Council tax could rise by nearly 5 per cent in West Northamptonshire
The changes, which could come in from April, will see the average bill for a Band D property rise by £93.16.
West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) cabinet has approved its draft budget for 2026/27, which includes a proposed maximum council tax rise, as the opposition has accused them of “breaking people’s trust”.
The financial plans must go out for consultation before the final budget is presented to full council for approval in the new year and any proposals are set in stone.
The authority is proposing a £458.9m budget for 2026/27 to spend on day-to-day services like care for vulnerable adults and children, waste, highways and housing and homelessness support. As part of the proposals, a council tax rise of 4.99 per cent has been suggested from April, which will see the average bill for a Band D property in West Northants rise by £93.16 for the year to £1,960.14.
Speaking at the cabinet meeting on Monday (December 22), cabinet member for finance, Cllr John Slope, said that nationally councils are facing a “perfect storm” of demand for statutory services rising at unprecedented rates, with no sign of slowing.
He told the chamber: “Despite these extraordinary challenges, what we’re presenting today is a balanced, robust budget of £458.9 million that protects front-line services and invests in our residents’ future.
“This has required some difficult decisions – decisions that every member of this cabinet has been involved in.”
WNC started its budgetary process this year with an anticipated shortfall of £50m for 2026/27. It has since closed the gap through setting out £32.1 million of efficiencies and income generation measures, £12.5 million in transformational projects and the full council tax increase as government funding “is not keeping pace with the reality of service delivery costs”.
However, Conservative leader Cllr Daniel Lister accused the budget of being “a betrayal of everything this administration promised”.
“Seven months ago, residents were told they would get tax cuts and efficiency,” he continued.
“Instead, you’re delivering a classic tax and spend package that hammers families from every direction. Council tax up, social rents up, green waste fees up by a third.”
Referencing an increase in parking charges and new fees in the market towns, Cllr Lister also questioned if they were just “a political smokescreen”, which they can row back on later and claim they’ve listened, while other increases are already “baked in and here to stay”.
Cllr Sally Keeble, Labour group leader on West Northants, added: “It’s really disappointing to see that Reform is using the old approach to setting council budgets, which is to say what the demand is, roll forward the previous year’s budget and then call the difference cuts.
“With the sweeping mandate that Reform had for change, with the fair funding that was received, with its DOGE initiative and its commitment to cut taxes, I would’ve expected them to come up with something different and a more transformational approach.”
WNC Lib Dem leader Cllr Jonathan Harris briefly pointed to the difficult position the council is in, still paying the costs of the “absolute car crash failure of the previous Conservative-led county council” and the failures of the children’s care, resulting in the creation of the Children’s Trust which has repeatedly brought overspends.
Returning to the 2026/27 budget, he said: “I suspect the reality is that 4.99 per cent would’ve been applied regardless whoever was running the council because there are very few choices. The difference is, others didn’t say they wouldn’t increase it.
“The time has come to stop overpromising and undelivering and making overly simplistic promises. You are already breaking people’s trust.”
Cllr Ian McCord (Independent) also stated that “the hand that was dealt to Reform is a tough one”, but criticised the administration for ‘falling for’ measures such as increased green waste charges and introducing parking fees in the market towns, which he branded “a stupid idea”.
He continued: “We also need to reset the culture of seeing the rural residents as a cash point to fund Northampton.
“The easy option is to take from our residents. We now have Rachel Reeves picking our left hand pocket and Mark Arnull picking our right hand pocket. That’s not the change people voted for in May.”
The council only received full details of its financial settlement last week, after the draft budget was published. Officers still need to analyse what the fair funding settlement means for the council, whether assumptions were accurate and if any changes need to be made.
A general contingency budget of £7m has also been maintained to cover any future budget risks if they emerge.
Responding to the debate, leader of WNC, Cllr Mark Arnull, said: “This is the best of the worst in front of us tonight.
“This is about delivering essential services, giving it balance, and not affecting people’s lives and welfare whilst looking at the levers that we’ve got to raise the revenue we’re missing.”
Cllr Slope also told members: “We’ve already identified every efficiency we can.
“Residents, businesses, partners, and stakeholders will have six weeks to review our proposals and provide feedback. We will genuinely listen. If there are alternative approaches that achieve the same outcomes, we will consider them.
“It’s not perfect – no budget in the current climate can be. But it’s balanced, it’s prudent, and it’s deliverable.”
The public consultation on the finance plans will run for six weeks until February 3, 2026. The final budget plans for 2026/27 will then be debated and go to full council for approval later that month.