PROTECTING the most vulnerable, investing for the future and seizing opportunities to innovate are all part of Essex County Council’s latest 2025/26 budget proposals and annual plan.
The council has published its 2025/26 budget proposals ahead of its Cabinet meeting on 21 January.
In them, it sets out how it proposes to invest the more than £2 billion it is responsible for. This includes how it is prioritising what is most important to residents now, planning for a sustainable future and protecting statutory services.
More than 2,100 people took part in the council’s recent budget consultation. Results revealed that concern about social care has risen and more residents this year are most concerned about the condition of roads and pavements.
As a result, the council is proposing an additional investment of £88 million in portfolio budgets for 2025/26. This includes an additional £8 million in road and footway maintenance.
In line with residents’ priorities and investing in the county’s future, other areas of council focus in 2025/26 include:
- spending £101m on mainstream education capital and £59m on the SEND and Alternative Provision capital programme over the next four years.
- completion of key infrastructure such as Beaulieu Park Station and Chelmsford North-East bypass.
- expanding the range of care technology used to support older people and people with disabilities to live independently.
- attracting new businesses to Essex and driving economic growth in the county.
Consultation results also revealed that nearly three quarters of respondents confirmed they would understand if there was an increase in Council Tax, particularly if the additional money was used to protect services for the most vulnerable.
This year, the council’s proposals are again set within the national context of high inflation, the increased cost of living and providing services, as well as the impact of the Government’s own Autumn Budget announcements.
These issues, along with the Government’s intention to reform the local government funding system, are placing additional pressures on the council’s limited resources. Balancing the need to address these pressures, while limiting the impact of increasing living costs for households, mean the council is proposing a 3.75% Council Tax increase for 2025/26.
This would be a 1.75% general increase and 2% increase in the adult social care precept. For an average Band D property, it would mean an increase in the county council element of Council Tax of £1.09 a week.
Councillor Chris Whitbread, Chancellor of Essex, said: “I want to be very clear that we will never increase Council Tax more than we need to and Essex continues to have the lowest Council Tax for a county of our size. However, we must also be realistic that we are working within very challenging circumstances which we need to respond to.
“Our aim with this budget has therefore been to prioritise what residents have told us is important to them, address the current economic challenges we, and lots of other councils are facing, as well as evolve so we are fit for the future. It’s not just about the here and now, we have a responsibility to plan for the long-term. This has given us the opportunity to look at how services are currently delivered and where we can be innovative and more efficient.
“I am proud that we have once again been able to present a balanced budget for next year and hope that residents feel reassured that we are listening and by our strong track record in achieving good value for money. We never forget it’s tax-payer’s money we’re spending and every pound is accounted for and allocated.”
The council will achieve £43 million worth of savings in its 2025/26 budget. This is needed to ensure it can respond to future challenges, potential funding gaps and given the uncertainty regarding local government funding in future years.
Essex County Council’s Cabinet will consider whether to recommend the Everyone’s Essex Annual Plan and Budget 2025/26 on 21 January. The budget and plan will then be discussed for approval at a meeting of the Full Council on 13 February.
The council’s budget proposals and annual plan are available to view here: https://cmis.essex.gov.uk/essexcmis5/CalendarofMeetings/tabid/73/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/410/Meeting/5439/Committee/36/SelectedTab/Documents/Default.aspx
If approved, the Essex County Council element of Council Tax for all bands in 2025/26 would be as follows: