Residents in Sittingbourne, Kent, will see their council tax bills rise by 3.99% following the approval of the 2026/27 budget by Kent County Council on February 12, 2026. The increase is lower than the national 5% limit allowed by the government and will be reflected in household bills starting this April.
The budget sets aside £787.5 million for care for elderly and disabled adults and £423 million for support for children and families. This financial plan follows a decision by the national government to write off 90% of the council’s historic debt related to support for children with special educational needs. To help pay for services over the coming year, the council will also take £29.8 million from its savings accounts.
For people living in Sittingbourne, the budget confirms that the A249 Grovehurst Road junction project is expected to be finished in 2026. Although the road improvements are currently £280,000 over budget, the council plans to complete the work to help ease local traffic issues. These upgrades are intended to improve travel for the thousands of people who use the route every day.
The spending plan was supported by 48 members of the council, with 26 voting against the proposal. Council leader Linden Kemkaran stated that the budget aims to protect essential services while keeping the tax increase as low as possible for local families.
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