Residents in Warrington, Cheshire, will see their council tax bills go up by 7.48% from April after local leaders approved a new budget on 2 March 2026. Warrington Borough Council agreed to the increase to help deal with a large budget gap and ensure the town can continue to pay for its services.
The council received special permission from the government to raise the tax by 2.5% more than the standard 5% limit. This additional increase is expected to generate an extra £3.429 million for the local authority during the 2026/27 financial year.
Local leaders stated that the town is facing a total budget gap of £179 million over the next four years. To help balance the budget, the government has confirmed it will provide £92.047 million in Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) for the 2026/27 period.
As part of the new plans, the council will look to save £40 million by reviewing all services and reducing the size of its workforce. These measures are being introduced as the council manages a potential liability of £275 million following previous investments in commercial properties, which contributed to a total debt of over £1.8 billion.
The budget was overseen by council leader Cllr Hans Mundry and cabinet member for finance Cllr Denis Matthews. While the plan was approved, opposition leaders like Rob Tynan and Mark Browne expressed concerns about the rising costs for local families.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
