Your council
Cabinet considers budget for 2025/26
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Walsall Council’s budget for 2025/26 is to be considered by Cabinet at 6pm on Wednesday 12 February 2025.
This is a balanced budget for 2025/26, subject to the outcome of the final local government settlement. It includes proposals for spending, efficiencies and council tax.
“ The Government must address funding for local authorities to enable councils to meet rising demand, particularly in social care.
Walsall Council has a track record of strong financial management, but it is not sustainable for us to keep raising council tax and using our reserves to balance the budget. This is a national crisis that this council can’t solve on its own. What is needed is a fair, multi-year government settlement in future years, which provides ongoing funding for adults and children’s social care in particular.
Every council has a statutory responsibility to set a balanced budget, and we strive for sustained financial stability and to offer excellent value for money for all our residents and businesses. “
The council is proposing a 2.99% general council tax increase and a further 2% precept for adult social care (a total council tax increase of 4.99%). It means that in 2025/26, this increase equates to a council tax increase of 28p a day for a Band D property.
Walsall Council spends two thirds of its gross expenditure budget (£563 million) every year on children’s services and adult social care and demand is growing.
This budget includes investments of:
- £25.21m in adult social care to protect elderly citizens and vulnerable adults to fund additional demand and manage the cost of placements whilst continuing to make progress on the council’s demand management initiatives.
- £13.95m in Children’s Services and Education including £3.55m in home to school transport and £4.50m to support children in care.
- Up to £5.88m in waste management and recycling to deliver the council’s commitment to a clean and green future for communities.
Outlined in the budget is the draft capital programme and significant capital investment of around £214 million is planned for the borough over the four years to 2028-29.
This budget sets out savings and efficiencies. Since 2010, Walsall Council has delivered cumulative savings of £285 million, which is equivalent to 33% of the council’s annual gross expenditure. In 2025/26, the council expects to deliver £29.0m of budget reductions, increasing to £73.9m by 2029. These will be delivered through better procurement, improvements in efficiencies, increased income and delivering reductions in demand.
Ends
Notes to editors
The Corporate Budget Plan 2025/26 to 2028/29, incorporating the Capital Strategy and the Treasury Management and Investment Strategy 2025/26 is now available to view on the Council’s Committee Management and Information System (CMIS).
https://cmispublic.walsall.gov.uk/cmis/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/3936/Committee/514/SelectedTab/Documents/Default.aspx
To view the Cabinet meeting online, please visit:
http://www.walsallcouncilwebcasts.com/
Budget setting timetable:
- Receipt of the final settlement is expected in February 2025.
- Recommendation of the final budget to Council by Cabinet on Wednesday 26 February 2025.
Pursuing Excellence: Our Council Plan 2025-29 sets out the council’s vision and priorities for the next four years, where its resources will be prioritised, and how it will deliver against the long-term We Are Walsall 2040 vision for the borough. To view the new council plan, visit:
In 2024, Walsall Council was named the Most Improved Council in the country at the annual Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards. This was in recognition of the way the council has transformed services and improved outcomes for.
