Council approves budget for year ahead

Published: Fri 28th February, 2025

Charnwood Borough Council approved its budget for 2025/26 at a meeting on Monday, 24 February 2025.

The budget sets out the Council’s spending plans for services in the coming year and lead member for finance, Cllr Ian Ashcroft says it shows a focus on ensuring the authority achieves value for money while delivering excellent services.

The borough council is responsible for a range of services such as maintaining hundreds of acres of open spaces, planning, council housing and bin collections as well as operating three leisure centres, Loughborough Town Hall and Charnwood Museum.

The budget also sees an increase in the Charnwood element of council tax by 9p a week for the average Band D property in the borough.

The council tax increase means the annual charge for the Charnwood element of council tax for an average Band D property will rise by £4.75 over 12 months (3.28 per cent) from 1 April 2025. The Council has one of the lowest council tax charges in the country.

There is also an increase in the Loughborough Special Rate, the equivalent of a parish precept in villages and paid by residents of the town. The Loughborough Special Rate will rise by £1.65 (1.99 percent) from 1 April 2025.

Cllr Ashcroft said: “This budget ensures that we keep offering Charnwood residents efficient and effective services during the current uncertain financial times.

“We are once again supporting residents who are struggling with the cost of living with further funding through our Charnwood Community Grants to community organisations who are helping those most in need.

“It is important to mention that Charnwood Borough Council only receives around seven per cent of the overall cost that people pay for council tax with the majority going to organisations such as Leicestershire County Council, the police and fire service.

“Even the Charnwood element is still one of the lowest council tax rates in the country.”

At Monday’s meeting at Loughborough Town Hall, councillors approved the budget on a majority vote with 25 in favour and 20 abstentions.

A report to Council can be read here.

The Council is responsible for a wide range of services including; collecting recycling and refuse from more than 70,000 homes in the borough; supporting homeless people; managing open spaces including the Outwoods; emptying dog bins, litter bins, street cleaning; food safety inspections; licensing of pubs and clubs and taxis; operating Loughborough Markets, town centre events and the annual four-day Loughborough Fair; running Loughborough Town Hall; operating three leisure centres; running Charnwood Museum with the county council; handling planning applications and strategic planning; and operating a 24/7 CCTV system.