Braintree District Council’s 2025/26 budget proposals have been published, outlining investment into the community and targeted support for residents.
This is also while continuing to deliver necessary savings and the long-term financial sustainability of council services.
Due to prudent financial management, the council is able to ensure no cuts to services and is freezing charges for car parking and the garden waste subscription service; this is despite continued inflationary impacts and rising demand for services.
The council will be investing more into a range of services, whilst also balancing the books. If approved by Full Council in February, additional investment will be made, including:
- £1.6 million extra into the capital programme on top of the £16 million that is already earmarked for a range of sports and community facilities, a new community centre and artificial grass pitches, and financial support for essential home adaptions to improve accessibility for disabled residents and hot water and heating installations
- £1.5 million investment into a Community Asset Fund to improve community assets that residents value and use across the district
- £500,000 to address growing pressures on the availability of temporary housing accommodation
Other areas of focus in 2025/26 include:
- extending the cost-of-living fund for a further year to help residents most affected by the cost-of-living crisis
- investment into pride in place with extra funding for litter and dog bins, A120 cleaning, and a new rapid response team to help keep the district clean and tidy. Funding for parish councils will be maintained to help them look after their local areas.
- continuing the Councillor Community Grant Scheme with £1,250 allocated to each councillor to use to support community projects
- continuing a programme of refurbishments to local play areas
Increasing demand for services and continued uncertainty means the council must keep planning for the long-term, delivering through transformation changes that will protect services and ensure financial sustainability.
The council is proposing an increase in its share of council tax for 2025/26, a rise of around 11 pence per week based on a Band D property. The council expects to still have one of the lowest council tax rates amongst other similar authorities in Essex. To support low-income households, a council tax support scheme and hardship fund will be maintained for those most in need.
Councillor Graham Butland, Leader of Braintree District Council, said: “This year’s budget reflects the council’s commitment to protecting and delivering services that residents across the whole district rely on and investing in our priorities, whilst making sure we remain a well-managed, efficient, and financially stable council.
“We know there still remains uncertainty looking to the future – we have our eye on this to make sure our district reaches its full potential. We expect more opportunities are on the horizon for greater devolution which will benefit our residents and businesses, but we’re making sure we get the job done and keep delivering the best local services for our residents and businesses.”
Councillor Kevin Bowers, Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Performance at Braintree District Council, said: “Our prudent and sound approach to financial management means we have a number of income streams that are helping us continue to deliver vital services and put extra money into priorities, whilst also balancing the books. We are and will continue to work hard to close our budget gap over the medium-term by transforming the way we work and deliver services.”
The budget will be considered at the council's scrutiny committee next week on 29 January and Cabinet on 3 February. The final budget will be decided at a Full Council meeting on 24 February.
Residents can watch all of these meetings on the council’s YouTube channel and see regular updates on the council’s budget position on its website.
The 2025/26 budget proposals report can now be read online.