29/12/2025
Have your say on our budget proposals for the next financial year.
We are inviting residents, businesses, and organisations to share their views on proposals for our 2026/27 budget.
Like all councils, Cumberland faces significant financial challenges, including rising demand for services, rising prices, and changes to government funding. By law, the council must set a balanced budget, which means making sometimes difficult decisions about services and council tax.
Since April 2023, we have made some £55m in savings, whilst also continuing to improve services – including achieving a “Good” Ofsted rating for our children’s services, repairing nearly 9,000 potholes in 2024/25 and introducing new bus routes.
To maintain essential services such as adult social care, children’s services, and waste management, we are proposing a 2.99% increase in council tax and a 2% rise in adult social care levy which goes specifically towards things like residential care, supporting those recovering from illness, and services for those with learning and physical disabilities. Parish and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner precepts are set separately.
Most people in Cumberland live in properties in council tax bands A to C. If the proposals to increase council tax go ahead, then those in a band A property would see an increase of £1.22 a week for Cumberland Council services, with Band C bills rising by £1.63 a week. For band D properties the proposed increases equate to a rise of £95.18 a year or £1.83 a week.
Have your say at: https://consult.cumberland.gov.uk/budget-2026-27
Read more at: https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/news/2025/have-your-say-budget-proposals-next-year
