RESIDENTS are being urged to help Warwick District Council budget.
The council has launched two short surveys asking residents to help with prioritising its budget setting for 2026/7.
Both surveys will run until January 19 and the results will be reviewed at Full Council in February.
The first survey – budget allocation offers the opportunity to have a say on how the council allocates its budget by rating several proposals in order of importance.
Certain essential services, like waste collection, recycling, environmental health, and housing, must be provided by law and are therefore termed as mandatory services with a budget allocation to ensure such services are delivered in an effective manner.
The next stage is to identify additional funding required to help to deliver the council’s additional Corporate Strategy objectives, including service growth, capital investment, and reserve allocations.
The second survey – second homes council tax premium – asks for views about the impact of introducing a premium to second homeowners, as the council aims to bring second homes back into use.
The availability and affordability of housing in the district forms a key part of WDC’s Corporate Strategy, which aims to increase the amount of affordable housing available to help meet demand.
The council also wants to ensure residents receive services that are responsive and accessible to local needs, underpinned by financial sustainability.
WDC finance spokesman Coun Jonathan Chilvers said: “It is important for the council to get its budget setting right for the year ahead and the best way for us to do this is to include our residents in the process and to understand which services are important to them.
“The council can’t realistically fund every project that is requested, so we value our residents’ views which will support the council’s decision-making as it aims to establish a secure financial base for delivering good value services for the residents of the district.”
Click here for the budget consultation and here for second homes.
