Council sets budget
News release issued:
Wyre Forest councillors approved a £15.6 million net budget requirement for 2025-2026 at the full council meeting last night (Wednesday 26 February).
As well as the everyday services residents rely on, the budget includes funding for a number of initiatives to support the Council’s priorities and deliver on its corporate plan. It will be used to tackle littering, environmental offences and illegal parking. More inclusive play equipment will also be installed in parks across the district.
The budget also includes a raise in Wyre Forest District Council’s element of residents’ Council Tax bills. The district council decided to raise its share of the Council Tax bill by just under 3%, which means households will be paying on average just 14 p more each week for the district council’s services in 2025-26. At Band D this represents £250.58 a year or less than £5 a week. The majority of householders in the district will pay less than this because almost three quarters of homes in Wyre Forest are in Bands A to C. Wyre Forest District Council collects Council Tax but only keeps 11p in each pound paid. The rest goes to the county council, town or parish council and the blue light services.
All bodies funded through Council Tax have now set their budgets for 2025-26 raising their charges by varying amounts. For Band D the increases are:
Worcestershire County Council 5%
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia 5.1%
Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority 5.1%
Parish/Town Council (Average) 17.1%.
The increases take the overall average Council Tax 2025-26 at Band D in Wyre Forest to £2,327.49. It is made up of:
Worcestershire County Council £1,615.71
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia £291.50
Wyre Forest District Council £250.58
Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority £102.22
Average Town/Parish Council £67.48.
Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Portfolio, Councillor David Ross said:
“Our vision is to make Wyre Forest a safe, vibrant and clean place to live, work and visit. We have worked hard to develop a budget that enables us to keep providing the services people rely on and also support our priorities.
The financial situation is not getting any easier. Every council has a statutory responsibility to set a balanced budget. Our funding gap is predicted to be about £2.2 million by 2027-28. We know we can’t keep using our reserves and we are working to make efficiencies and increase our income from the commercial services we offer. “
A full breakdown of where people’s money goes will be included on the Wyre Forest District Council website once the council tax bills are sent out in mid-March.