• In 2026/27 it will be:
• Hampshire County Council – 71.76p
• Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire – 12.33p
• Winchester City Council – 7.15p
• Parishes and Town – 4.82p
• Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue – 3.94p.

 

Winchester City Council is presenting a balanced budget for 2026/2027 and a stable position for the following year; which includes continued investments in council plan priorities. Across the country, the financial landscape is particularly challenging for local government.

 

Winchester City Council is not without its pressures - particularly the reduction in funding announced in the final local government settlement covering the three-year period to 2028/29. However, through careful financial management, the council can present a balanced and stable budget for the next two years.  After 2028, we are estimating there will be a £3.7 million funding gap by 2029.

 

To prepare for this, two years ago we launched an ongoing Transformation Challenge 2025 (TC25) programme – this has already identified ongoing annual immediate savings of £1.675m which have been removed from the baseline budget. Transformational changes over the next two years are underway, which include plans to improve our online services, so people can easily do their council business at a time that suits them (and freeing up traditional methods for those who don’t need face-to-face or telephone help). This includes online services for planning matters, making submissions of applications easier and the processing of them more efficient. Invest to save funding is set aside to support this programme.  

 

Council Tax

Council Tax at Band D for City Council services for 2026/27 will be increased to £168.49, an increase of £4.83 per year, reflecting an average (below inflation) Council Tax increase of 2.95%.

 

The 2026/27 budget continues to invest in the aspirations of the council plan:

 

• • Council Plan Priority – Greener Faster

We are increasing the budget for tree maintenance as a result of risks associated with the effects of climate change and associated tree disease

• • Council Plan – Healthy Communities

We are revising income bands for the Council Tax Reduction scheme for working age applicants to ensure that claimants continue to receive the appropriate level of support after the DWPs increase in Universal Credit rates with effect from April 2026.

• • Council Plan – Efficient and Effective

We are making digital improvements in order to make the way our residents contact us easier and faster

Hampshire County Council

Police and Crime Commissioner

Hampshire Fire and Rescue