Your money, your say: we want your views on 2026/27 budget proposals

23 December 2025

Residents, businesses and community groups across West Northamptonshire are among those encouraged to give their views on the Council’s draft budget proposals for 2026/27.  

Members of West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) Cabinet met last night (Monday, 22 December) to discuss the authority’s most difficult budget to date, as it explores a range of tough options to tackle its significant financial challenges.  

From today the proposals are now open for feedback, with residents having until midnight on Tuesday, 3 February to give their views as part of a public consultation. After that, the Council will use their input from the consultation to finalise the budget, which will be presented to Cabinet members on 16 February before going to full Council for a final decision on 26 February 2026. 

People are urged to have their say on the budget proposals by completing the survey on our Consultation Hub. The survey can be accessed online for free at Council managed libraries across West Northants, or you can request a copy in another format by emailing  [email protected] or phoning  0300 126 7000. 

To help people learn more about the proposals and the challenges behind them, the Council will also be hosting an online Budget Question Time session on Tuesday 13 January from 6.30pm to 8:30pm. The virtual session is an opportunity to hear directly from the Leader, Cabinet Members, and senior officers, ask questions, and feed their views into the consultation. They can also submit questions to be answered at the session to [email protected].  

WNC started its budgetary process this year with an anticipated shortfall of £50m for 2026/27 and embarked quickly on a review of its finances, identifying around £32m of efficiencies and income generation to close the gap.  With the already-lean unitary authority having made £146m of savings since 2021, this latest round of budget-setting has been the most difficult so far. 

The Council is therefore proposing a range of measures for 2026-27 to help it set a balanced revenue budget for 2026/2027 of £1.01billion (£458.9m excluding the Dedicated Schools Grant). This includes increasing its part of the Council Tax by an average 4.99% in line with what the Government allows – the equivalent of an extra £93.16 per year or £1.79 a week for the average Band D household and generating additional funding of £17m for the Council. 

The draft budget also reviews the Council’s discretionary fees and charges (those not required by law) which includes increasing charges for some services not used by all residents, such as garden waste collection and car parking. 

Having inherited such huge financial challenges, we committed to leaving no stone unturned in our work to finding the savings and income we desperately need to set a balanced revenue budget in 2026-27 and know some of these options are far from palatable for everyone. We understand the concerns people have about some of the options we are exploring and it’s absolutely vital that they let us know so we can consider their views before finalising what options will be within the final budget.Councillor John Slope, Finance Cabinet Member at West Northamptonshire Council

The draft budget also proposes that the authority invests £143 million as part of its capital programme spanning 2026/27 to 2030/31, designed to deliver long term benefits for residents and businesses. This long-term investment aims to strengthen local infrastructure, support safer and more vibrant communities, and prepare West Northamptonshire for future growth. 

 The proposals also include £78.6 million investment through the HRA (Housing Revenue Account) capital programme, supporting new build housing, estate improvements, heating upgrades and disabled adaptations. By 2031, the Council will have delivered £359.6 million in housing investment, ensuring sustained improvements 

Cabinet will consider the final budget for 2026/27 on Monday, 16 February 2026 for recommendation to the full Council meeting on Thursday, 26 February 2026; subject to any changes made following consideration of the consultation feedback, the Local Government financial settlement and the latest financial position.