Draft budget proposals for 2026/27

An overview of the budget proposals for 2026/27 will go before the Corporate Improvement Scrutiny Committee tomorrow (Wednesday). The Committee scrutinises the proposals before they are published in advance of Cabinet on 16 February.

The proposals include savings of £15.45m for 2026/27, and a total of £37.15m up to 2028/29. It also includes identified savings from Slough Children First.

The report will outline that, by the end of the three-year Medium Term Financial Strategy period, the council expects to no longer require Exceptional Financial Support. In order to manage timing differences between delivering savings, additional funding from Government and budget pressures, the council has asked the government for £42.9m for 2026/27 and £22.4m for 2027/28.

Cabinet will propose increasing Council Tax by 4.99% for 2026/27, subject to approval at Council, scheduled for 26 February.

For adult social care, savings proposals total £2.31m for 26/27 and includes reviewing complex care packages, increasing use of technology, reviewing contracts for best value for money and streamlining preventative triage processes.

In regeneration, housing and environment, a proposal to extend the number of Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ) was agreed to be put forward at Cabinet in December. This will be subject to further consultation.

New proposals include a housing demand and temporary accommodation transformation programme which could save £850,000, optimising parking and transport charges, and creating a self-funded planning service.

Other areas to bring in more income include improved debt recovery in adult social care to raise £100,000, and a business rates collection improvement to bring in £4.43m.

A review of fees and charges is a proposal which could generate £1m. This will be subject to a separate report to March Cabinet.

Changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme, which were approved at Council on 29 January, mean savings of £899,000 for 2026/27, through reduced expenditure and a reduction of the hardship fund.

Councillor Puja Bedi, lead member for finance, said: “Since day one in office, our priority has been to get a grip on the finances and deliver better value for money for residents. We’ve made real progress, publishing the 2024/25 accounts and setting out a clear, three-year budget framework through to 2028/ 2029.

“This Budget shows our plan to wean the council off Exceptional Financial Support, but we’re honest about the scale of the challenge. There have been deep-rooted financial problems, and that means difficult decisions are unavoidable.

“Some savings will come from being more efficient and modernising how services are run. Others will come from essential income generation. These measures are not easy, but they are necessary to put the council on a stable, sustainable footing and protect the essential services our residents rely on.”

A survey on initial budget proposals was open for three weeks and closed on 30 January. A summary of feedback will be included in a report to February Cabinet.

The draft budget will be subject to Cabinet consideration on 16 February and approval by full council on 26 February.

The CISC meeting papers can be found online.