investment in key areas while delivering £13.9m in savings in the coming year.
Yesterday’s Budget Council meeting also approved a Council Tax increase within government limits of a 2.99% increase and a further 2% adult social care precept. This approach reflects the position facing most councils across the country. For a Band D property this is an increase of £1.73 a week, or £89.73 a year, on the Thurrock Council element.
Although the council is making significant savings it is working hard to protect and improve services residents rely on, including more than £8.8m of additional investment in 2026/27 to respond to growing demand and protect essential services by:
- increasing the amount of waste we recycle, as it costs less to recycle waste that to send it for energy recovery
- using more technology to improve council systems to modernise and streamline the way we work and increase efficiencies
- due to the financial performance of the Pension Fund the council is able to reduce its contribution without impacting on individual pensions
- getting more value out of contracts with external partners
Additionally, the council will continue to support residents at risk of homelessness, protect adult social care for older and vulnerable residents, improve support for children with special educational needs, and ensure waste and environmental services keep pace with a growing borough.
Cllr Val Morris-Cook, Cabinet Member for Finances and Resources, said: “This budget delivers ambitious savings while protecting, and even improving, essential services we know residents rely on and value.
“We are investing in support for children with special educational needs and ensuring that vulnerable older residents get the help they need from services that have already been rated as outstanding and good by government inspectors.
“We understand that no one likes to see an increase in Council Tax, but Thurrock’s Council Tax is still some way below the national average and remains as the lowest in Essex. We have made sure that good support is available for anyone who struggles to pay council tax by maintaining our Local Council Tax support scheme.”