Salisbury City Council Approve Budget

Salisbury City Council approved the proposed budget from the Liberal Democrat administration at a full council meeting yesterday evening (12th January).

The budget covers 2026-2027 and leaders say that it sets out a clear plan to protect services, invest in the city, and secure the council’s long-term financial future.

“This is a budget that does exactly what we set out to do,” Cllr Sam Charleston, Leader of the Council, said. “It protects services, plans for the future, and puts this council back onto stable financial footing. After some very difficult years, Salisbury City Council is now finally in a genuinely strong position, and this budget is the clearest evidence of that.”

The council is forecasting an underspend of £400,000 for the last financial year, allowing general reserves to be replenished to a responsible and sustainable level.

“This is not just good accounting,” Cllr Charleston said. “We now have stability, and, crucially, the ability to build capacity so we never return to that position. This budget marks the moment we move from repairing the foundations to building something sustainable on top of them.”

Included in the budget are items leaders say will directly benefit residents:

• Long-overdue repairs to the Guildhall ceiling
• £40,000 per year for play park repairs, with the Friary play park among the first to be improved
• An increase in the Accessibility Budget to £50,000 per year, supporting more inclusive facilities across the city
• £280,000 for the refurbishment of the Market Place toilets, a cross-party supported project
• £15,000 per year extra investment in cyber security to protect residents’ data
• A rolling programme of CCTV system upgrades
• Staffing increases to improve service delivery

Additional amendments were suggested by councillors from other parties. Those agreed include the return of a Christmas Light Switch-on event in the city and Car-Free Days, which will allow the city to trial pedestrian-friendly days and assess their impact on the city centre, businesses, and residents.

In addition, there will be:

● A new HR system, modernising internal processes and improving efficiency and resilience across the organisation

● Batteries for the depot solar panel system, allowing the council to store energy, reduce costs, and maximise the benefit of its renewable investment

What It Means for Council Tax

The budget is delivered with:

● A 4.99% increase in Year 1 – equivalent to £19 per year, or 39p per week for a Band D household

● A 3.99% increase in Year 2

● No increases at all in Years 3, 4 and 5

A Council Back on Track

“This council is finally back in a strong position after some very difficult years,” the Administration concluded. “This is a stable budget, a responsible budget, and a forward-looking budget. It protects services, invests in our city, and puts Salisbury City Council back where it should be: planning confidently for the future."