2026-27 Budget and Precept and impact on council tax.

Elmstead Parish Council Budget and Precept for 2026/27

The PC has set its budget for next year and the net result of expenditure less income gives us a required precept of £87,805. This is an annual increase on a Band D property of £5.63. This is a 7% increase on 2025/26.

The PC has tried to maintain or reduce expenditure where it can, which has offset some of the increases.

The reasons for the increase are as follows:

We are starting to save into a reserve for a review of our Neighbourhood Plan as government has withdrawn funding for Neighbourhood Plans. 

Budgeted income is less as we don't have a football team hiring the playing field and interest rates have come down on savings, 

Our external auditor costs will increase by 50% because of the level of expenditure the council will incur in building the new community centre. 

We have budgeted for a part time contractor to assist our handyman with the environs work. This is due to having additional land the PC is responsible for. 

We have started to save for when the PC will be responsible for the filling the planters on the greens. 

Our general reserves are below where they should be so we are saving to increase those. 

If you have any questions please do get in touch.

You can view the 2026-27 budget here:

https://www.elmsteadparishcouncil.gov.uk/council/elmstead/finance/Budget...