Central Beds Budget Agreed

Leighton Buzzard News

Central Beds Budget Agreed

Budget agreed to manage £17 million funding shortfall means 5% increase in Council Tax

Central Bedfordshire Council has agreed a budget for 2026/27 that:

  • meets the rising demand and costs for adult social care and children’s services
  • provides more SEND provision
  • invests more money in road maintenance

For several years, the council has been managing increasing financial pressure due to the growing need for adult social care and children’s services. In the coming year alone, these costs are expected to rise by £9.6 million. Careful and prudent financial management had previously placed the council in a stable position, allowing it to plan for inflation‑level Council Tax increases while meeting these demands.

However, recent national Government funding changes have resulted in a £17 million shortfall for 2026/27. To address this responsibly and ensure services that residents value remain protected, the council has put in place £27 million of efficiency measures. These measures focus on reducing running costs while maintaining frontline services.

The approved budget includes significant investment across the area, including:

Over £320 million to deliver the hundreds of essential local services residents rely on, such as social care, waste and recycling, libraries, leisure, planning, parking and public protection.

Over £130 million to maintain and build vital infrastructure, including schools and roads. Councillors have agreed to increase borrowing to support additional road maintenance, raising this budget from £10 million to £14 million in recognition of how important well‑maintained roads are to residents.

The council had originally planned a 3% increase in Council Tax for the coming year, but the scale of Government funding reductions means a 5% increase is now required to ensure essential services can continue.

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