Quarter of Peterborough residents surveyed support potential council tax rise
A budget consultation was carried out
Peterborough City Council has published the results of its 2026/27 budget consultation following its conclusion last month.
As well as asking for views on where people would feel comfortable with spending reductions in different service areas, the consultation asked residents for their views on raising council tax above the national limit.
Out of the 328 people who provided feedback via the online survey, just 26 per cent of those said they would support raising council tax above the national limit if it meant enhanced services, while 68 per cent would not.
Eleven polls were also run on the council’s Budget Consultation Facebook group, generating 1,991 responses, with 54 per cent saying they did not support a rise in council tax above the national limit while 22 per cent said they did or probably did.
Out of the areas residents would support for additional funding if council tax was increased, 64 per cent of respondents chose swimming pool and leisure facilities as the priority.
The results of the online survey showed a strong opposition towards cuts in adult social care, children’s social care, and education/SEN, while many suggested cutting waste by reducing executive pay, consultant fees, and councillor expenses, as well as stopping ‘vanity projects’ such as the Hilton Hotel and Cygnet Bridge.
Suggestions for revenue and savings ideas included increasing parking enforcement and fines, selling or re-purposing underused assets, and exploring advertising on council vehicles/buildings.
The council’s cabinet members will discuss the consultation feedback at a meeting on December 16.
A report to go before the cabinet stated: “These consultation responses will inform the next stage of the budget setting process, where the draft budget will be considered by the Joint Meeting of Scrutiny Committee on January 29, 2026, then Cabinet on February 10, 2026, before being formally proposed for approval by Full Council on February 25, 2026.”
The council currently faces a forecast £6.1 million overspend on its net revenue budget by the year end, but the authority hopes the government’s Fair Funding Review will improve its financial position over the long term.
Will council tax be increased?
A decision on whether to increase council tax for the next financial year has not yet been made.
The council conducted a consultation to seek residents’ views on the matter before any proposal is put on the table.
Each year, the government sets a national limit on how much councils can increase council tax by.
Last year it was set at 2.99 per cent for general council tax and two per cent for the Adult Social Care Levy, allowing a total increase of up to 4.99 per cent. This added around £1.59 a week to the bill for a Band D property in Peterborough.
The city council’s consultation document stated: “For 2026/27, the government has not yet confirmed the national limits. For planning purposes, we are assuming the same limits will apply.
“The full 4.99 per cent general increase would add around £7.28 per month (or £87.30 per year) to the city council element of a Band D bill and raise approximately £5.5m to support essential services.
“However, we are also considering raising council tax above the national limit to meet our funding challenge in 2026/27.
“An additional £1.1m of income would be generated per one per cent increase. This is money we could use to protect services, and also to invest in services.”