Council set to spend extra £37m under budget plan

The budget proposals will be debated at a meeting on 25 February

A council is set to spend an extra £37m on services under its proposed budget plans.

Wiltshire Council's planned budget for 2025/26 has been set at £527.42m, compared to last year's £490m.

The proposals, which will debated at a full council meeting on 25 February, also include the council increasing it's portion of council tax by 4.5%, less than the maximum 4.99% permitted by central government.

Council leader, Richard Clewer, said: "Our preventative long-term approach and investing time and resources into our key services ensures that we are on a firm footing."

If the plans are approved, it would result in a typical Band D household paying an extra £1.56 per week for the Wiltshire Council portion of council tax.

The council said it would face challenges in the year ahead as due to various cuts and changes to grant schemes, it will receive just under £8m less in funding from central government as a whole.

However, it may receive additional funding for services such as recycling.

"The budget gets trickier to set every year, but we have learned to be as self-reliant as possible and that's perhaps where some other local authorities have fallen short," said Clewer.

"Councils throughout the country are dipping into their reserves to support their budgets, but we are not in that position. "

About £6.4m of savings have been identified to close the remaining budget gap for 2025/26, the leader added.

Spending under the new budget will include:

• Adult services - £194m

• Families and children - £75m

• Environment (including waste) - £49.5m

• Highways and transport – £43.4m

• Education and skills - £38.08m

It will also include funds for flood defences, refurbishment of council houses, and improvements to schools.