'Let us know your views' - Walsall Council reveals cost cutting proposals for next year’s budget
Walsall Council will be setting out its cost-saving proposals for the 2026/27 budget later this week.
Cabinet members will meet on Wednesday, October 15 to approve the proposals for next year’s budget before the six-week public consultation launches the following day.
The council has put forward 79 cost cutting measures in order to save £28.244million in next year’s revenue budget.
They include a review of the home to school transport programme, saving £102,000, reducing cleaning by 25 per cent within council buildings, saving £141,154, and the reduction of opening hours at Walsall New Art Gallery by three hours a week, saving £22,000.
Following on from last year’s budget, the council has again proposed to increase parking charges by 20 per cent, saving £20,000, and a review of the council’s cultural offer which is said to save £100,000.
Also proposed is a review of the council’s leisure and health initiatives, including the four Active Living Centres in Bloxwich, Darlaston, Walsall Wood and the town centre, at an estimated saving of £267,501.
At present, the authority has not indicated a proposed council tax increase due to the level of uncertainty around future government funding.
Leader of the council and portfolio holder for finance, Councillor Mike Bird, said: “Like other local authorities, we are preparing our budget in particularly challenging and unpredictable circumstances.
“Our priority remains to deliver a balanced budget and to keep any council tax increase as low as possible.
“Having a multi-year funding settlement will help with medium-term planning but the current uncertainties in core funding and rising demand on many of our services, particularly within adult social care and children’s services, means that setting a balanced budget won’t be easy.
“Every council has a statutory responsibility to set a balanced budget, and I am confident that our track record of strong and robust financial management will achieve this.
“Consultation is an integral part of the budget setting process, and I’d encourage anyone who lives, works, studies or does business in the borough to take part in our budget consultation and let us know your views.”
The six-week public consultation will run from October 16 until November 30 2025.
Once the council has considered the feedback, an updated draft budget will be presented to cabinet in January 2026.
The final 2026/27 budget will be presented to cabinet on February 11, 2026 and then to full council on February 26, 2026.
