Budget consultation 2025/26

Introduction from David Stanley - Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer

As your local District Council, we are committed to caring for the Cotswolds in all we do. A key part of that is managing our budgets wisely so we can continue to deliver the services you rely on.

The Council is in a relatively sound financial position currently due to decisions taken over the last few years to raise charges and make services more efficient.

However, we are mindful that changes to the way local government is financed and organised would reduce the amount of funding from 2026/27. We have been preparing for a significant reduction in our funding and it is likely the Council will face a £4 million reduction in funding by 2027.

In its draft budget for 2025/26, the Council is proposing to raise council tax by £5 a year for a Band D Property. At the Council meeting in March 2024, proposals to introduce a Council Tax Premium on second homes from April 2025 was approved. The draft budget also proposed a small increase to car parking charges and to increase the garden waste charge so that the service continues to be paid for by the people who use it and not subsidised by council taxpayers. When taken together, these proposals could raise £680,000 towards funding vital services. The Council is also doing more to find further savings including measures to make Council operations more efficient.

However, we will need to make further changes to our budget for 2026/27 to ensure we remain in a relatively sound financial position.

By taking part in this consultation, you can have your say on our proposals for how we are going to balance our budget.