North Warwickshire council tax freeze approved

A borough council is set to freeze its share of council tax for the next financial year, the authority has confirmed.

North Warwickshire Borough Council set out its financial plan and signed off its budget for 2026-27, including no increase to council tax, at a meeting of the full council on Wednesday.

It was only the third time in the council's 52-year history that the rate had been fronzen, a spokesperson said.

Last week, Warwickshire County Council had agreed to a rise of 4.44%, adding about £80 a year to a Band D property's bill.

North Warwickshire's budget for the next financial year includes a £2m fund for communities to bid for money towards facilities and transformation projects in their area.

It also includes £10,000 for two years towards enabling parish councils to fly the nation's flag, a spokesperson added.

A further £100,000 has been allocated over two years to support flood prevention initiatives, and £700,000 also being put towards reducing homelessness and supporting residents with critical housing needs.

The budget also includes a commitment of £27m to rebuild a leisure centre in Atherstone, £300,000 to create three new pump tracks and £250,000 for street cleaning in the borough's towns and villages.

Conservative councillor David Wright, the authority's leader, said the budget reflected what had mattered to residents the most.

"By freezing our element of council tax, we're easing pressure on households while still investing in cleaner streets, stronger enforcement, safer communities and improved local facilities," he said.

"Our priority is clear: delivering the high‑quality services that people across North Warwickshire rely on every day."

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