4.9% tax rise will help stabilise services says Bedford council
Councillor Marc Frost, Bedford Borough Council’s portfolio holder for finance, says the proposed 2026/27 budget is designed to deliver “more focused prevention, faster decision making, and stabilised frontline services that have been under strain”.
The draft budget, which sets out the authority’s spending plans for the coming year, will go before the council’s Executive on Monday (January 26) before being presented to Full Council for final approval.
The papers set out a proposed 4.99 per cent council tax increase, made up of a 2.99 per cent core rise and a 2 per cent Adult Social Care precept.
If approved, this would set an average Band D council tax bill at £2,011.28 and a Council Tax Requirement of £130.890m.
The council is also proposing a Budget Requirement of £225.403m for 2026/27, with social care remaining the council’s biggest responsibility.
Adults’ Services and Children’s Services together account for just over 62 per cent of the net budget, with proposed budgets of £84.289m and £57.255m respectively.
On adult social care, councillor Frost said residents should expect: “Greater continuity of care, fewer last minute changes to care packages, reduced pressure on hospital discharge, and more support to help people remain independent at home for longer”.
On children’s services, he said: “In plain terms, it is about keeping children safer, seen sooner, and closer to home”.
The budget includes planned efficiencies, but councillor Frost said these are not across the board service reductions.
“They are about changing how services operate,” the portfolio holder said.
Councillor Frost added that residents should experience “clearer pathways so people get the right help at the right time rather than being passed between services.”
Alongside the revenue budget, the council is proposing a long-term capital programme of £291.824m over the next decade. This includes road resurfacing, bridge repairs, junction upgrades, pedestrian safety schemes, and investment in council buildings and digital systems.
The capital programme also includes investment in council-run residential care for children, reducing reliance on costly external placements, and early infrastructure preparation for future growth, including transport planning linked to the Universal Studios development.
The Treasury Management Strategy states that the council currently holds £104.873m in borrowing and £41.839m in investments.
The portfolio holder said responsible borrowing “supports stability, resilience, and value for money” and protects frontline services from sudden financial shocks.
Councillor Frost said the 2026/27 budget is designed to move away from crisis-driven decision making and toward planned, steady service delivery.