2025/26 Budget approved
Published
Thursday 20 February, 2025
Updated
Thursday 20 February, 2025
Most households in the borough will be paying £3.97 a week or less for Swale Borough Council services.
Swale councillors agreed the budget, and council tax levels, for the 2025/26 financial year at a meeting last night.
Band D homes will be charged £206.64 over the year for the services that Swale provides, including collecting bins, street cleaning, supporting the homeless, inspecting food premises, maintaining play areas, beaches and green spaces and supporting charities.
The Band D charge, which is typically used to describe council tax levels, works out at £3.97 a week, though most households in the borough will pay less as their homes are in a lower council tax band.
Over 60% of residents in Swale are in bands A to C meaning they pay between £114.8 and £183.68 to the council for the services that they provide.
Swale also collects council tax on behalf of other authorities, meaning Band D properties bills will be made up of:
- Kent County Council - £1,691.19 (up 4.99%)
- Kent Police and Crime Commissioner - £270.15 (up 5.47%)
- Swale Borough Council - £206.64 (up 2.96%)
- Kent Fire and Rescue Authority – £94.86 (up 5.51%)
- Town and parish councils (where applicable) – average of £42.88 (up 10.47%)
Cllr Tim Gibson, leader of the council, said:
“We have worked together to set a budget which we believe will give us a sound financial footing to provide the quality services our residents depend on.
“And whilst it is Swale Borough Council’s name on your bill, we only receive a small portion of the money collected - less than 10% - with the rest going to Kent County Council, the police, fire and rescue and town and parish councils.
“We use this relatively modest funding to provide a broad range of services - like helping the homeless, giving planning advice, collecting your bins, investigating and clearing fly-tipping, cleaning your streets and maintaining green spaces and play areas, to name just a few.
“We always have our residents at the forefront of our minds, and we want to help as many people in the borough as possible, this budget will help us to do this in a financially responsible way.”
