Fylde Council has approved its budget for 2026/27 at Full Council this week, setting out how the Council will fund local services and manage its finances responsibly over the coming year.
An average Band D Council Tax of £239.11 has been set for 2026/27, representing a 2.99% increase on the previous year. The decision follows a thorough review of the Council’s financial position and reflects the genuine pressures facing local authorities across the country, including rising costs and continued reductions in central government funding.
The Council’s position has been further complicated by a significant and unprecedented change between the provisional and final Local Government Finance Settlement, which reduced Fylde’s funding allocation by £373,000 from 2027/28 onwards. Despite this, the Council has delivered a balanced budget for 2026/27 and set a responsible course for the years ahead through its five-year Medium Term Financial Strategy, covering 2026 to 2030.
The approved budget includes a number of growth investments for the year ahead. Funding has been approved to progress the new Fylde Local Plan to 2042 through examination and adoption, protecting the borough from uncontrolled development and retaining local control over planning decisions. Investment has also been confirmed to place the Council’s events programme, including the Fylde Ice Festival and Fylde Fest, on a more sustainable long-term footing, reflecting the significant contribution these events make to town centre footfall and the local economy. Provision has additionally been made for the phased introduction of the new statutory weekly household food waste collection service, which will begin rolling out across the borough from autumn 2026.
The budget also reflects the significant capital investment in swimming facilities approved by the Council in January 2026, with a total of £9.34m committed to a substantial refurbishment of St Annes Pool and the redevelopment and reopening of Kirkham Pool – a scheme of real importance to residents and communities across the borough.
Councillor Karen Buckley, Leader of Fylde Council, said: “We are acutely aware of the pressures many residents are facing, and we have not taken these decisions lightly. This budget is the result of careful, considered financial planning, and I am pleased that within it we have been able to make meaningful investments for our communities, from securing our events programme and protecting our planning powers, to the transformational investment in swimming facilities in St Annes and Kirkham that so many residents have been looking forward to.”
The approved plans also include a Capital Strategy for 2026–30 and an updated Reserves and Balances Policy, providing a stable financial foundation for the Council in the years ahead.
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