Council to spend over £180m on ‘fairer, better and greener Swindon’
Over 80% of the General Fund budget will go into social care services
Last updated 18th Aug 2025
Swindon Borough Council is planning to spend £188m over the next financial year, according to the 2025-26 budget plan.
The plan also sees a 4.99% increase in Council Tax which would still keep Swindon below the national average.
On top of that, the council has also applied to the Government for permission to use so-called capital assets – funds that are usually meant for long-term investments – to cover day-to-day costs and help close the expected £14.7m budget gap.
Councillor Kevin Small, Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We will have a £188m revenue budget next year to fund services and take forward the Swindon Plan, including progressing plans to reinvent the town centre and drive economic growth. This is important as the future prosperity of Swindon will also have a positive knock-on impact on the Council’s finances.
“We also plan to invest millions of pounds through our capital programme to further expand SEND provision and improve social housing across Swindon, which will include our historic Railway Village”.
The capital programme would see investors help provide many of the services the council is hoping to upgrade at no additional cost to the taxpayers.
The money is set to be used for up to 5,000 new homes in the town centre, 158 added places for SEND children as well as improved council housing.
The council is also planning on making £14.4m in savings to help its “serious financial situation” in the long run.
Cllr Small said: “We have a clear plan for how the Council can transition to a more financially sustainable position over the next four years. In the short term, having greater flexibility in how we use our funding would mean we avoid having to cut services any further and prevent larger increases in council tax bills.
“It gives us the time to fundamentally change how the Council operates going forward. This will see us focus on early intervention and prevention, so that we can work alongside residents to help them live safe, healthy and independent lives for as long as possible”.
He will present the budget to the cabinet next week (Friday, 12 February).