Labour votes for Conservative council budget

Harlow Council's budget for 2026-27 has been passed with unanimous cross-party support.

In a rare move, Labour members voted in favour of the Conservative-run authority's budget, as did the one Reform UK councillor.

Council tax is set to be frozen for the fifth year in a row. Although Harlow residents will still see their overall bills increase because the rates for Essex County Council, police and fire services are going up.

Tory leader Dan Swords described it as the "biggest budget" in the council's history.

The authority is due to spend £350m over the next year, which is says was twice its expenditure two years ago.

"And you are not paying a penny more for it," Swords told local people, in a statement.

The amount of tax the district council will keep from residents will remain at £4.93 per week for the average household.

Swords insisted there would be no cuts or closures of services and said there would be increased investment for the Pets' Corner, Harlow Playhouse, Harlow Museum and supported housing.

At the full council meeting on Thursday, Labour's Stefan Mullard-Toal made the point that the tax freeze was possible with the government "exponentially" increasing funding for local authorities.

Last year, the opposition Labour group voted against the Tory budget.

Most councils have increased rates this year. However, Labour-led Basildon and Conservative-run Braintree have also opted for the freeze.

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