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Expenditure Plan
The Net Cost of Services for 2025/26 is £15.782m compared with £16.207m in 2024/25, a decrease of £0.425m. This is supported by a contribution from balances and reserves of £375k, meaning that the amount to be met from government grants and taxation is estimated to be £15.407m (£15.394m in 2024/25).
Income from Government Grants and Business Rates is estimated at £8.695m, a decrease of £260k compared with 2024/25, 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 £6.754m in 2025/26.
Open each accordion to reveal the Council's expenditure plans by service area for 2024/2025 and 2025/2026:
This table shows the Council's expenditure plans by service area for the 2024-2025 tax year:
(Table values in brackets are minus figures)
| Service | Gross Expenditure £'000 | Income £'000 | Net Expenditure £'000 |
| Central Items & Appropriations | (4,224) | 0 | (4,224) |
| Finance, People & Performance | 15,879 | (11,964) | 3,915 |
| Housing, Community Safety & Environmental Services | 3,974 | (1,264) | 2,710 |
| Health, Leisure, Climate and Economic Development | 4,648 | (3,601) | 1,047 |
| Leader | 2,947 | (285) | 2,662 |
| Neighbourhood Services & Assets | 10,264 | (3,874) | 6,390 |
| Planning, Transformation and ICT | 4,361 | (654) | 3,707 |
| Net Cost of General Fund Services | 37,849 | (21,642) | 16,207 |
| Contribution to/(from) General Fund Balance | (464) | ||
| Contributions to/(from) Earmarked Reserves | (349) | ||
| Amount to be met from Government Grants and local taxation | 15,394 | ||
| Less: Government Grants | (2,355) | ||
| Less: Income from Business Rates | (6,600) | ||
| Collection Fund (Surplus)/Deficit | 88 | ||
| Council Tax Requirement | 6,526 |
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 | 13,438 | (10,325) | 3,113 |
| Housing, Community Safety & Environmental Services | 3,922 | (1,477) | 2,445 |
| Health, Leisure, Climate and Economic Development | 3,863 | (3,693) | 170 |
| Leader | 2,936 | (425) | 2,511 |
| Neighbourhood Services & Assets | 10,937 | (5,205) | 5,732 |
| Planning, Transformation and ICT | 3,746 | (891) | 2,855 |
| 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 |
Change in net cost of services 2025-26
| Description | Amount £'000 |
| Establishment costs | 1,605 |
| Capital Financing Costs | 126 |
| Premises-related expenditure | 39 |
| Fuel and other Fleet management costs | |
| Total | 1771 |
| Description | Amount £'000 |
| Contract Income | 78 |
Offset by
(Table values in brackets are minus figures)
| Description | Amount £'000 |
| Employee Expenses | (1) |
| Supplies and Services | (368) |
| Loan Interest Payable | (106) |
| Other Expenditure | (478) |
| Total | (953) |
(Table values in brackets are minus figures)
| Description | Amount (£'000) |
| Investment Interest | (100) |
| Homelessness | (136) |
| Specific Government Grants | (135) |
| Other Income | (217) |
| Building Control Partnership | (162) |
| Car Park Income | (12) |
| Lightbulb Partner Contributions | (48) |
| Rents/Easements | (36) |
| Grants and Contributions - Non Government | (476) |
| Total | (1,321) |
| Net Movement | (425) |
Capital programme 2025-26
The Council proposes new capital investment of £1,422.5k for 2025/2026.
The allocations are as below:
| Description | Amount £'000 |
| Disabled Facilities Grant | 630 |
| Fleet Replacement Programme | 304 |
| Council Assets | 190.3 |
| Corporate & Service Specific ICT Projects | 152 |
| Community Development | 54.5 |
| Housing Support Grants | 30 |
| Landfill Gas Monitoring Works | 43 |
| Strategic Parks & Open Spaces | 18.7 |
| TOTAL | 1,422.5 |
Outstanding loan liabilities
| Aggregate Liabilities as at 31 March 2024 | Amount £'000 |
| Loan Debt Outstanding | 5,713 |