agreed, including the Revenue Budget Report 2026-27 which can be found on Council meeting agenda item 11.
This report sets out our current financial position and includes the impact of external factors, such as pay and price inflation and increasing costs and demand for council services, particularly in children’s services, mainly around special educational needs (SEND) and adult social care, which are contributing to significant additional spending.
We've set a balanaced budget for the year ahead.