Hull City Council Sets Budget for 2026-27

Hull City Council has approved its budget for the 2026-27 financial year at a full council meeting held at the Guildhall this week. The budget, which totals approximately £280 million for day-to-day spending, includes a council tax increase of 4.99 per cent, comprising a 2.99 per cent general increase and a further 2 per cent ring-fenced for adult social care. For a Band D property, this equates to an annual increase of approximately £75, though the majority of Hull households fall within Bands A and B and will see smaller rises.

The administration has set out a series of priorities under the banner of making Hull "cleaner, safer and more welcoming." Key investments include an additional £2.5 million for pothole repairs and road resurfacing, bringing the total highways maintenance budget to £14 million. A further £1.8 million has been allocated to enhanced street cleaning, with a focus on the city centre, main arterial routes and residential areas where residents have raised concerns about litter and fly-tipping. New mechanical sweepers will be purchased and additional cleaning operatives recruited.

Community safety features prominently in the budget, with £1.2 million earmarked for the expansion of the city's CCTV network, additional funding for the council's anti-social behaviour team, and a new grants programme for community groups working to improve their neighbourhoods. The council has also committed £3 million to a programme of improvements to parks and open spaces, including new play equipment at East Park and Pickering Park, and the restoration of the historic fountain in Pearson Park.

Opposition councillors criticised the council tax increase, arguing that it placed an unfair burden on households already struggling with the cost of living. However, council leader Mike Ross said the increase was necessary to protect essential services in the face of rising costs and continued reductions in central government funding. "No one wants to see council tax go up, but the alternative is cutting the services that Hull's residents rely on," he said. "This budget strikes the right balance between keeping council tax as low as possible and investing in the things that matter most to people: clean streets, safe neighbourhoods and well-maintained public spaces."