COUNTY councillors have finally agreed how much it will charge residents for its share of council tax for the 2026-27 financial year.
After hours of debate and a nearly two week adjournment, a slim majority of councillors voted in support of a budget which includes a 4.4 per cent increase in council tax – the equivalent of an additional £1.56 per week for a Band D property.
The vote, which was won by just 6 votes, follows an initial meeting on February 5 when no agreement could be reached.
Reform was forced to ditch its proposal of a 3.89 per cent rise after this failed to get an agreement twice.
The budget was supported by Conservative councillors but the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party refused to give it their backing arguing it failed to invest in young people, and put increasing financial risks on the council.
Labour councillors abstained from the vote.
Liberal Democrats led an effort, with support from Green Party and Whitnash Residents’ councillors, to pass a budget resolution which would see council tax rise by 4.8 per cent.This failed to get enough support.
Coun Jerry Roodhouse, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, said: “In proposing our amendment Liberal Democrats stood for two clear things – investing in our children and young people and ensuring the financial stability of Warwickshire for the future. Reform and the Conservatives failed on both.
“Our amendment would have supported children and young people from infancy, through Children and Family Hubs, through to adulthood by supporting those Not in Education, Employment or Training. Children and young people are our future and we want to invest in them early.
“For the sake of 32p a week on a Band D property, Reform and the Conservatives risked the financial future of Warwickshire and we don’t have to look far to see the size of that risk. Just to our west in Worcestershire, Reform has asked for permission to increase their council tax by up to 10 per cent, all because the previous Conservative administration failed to plan for the long-term.”
WCC leader Coun George Finch added: “As leader of Warwickshire County Council, I want to be clear that we have listened carefully to the people of Warwickshire. We understand what our residents expect from their county council and where their priorities lie. This budget, alongside our medium‑term financial strategy, has been shaped around those priorities as we work to deliver the greatest possible impact with the resources available to us.
“Decisions to increase council tax are never taken lightly. We must strike the right balance between protecting the vital services that support our most vulnerable residents and recognising the financial pressures facing households, particularly during a period of rising living costs. That is why we continue to focus on efficiencies within the council first, before asking our residents to contribute more.”
