Have your say on our budget
Published
Thursday 27 November, 2025
Updated
Monday 16 February, 2026
We launched our 2026/27 budget consultation, asking local people and businesses for their views on a new package of proposals to close a significant funding gap.
The consultation was a part of our commitment to involving residents in everything we do.
We face a £1.9 million shortfall for the coming year due in the main to inflation and the rising cost of homelessness.
The final budget also remains subject to the outcome of the Government’s Fair Funding Review, which adds further uncertainty to our future income.
We were consulting on a £1.8 million package of measures - including new income from parking and service efficiencies - to help balance the books.
This included £970,000 in potential back-office efficiencies and financial management savings to protect frontline services.
Even if these proposals are accepted, we will still need to use £665,000 from our reserves to balance the budget this year.
Cllr Tim Gibson, leader of the council and chair of the policy and resources committee, said:
"We have been honest with people – being clear that using our reserves to cover shortfalls will not be sustainable beyond 2030.
"We have done the hard work internally first, finding nearly £1 million in back-office savings but we must now make tough choices to protect the services people rely on, like homelessness, waste collection and street cleaning.
"We are proposing changes to parking charges, but we have tried to be fair in doing so. For example, while we propose removing the 30-minute tariff, we are balancing this with a new, cheaper £2.50 flat rate for evening parking and reducing the all-day cost at Bourne Place.
"We are also continuing to invest in our future, using our separate capital budget - which legally cannot be used for day-to-day services.
"We are progressing plans to build 51 new affordable homes at Cockleshell Walk in Sittingbourne, subject to securing national grant funding, and making essential investments to secure the future of our leisure centres."
Key proposals in the consultation include:
- A 2.96% increase in Swale’s share of the council tax bill, costing a Band D home less than 12p extra per week.
- Freezing subscription charges for the garden waste service for 2026/27.
- Reviewing services, including bringing consultant work in-house, to find savings and efficiencies worth £160,000
- Changes to parking
People had until 8 January 2026 to complete the survey. The results will be considered by councillors when they make the final decision on the budget at a meeting of the full council on 18 February 2026.
