The Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council has agreed its final budget proposals for 2026-27. Developed following the analysis of feedback from a thorough public consultation and scrutiny process, the proposals will now go forward for final approval at a meeting of Council on 25 February 2026.
If approved by Council and after taking into account budget pressures of £13.6m as well as necessary reductions totalling just over £2.3m, the net revenue budget for providing local communities with more than 800 services during 2026-27 will be £408m.
Of this figure, at least £164m will be invested into services provided by Education, Early Years and Young People. More than £124m will be allocated for Social Services and Wellbeing, and a minimum of £37m for services provided by Communities.
Other services which include housing and community safety, will receive £29m, with functions such as the council tax reduction scheme and discretionary rate relief receiving £55m.
A council tax increase of 4.7 per cent has also been proposed – lower than the 4.95 per cent that was originally anticipated, and the equivalent of an extra £1.73 a week on a Band D property.
“I would like to thank everyone who took part in ‘Time To Talk’, our budget consultation process, and for providing valuable feedback on the proposals, which we have tried to reflect as much as possible during the decision making process. “Your feedback is particularly valuable when you consider that since austerity began back in 2010, the council has had to deliver a balanced budget every year while also making savings of more than £96.7m. “This has never been an easy process, but prudent financial management of our resources has once again helped to produce a balanced budget which recognises and protects the services that residents value the most, and I am pleased to see these latest proposals going before Council for a final decision.”
“Bridgend County Borough Council continues to play a prominent role in the local economy of Bridgend County Borough, and our budget proposals for the year ahead are designed to stimulate growth and prosperity while also protecting the most vulnerable members of the community. “We have once again invested heavily into education, including both Welsh Government and Council funding, £37m has been marked for schools in the Bridgend west cluster including a replacement for Afon Y Felin and Corneli primary schools and the expansion and replacement of Ysgol y Ferch o’r Sgêr. “A further £19m will be invested into a new Heronsbridge special school, £7.8m in a new Mynydd Cynffig Primary, £6.2m for the new Ysgol Bro Ogwr, and a £2.3m extension for Coity Primary. “Elsewhere, more than £6m has been proposed for new sports pitches, multi-use games areas, skateparks and more, and we will be upgrading further children’s play areas across the county borough. “With plans to bring the waste and recycling service back inhouse, £6m has been set aside to purchase new collection vehicles which will help ensure Bridgend County Borough remains one of the top performing areas in Wales when it comes to dealing with waste. “We have major plans in place for our town centres, and will invest £4.2m in helping them to transform. We will also be spending £3.6m on roads and pavements throughout the area, and £2.5m for our rolling programme of highway refurbishment. Our budget proposals also support the public realm with investment focusing on key services such as street cleaning and improving our local environment. “Elsewhere, we intend to invest £2.2m to help provide disabled facilities that help vulnerable and elderly people to continue to live independently at home. “This budget is hugely ambitious in its desire to invest into the community while also remaining realistic about the pressures that we continue to face. I believe it strikes the right balance for the successful delivery of council services for 2026-27, and I hope that this will be recognised and endorsed by Council.”
The budget proposals will now go before a meeting of Council on 25 February 2026 for final discussion and approval.
