Council Tax and budgets

Find out how to pay Council Tax to your local district Council and how we use the money.

We continue to listen to what is important to our residents and these priorities as well as responding to unavoidable demands in services which are reflected in our budget.

We are funding an extra £53 million for to deal with the increasing demands and cost of adults and children’s social care to protect the most vulnerable in our society.

At the same time, we are investing in the things that residents tell us are important and need improving, such as better roads and pavements, tackling congestion and improving public transport.

While the level of council tax is increasing by 8.98% this year due to pressures in demand led services, the level of our council tax to one of the lowest of any County Council in the country. The increase is equivalent to £2.79 per week for a band D property.

Total budgeted spend in 2026/2027 = £1.240bn

Adult Social Care, Public Health and Communities £443��
Children's Services (excluding schools) £195��
Economy, Infrastructure, Environment and Passenger Transport £129��
Maintained Schools £327��
Home to School Transport £53��
Corporate costs including contingency and cost of borrowing £55��
Central Services, including finance, legal and HR £38��

Where the money comes from to pay for the 2026 to 2027 Budget

The majority of the Council’s funding is from Council Tax income and the County area is allowed to keep up to 50% of the business rate growth collected in 91��Ƭ��since the introduction of the Business Rates Retention Scheme in April 2013.

The cost of providing our services in 2026/27, net of specific grants is £620 million. The initial difference between the £496 million figure for 2025/26 indicates an increase of £124 million. However, the government changed how it treated a significant number of grants for 2026/27 onwards, so this figure is £72 million higher because of this treatment. The “real” increase in budget being £52 million from the previous year.

Significant cost pressures in respect of inflation and increases in the demand and cost of providing services for children’s and adult social care and home to school transport are the main reasons for this increase. Some of these are significantly higher than the general rate of inflation or the income we receive, which is essentially fixed, from council tax and government funding.

Part of the increase in 2026/27 will be funded by Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) with a total of £59.9 million from a capitalisation directive and £14.4 million from the additional increase in council tax above the 4.99% maximum. This process exists to support councils facing unmanageable financial pressures. This government understands that fragility in the system has left some councils in difficult positions and recognises that support is required in some circumstances to balance budgets.

Summary of net budget for 2026/27

£246�� Adult social care, Public Health and Communities
£160�� Children’s Services
£85�� Economy and Infrastructure
£48�� Home to School Transport
£30�� Support services including finance, HR, ICT and legal
£51�� Corporate budgets including contingency and debt repayments

£620m - Net Budget Requirement

Summary of funding the Net Budget Requirement

Council Tax £392��
Business Rates £86��
Revenue Support Grant £82��
Exceptional Financial Support £60��

£620m - Total Funding.

How to pay your Council Tax

Each Council Tax year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Before the start of each Council Tax year, your district council will send you a single bill which details the amount of Council Tax you owe.

You will not receive a separate bill from 91��Ƭ��County Council for its portion of your Council Tax.

Find more details of the Council Tax billing and collection arrangements for each district council:

Contact District Council

Council tax budget leaflets

More detail is available on how the money is spent including a summary of gross expenditure, income and staffing.

Council tax bands

You can check your council tax band via the: page.

Budget books

See budget books below:

Useful links

Budget setting 2026/27

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