HOUSEHOLDS in Wiltshire are set to see a 4.5% increase in their council tax bills to pay for services.

The 2025/26 Wiltshire Council budget was approved at a meeting on February 25, setting out how more than £500 million will be spent in the coming year.

The budget laid out plans for a net £37m increase in spending on services.

The biggest areas of Wiltshire Council spend in 2025/26 will be: 
• Adult services – £194m
• Families and children – £75m
• Highways and transport – £43.4m
• Environment (including waste) – £49.5m
• Education and skills – £38m

The budget includes an extra £1m for highways preventative flood maintenance, while the council was also awarded a Bus Service Improvement Plan plus (BSIP plus) grant of £2.1m per year for both 2023/24 and 2024/25, and further increased BSIP funding of £5.8m has been confirmed for 2025/26.

It was also confirmed recently the council will uplift its funding to its art and heritage grants by 10%, with almost £379,000 due to be spent in 2025/26, with plans to re-open City Hall in Salisbury set to feature.

A total of £250,000 was previously allocated for 2024/25 and 2025/26 to increase the capacity of the planning enforcement team and address complex and contentious cases, while around £300,000 of other enforcement activities have been identified and delivered in 2024/25 and a further £521,000 has been allocated over the course of 2025/26.

Elsewhere, funding allocated for capital projects includes:
• Council house building and stock refurbishment – £40.5m
• SEND provision including Silverwood school – £28.6m
• Structural maintenance and bridges – £16.2m
• Refurbishment of council housing stock – £15.3m
• Trowbridge leisure centre – £14m (with more budgeted for the next two years)
• A350 Chippenham bypass phases 4 & 5 – £13.9m
• Highways investment plan – £10.4m
• Schools’ maintenance and modernisation – £8.1m
• Environmental and waste projects – £8.1m
• Wiltshire Ultrafast Broadband and Wiltshire Online – £1.1m

Savings of around £15.4m are identified in the planning, £14.2m of which was included in last year’s budget setting process and previously approved, with around £6.4m of new savings identified.

After the approval, leader, Cllr Richard Clewer, said: “It is a huge responsibility allocating money for the services that so many people rely on and it’s one we take very seriously.

“Focusing on our finances is a day by day, month by month task and this forensic attention and looking at the bigger picture is the reason why we are in a position where we can continue to invest to improve our county and support residents.

“We have received significantly less grant money from Government and local government as a whole is facing huge challenges that we are certainly not immune to, but our long-term approach rather than quick fixes means we are in a more positive position than many.

“We are a council that won’t be using reserves to plug any budget gaps as this can set off a spiral that is so hard to get out of. We are a council that doesn’t need to charge people any more than is necessary in council tax. We are a council that provides a strong safety net for those who need us. And we are a council that can be brave and invest, ensuring Wiltshire is a place that people want to live in, work in, set up business in and visit.

“In playing the long game and putting all our focus and resources in prevention it means that we’re at the stage now where that investment in time, money and resource is bearing fruit.

“This is demonstrated by our recent positive feedback for our adult, children and SEND services, the recognition on the national stage for our innovative enforcement action and our leading Community Conversation programme which is empowering residents to improve their lives. We are spending significant money on our roads, leisure, climate the arts and the infrastructure of the county all while living within our means – something we will strive to maintain.”