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Expenditure Plan
The Net Cost of Services for 2026/27 is £19.730 million compared with £15.782 million in 2025/26, an increase of £3.948 million. This is supported by a contribution from balances and reserves of £553k, meaning that the amount to be met from government grants and taxation is estimated to be £19.177m (£15.407m in 2025/26).
Income from Government Grants and Business Rates is estimated at £12.178m, an increase of £3,483k compared with 2025/26, following confirmation of the financial settlement from government. The Council has approved an increase in Council Tax of 2.99%, which means that we expect to collect £7.006m in 2026/27.
Open each accordion to reveal the Council's expenditure plans by service area for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027:
This table shows the Council's expenditure plans by service area for the 2025-2026 tax year:
(Table values in brackets are minus figures)
| Service | Gross Expenditure £'000 | Income £'000 | Net Expenditure £'000 |
| Central Items & Appropriations | (1,044) | 0 | (1,044) |
| Finance, People & Performance | 14,883 | (10,325) | 4,558 |
| Housing, Community Safety & Environmental Services | 6,097 | (3,718) | 2,379 |
| Health, Leisure, Climate and Economic Development | 1,688 | (1,452) | 236 |
| Leader | 3,192 | (425) | 2,767 |
| Neighbourhood Services & Assets | 10,937 | (5,205) | 5,732 |
| Planning, Transformation and ICT | 2,045 | (891) | 1,154 |
| Net Cost of General Fund Services | 37,798 | (22,016) | 15,782 |
| Contribution to/(from) General Fund Balance | 112 | ||
| Contributions to/(from) Earmarked Reserves | (486) | ||
| Amount to be met from Government Grants and local taxation | 15,407 | ||
| Less: Government Grants | (2,095) | ||
| Less: Income from Business Rates | (6,600) | ||
| Collection Fund (Surplus)/Deficit | 41 | ||
| Council Tax Requirement | 6,754 |
This table shows the Council's expenditure plans by service area for the 2026-2027 tax year:
(Table values in brackets are minus figures)
| Service | Gross Expenditure £'000 | Income £'000 | Net Expenditure £'000 |
| Central Items & Appropriations | (510) | 0 | (510) |
| Finance, People & Performance | 16,066 | (9,685) | 6,381 |
| Housing, Community Safety & Environmental Services | 7,801 | (4,636) | 3,165 |
| Health, Leisure, Climate and Economic Development | 1,844 | (1,846) | (2) |
| Leader | 3,984 | (243) | 3,741 |
| Neighbourhood Services & Assets | 11,466 | (5,730) | 5,736 |
| Planning, Transformation and ICT | 2,101 | (882) | 1,219 |
| Net Cost of General Fund Services | 42,752 | (23,022) | 19,730 |
| Contribution to/(from) General Fund Balance | (54) | ||
| Contributions to/(from) Earmarked Reserves | (499) | ||
| Amount to be met from Government Grants and local taxation | 19,177 | ||
| Less: Government Grants | (8,189) | ||
| Less: Income from Business Rates | (3,989) | ||
| Collection Fund (Surplus)/Deficit | 7 | ||
| Council Tax Requirement | 7,006 |
Change in net cost of services 2026-27
| Description | Amount £'000 |
| Homelessness | 2,337 |
| Establishment costs | 1,200 |
| Supplies and Services | 370 |
| Capital Financing Costs | 253 |
| Total | 4,159 |
| Description | Amount £'000 |
| Grants and Contributions - Non Government | 376 |
| Investment Interest | 35 |
| Lightbulb | 30 |
| Total | 440 |
Offset by
(Table values in brackets are minus figures)
| Description | Amount £'000 |
| Other Expenditure | (52) |
| Loan Interest Payable | (23) |
| Premises-related expenditure | (16) |
| Total | (91) |
(Table values in brackets are minus figures)
| Description | Amount (£'000) |
| Contract Income | (305) |
| Specific Government Grants | (111) |
| Other Income | (91) |
| Building Control Partnership | (27) |
| Rents/Easements | (27) |
| Total | (561) |
| Net Movement | (3,948) |
Capital programme 2026-27
The Council proposes new capital investment of £5,066.9k for 2026-27.
The allocations are as below:
| Description | Amount £'000 |
| Disabled Facilities Grant | 630 |
| Fleet Replacement Programme | 310 |
| Council Assets | 3,908.4 |
| Corporate & Service Specific ICT Projects | 55 |
| Community Development | 54.5 |
| Housing Support Grants | 30 |
| Landfill Gas Monitoring Works | 52 |
| Strategic Parks & Open Spaces | 27 |
| TOTAL | 5,066.9 |
Outstanding loan liabilities
| Aggregate Liabilities as at 31 March 2025 | Amount £'000 |
| Loan Debt Outstanding | 4,857 |