Braintree District Council’s budget has been approved for 2025-26.
This will see over £3 million investment into cleaner and greener streets, improving community assets, funding boost for community projects and addressing growing pressures around temporary housing accommodation.
The council’s budget for the next year were presented to and formally approved by members at a meeting of the Full Council tonight (Monday 24 February). It sets out plans for a balanced budget whilst ensuring no cuts to services, freezing charges for car parking and the garden waste subscription service, investing in services that residents value whilst ensuring financial sustainability.
The budget plan includes additional investment of £1.6 million into the council’s capital programme, on top of the £16 million already earmarked for a range of sports and community facilities, a new community centre and artificial grass pitches, as well as financial support for essential home adaptions to improve accessibility for disabled residents, and hot water and heating installations.
£500,000 has been set aside to address rising pressures on the availability of temporary housing accommodation, as well as £1.5 million investment into a new Community Asset Fund to improve its community assets across the district.
Other plans 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
- delivering a programme of refurbishments to local play areas.
The budget includes an increase in the district council’s share of council tax, a rise of around 11 pence per week based on a Band D property. The council is still one of the lowest council tax rates amongst other similar authorities in Essex.
Braintree District Council continues to provide a range of support for those residents hardest hit by the cost of living including additional support for low-income households. This includes a council tax support scheme and hardship fund for those most in need.
Councillor Tom Cunningham, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transformation, the Environment and Customer Services at Braintree District Council, said: “The council’s sound financial management and continued focus on providing valued services for our residents was key to our budget setting. We’re proud to have been able to make a substantial investment into essential council services which we know local residents and businesses rely on. We know there’s some uncertainty about the future, and we’re focused on helping our district reach its full potential. All in all, we’re committed to delivering the best local services for our community.”
Councillor Kevin Bowers, Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Performance at Braintree District Council, said: “'To be able to balance our budget whilst ensuring continued improvement of services is a good position to be in, which is a result of our sound financial management over many years. We know we’re not immune to significant financial challenges like all councils are, which is why we’re putting our efforts into transforming the way we work, making savings and generating income to protect services and ensure the council is financially sustainable, resilient and future proofed.”
Residents can find out more about where the council’s money comes from and how it is spent on our budget page.