4.99 per cent council tax hike approved in Swindon
The Labour administration’s budget has been passed
Last updated 27th Feb 2026
Council tax payers will be asked to pay a 4.99 per cent increase in the tax levied on them by Swindon Borough Council from April 1.
And tenants in council-owned accommodation will also be asked for a 4.8 per cent increase in the rent they pay for their houses or flats.
But those hoping to park in Old Town for just an hour will be asked for less of a hike that originally proposed, cut in a late change, from £2.50 to £1.70.
The council’s Labour administration passed its budget including these measures rises on Thursday evening, having defeated amendments to its main budget from both the Conservative and Green opposition groups.
It means the council will have £233m to spend on its day-to-day services from April 1 – but it is very likely to have to sell some of its assets, or borrow, to cover what it is projecting as a £22.3m gap between what it intends to spend and what it thinks it will make in income.
It has been given approval by Whitehall for what’s called Exceptional Financial Support, which means it can use the money it gets from selling assets for its day-to-day budget, which is normally against the rules.
Introducing the budget, the cabinet member for finance, Councillor Kevin Small said: “This is a budget that protects public services.”
He emphasised measures in the new budget such as expanding the council tax exemption for young people who have experienced care from 21 to 25, spending £150,000 to convert the council’s fleet of diesel vehicles to run on vegetable oil, another £3.2m for social workers to support children and families, and a huge increase of £15.1m in the children’s services’ budget.
Both the Conservative group and the Greens introduced amendment.
The Conservatives said they would cut £5m from the budget, mainly by deleting unfilled staff posts from the council’s headcount, and cutting the number of levels of management from seven to four. They would have also cut the plan to convert the council’s trucks and lorries to run on vegetable oil.
The Green group’s amendment included a freeze on councillor allowances, investment in The civic offices in Euclid Street and more money spent on school transport for children with special needs and £2m spend on building or buying the council’s own children’s homes.
While the four Green councillors voted against the Conservatives’ amendment, the 16 Conservatives voted for the Green group‘s amendments, largely, they said, to support an increase on SEND transport.
But both were defeated easily enough by Labour members.
Council leader Councillor Jim Robins defended the use of EFS from Conservative criticism, saying: “
“We could slash and burn to make the numbers work – but where would that leave the people of Swindon?
“With fewer jobs, offered unsafe services, living in unfit homes and with poorer outcomes for our young people.”