Councillors at Kirklees Council approved a new budget for the 2026/27 year during an all-night meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall in West Yorkshire. The decision, reached in the early hours of 26 February 2026, includes a 4.99 per cent increase in council tax and sets out how £465 million will be spent on local services like social care, bin collections, and road repairs over the coming year.
The council tax rise is split between a general increase for services and a specific amount to help pay for care for older people and vulnerable adults. While the council says its finances are now more stable, it still needs to find £10.7 million in savings. This plan includes the loss of around 48 full-time equivalent staff roles, though many of these positions are currently empty.
Despite the need for savings, the budget includes new money for local issues that residents often see in their streets. There is £215,000 set aside to stop people from dumping rubbish and £250,000 for fixing roads and gritting during the winter months. Individual areas will also see a £5,000 increase in their local ward budgets to spend on projects in their own neighbourhoods.
Council Leader Carole Pattison described the budget as a turning point for the community. During the meeting, she highlighted a milestone in the building of the new Joseph Norton Academy. This project will eventually provide 132 places for students with special educational needs, which will increase the amount of space available for these pupils.
