Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Councillors have agreed budgeted spending plans of £88.4m at their meeting on Wednesday, 25 February.
The £88.4m expenditure is broken down below:
- General Fund Revenue Net Expenditure £23.8m
- General Fund Capital Expenditure £17.2m
- Housing Revenue Account Revenue Expenditure £33.3m
- Housing Revenue Account Capital Expenditure £14.1m
The budget sets out its detailed spending and funding, which was ratified at the Full Council meeting the same evening.
After a draft budget deficit for 2026/27 of £3.5m was forecast in December 2025, the Government’s grant settlement and changes to Council Tax and Business Rates schemes have resulted in a small projected surplus of £10,756
As well as continuing the good work on maintenance issues and IT systems from last year some further growth items have been possible:
- Additional Support for Development Control Enforcement and Legal Services
- Support for Climate and Sustainability issues
- Support for introducing a scheme for Licensing of all HMOs in the Borough
- More public events
To achieve this, a Council Tax increase by the maximum limit of 2.99% was agreed, equating to an £8.12 a year increase in the Borough Council’s share to a band D property.
The remainder of the increase is received by Warwickshire County Council and the Office of the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner. The Borough Council’s share equates to 11.17%.
Increases in discretionary fees in charges were set at 3.4% except for:
- Green Bin Charges
- Planning and Land Charges
- Licensing Fees
- Legal Charges
All the above charges will subject to detailed reviews during 2026/27.
Council housing rents will increase by 4.8%, which adheres to the formula allowed by government of 1% plus September’s Consumer Price Index.
The Housing Revenue Account for the current year is projected to balance at a net zero position. Total income projections for 2026/27 are set at £33.3million.
Car Park charges have been held with reduced rates for town centre parking being available at Harefield Road multi-storey. The new ticket machines are now providing valuable feedback on usage and will enable the Council to examine a flexible charging policy as part of the forthcoming Car Parks Strategy review.
Cllr Steve Hey, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Resources and Central Services, said:
"I am delighted we have been able to produce a balanced budget which continues the good work we started in 2024/25 and contains additional growth item to further support our aim of making Nuneaton and Bedworth a great place to live and work.
“We are getting basics right on keeping the Borough tidy, although there is always more to do.
“In addition, we are putting more resources into Planning Enforcement and Legal Support Services, ensuring the Council is in a fit state to respond effectively to climate change, along with licensing and planning policies for all HMOs in the Borough, and more public events, especially given the opening of Grayson Place soon.
"We are also going to build on our success in employing an empty properties officer to ensure that empty properties in the Borough are brought back into use for the benefit of everybody. This is already paying dividends, such as the demolition of the Kingsholme pubs.
“We will also continue to build new Council properties which is one of the main concerns of the residents who contact me.
“I am proud of Nuneaton and Bedworth, and this budget presents the continuation of our moves towards making the borough a great place to live and work."