Our draft budget proposals have been written with the aim of protecting our most vulnerable residents, whilst continuing to deliver key services.
The Council has already taken steps to save money, but we cannot fund all the services we provide without making changes.
After taking into account some other minor funding adjustments the Council needs to address an £8.6m shortfall to balance the budget for 2026/27 and is proposing to do this through a mix of increased Council Tax and a savings and efficiency programme.
The Council has taken a number of steps to make savings but we simply cannot pay for all of the services we need to deliver without the following proposals.
Raising Council Tax by 5.5% (this would keep the Vale of Glamorgan well below the Welsh average) would help towards closing the gap. Every 1% increase in Council tax provides the Council with an additional £1m worth of funding for services. However, for residents the proposed Council Tax increase of 5.5% equates to an extra £1.75 a week for a property halfway along the banding scale in category D. It is also less than the projected average increase in Wales, meaning bills in the Vale will remain cheaper than 75% of the country.
If 5.5% is agreed by the full Council in March then the Council will need to find an additional £2.772m worth of savings through our budget strategy. The Council currently has the fifth lowest Council Tax rate across Wales and will hold this position with the proposed 5.5% increase.
Here are some other examples of how we plan to make savings in 2026/27:
- Make sure discretionary services cover their costs wherever possible
- Review how we buy and deliver services, using digital tools and shared approaches to work smarter while keeping the basics right
- Help pupils stay in local schools wherever possible, reducing the need for specialist placements
- Use technology and best practice in care so adults receive support with dignity and efficiency
- Invest in local facilities so children and young people can stay in their communities
However, if Council Tax went up by 6.5%, we could use the additional funding to invest in:
- Youth Service (£380k) – more support for young people’s skills and mental health
- Rural Bus Service (£500k) – providing better links for rural communities
- Parks & Gardens (£120k) – extra funding to reinstate works within parks and gardens across the Vale that previously contributed to Green Flag status.
