Council tax hike and job cuts in budget plan

Kirklees Council says the draft budget includes £6.9m in savings

Plans to raise council tax in Kirklees by the maximum amount of 4.99% have been provisionally approved by senior councillors.

Kirklees Council said despite the proposed rise, the position is not as serious as the £47m budget shortfall it faced last year, which saw a recruitment freeze, service cuts and asset sales.

A draft budget report said £6.9m of savings are needed in 2026/27, with 27 council staff to be put at risk of redundancy as part of efforts to cut costs.

Council leader Carole Pattison said the authority would invest in areas that matter to residents and "continue to make our services more efficient and productive".

The report said savings would be found through cutting administrative costs and improving productivity.

However, the draft budget would see the loss of 55 full time equivalent roles, although 28 of those posts are vacant.

The report said 27 people could be at risk of redundancy but it was hoped they could be redeployed or offered voluntary redundancy.

The proposed hike in council tax from April includes 2% marked for social care funding.

The rise equates to £1.88 a week extra for households in a Band D property.

The draft budget sets aside £15.2m to meet the needs of increasing numbers of older and disabled local people who need social care, and also includes £5.9m in additional funding for services for children who need the council's support.

Cash has also been allocated to tackle fly-tipping and enforce planning decisions, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A draft five-year Capital Programme has been drawn up as part of the budget plans, with £35m earmarked for a new sports centre for Dewsbury and North Kirklees.

It includes cash for Huddersfield's Our Cultural Heart, £18m for regeneration projects in Dewsbury and £13m for schemes in other Kirklees towns next year including Batley, Marsden and Holmfirth.

'Delivering value'

Pattison said authorities across the country had faced huge financial challenges, but said in Kirklees they had "turned a corner".

"Our finances are in a stable position so we can invest in the services people really value," she said.

"That means we're able to keep pace with the increasing demand for social care services for older people and crucial services that support local children and families.

"The draft budget maintains our commitment to delivering value for money and we will continue to make our services more efficient and productive.

"But it's also a cautious step forward which means we can invest in services that make such a difference to lives and communities in Kirklees."

The Labour-run authority's executive has approved the proposals which will now face a public consultation.

A final decision will be taken in February 2026.

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