At a full Council meeting held last night (Tuesday 26 February), Councillor Alexander Curtis, Broxbourne’s Cabinet Member for Finance, announced the annual budget for 2025/26.
The Council has agreed an increase in council tax of just £5, with the increase taking the annual charge for a Band D property to £163.24 per year.
The Borough of Broxbourne has the lowest council tax of all districts and boroughs in Hertfordshire. Even after this increase, the next lowest district charges its residents over £60 per year more.
Although it collects all council tax, Broxbourne Borough Council only keeps 7.4% of the overall amount each household pays.
The remaining amount is divided between Hertfordshire County Council which receives 80.5% of the total bill, and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire which receives 12.1%.
Setting this year’s budget has been challenging. The increase in employer National Insurance contributions and the above inflation increase to the National Living wage have led to significant pressures on staffing costs. However, years of prudent financial planning has left Broxbourne Council in a good position with a balanced budget set without the need for any reductions in service.
The proposals outlined in the budget demonstrate the Council’s commitment to economic development and improving the lives of local residents, whilst ensuring the Council has the resources necessary to deliver quality services across the Borough.
The capital programme for 2025/26 focusses on the Council’s income generating assets and the equipment required to deliver the Council’s excellent services.
The Council’s sports centres continue to perform well, with membership numbers continuing to increase. To support this, the large-scale refurbishment of John Warner Sports Centre is expected to commence in the next financial year to ensure that it remains a vibrant and commercially viable facility.
Modest market rate increases on the Council’s fees and charges will be applied from 1 April which will ensure that the Council’s discretionary services remain competitive.
Planning permission for a new Adventure Golf facility at Cheshunt Park Golf Centre was granted in January 2025. This will provide an exciting new entertainment venue for residents, as well as supporting income generation at the golf centre. It is expected that Adventure Golf will be opening in the summer of this year.
Councillor Alexander Curtis commented:
The 2025/26 budget is a real success story. It is balanced, considered and proportionate. It demonstrates our ambition, our competence, our prudence and the strong financial position that the Council finds itself in to deliver on its Corporate Priorities.
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