Earlier this week (26 Feb), a Full Council meeting of all councillors discussed and voted on the 2025-26 Council budget, which sets out £188m to deliver services and support the Swindon Plan priorities to build a fairer, better and greener Swindon.
With the budget for social care services for children and adults forecasted to be at an all-time high next year, the Council is proposing to make £14.4m in savings to help balance the books. This includes £1.4m in initial savings from the first year of a major four-year transformation programme, with further savings expected in 2025/26.
To be able to close a forecast £14.7m budget gap for next year, the Council has been granted permission from the Government to use its money more flexibly. This means it can use funds typically reserved for long-term investments to meet the costs of day-to-day operational spending for 12 months, subject to an external assurance review.
The budget includes a 4.99 per cent rise in Council Tax (2.99 per cent in core council tax, with an additional two per cent increase ringfenced for adult social care). This would see the average council tax bill increase by £1.63 per week, excluding precepts from other bodies (Police, Fire & Parish Councils).