Our spending plans for 2026 to 2027
The level of Council Tax
Council Tax is the main source of locally-raised income for this authority and is used to meet the difference between the amount a local authority wishes to spend and the amount it receives from other sources such as business rates and government grants.
In determining the level of Council Tax payable, the cabinet has borne in mind the difficult economic and financial climate that many of our residents currently face. However, council funding from central Government has declined sharply in real terms during the period 2010 to 2025 although there has been increased funding since 2020-2021(to deal with COVID-19 Pandemic and various crisis since). There is also further uncertainty over future funding levels after March 2026.
With this in mind, the council has to consider what level of increase in Council Tax is sustainable, without creating an increased risk of service cuts and/or larger tax increases in the future. The average Council Tax you will pay for services provided by the district council is £218.29 for a Band D taxpayer equating to £4.20 per week. This is an increase of £6.34 over last year.
Service delivery
The council aims to maintain the delivery and high standard of its services to residents, protecting front line services within the reduced funding available. The council has no funding gap in 2026-27 although we have increased costs due to increase inflation driving up pay increases and cost of any third party services such as waste collection and leisure services. The council continues to review alternative methods of delivery of services through some services being provided through partnership and shared working arrangements, reducing costs, and creating efficiencies of service.
The council expects to employ 109.01 full time equivalent staff in 2026-2027. The council transferred its staff to Publica Group Ltd in November 2017. This is a company wholly owned by Cotswold District Council, Forest of Dean District Council, West Oxfordshire District Council and Cheltenham Borough Council to deliver services on their behalf. Although in 2024/2025 and 2025/2026, some of these staff transferred back to Forest of Dean District Council.
The council has not used any contribution from the Future Deficits Reserve to support the budget in 2026-2027. There are planned savings within the 2026-2027 budget as well as use of other specific reserves. Full details of the savings and additional income are contained within the council’s 2026-2027 budget setting papers dated 19 February 2026, available on the council’s website.
Working together to plan for the Forest of Dean’s future
A formal budget consultation took place during December 2025 and January 2026. Interested parties including businesses, tenants, residents, staff, and trade unions were encouraged to comment on the budget proposals.
Spending plans 2026-27
| Spending | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
| £000 | £000 | |
| Strategy | 4,788 | 4,301 |
| Built Environment | 792 | 1,333 |
| Finance | 6,941 | 7,303 |
| Nature Emergency | 337 | 526 |
| Sustainable Economy | 412 | 296 |
| Climate Emergency | 721 | 883 |
| Local Plan | 855 | 1,044 |
| Thriving Communities | 1,057 | 1,438 |
| Levies and Special Expenses | 60 | 81 |
| Asset Management Adjustment | (1,133) | (1,133) |
| Parish Precepts | 3,599 | 3,887 |
| Net Spending | 18,429 | 19,959 |
| which is partly funded by: | ||
| Specific Reserves | (531) | (1,101) |
| Which means we have a budget requirement of | 17,898 | 18,858 |
| which is financed by: | ||
| Government Grants | (5,102) | (5,671) |
| Business Rates Retained | (2,269) | (2,109) |
| Collection Fund Surplus | (190) | (184) |
| Which leaves council taxpayers to pay | 10,337 | 10,894 |
| FODDC | 6,738 | 7,007 |
| Parish Precepts | 3,599 | 3,887 |
| 10,337 | 10,894 |
How our budget compares with last year
| Budget Comparison | £000 |
| Budget Requirements 2025/26 | 17,898 |
| Inflation & Contractual Changes | 2,140 |
| Parish Precepts | 288 |
| Savings | (1,384) |
| Changes in Spending on Services | 486 |
| Movements in Reserves & Balances | (570) |
| Budget Requirement 2026/27 | 18,858 |
Town and parish councils precepts
Town and parish councils issue a precept which is the amount of money they require from Council Tax payers in their area. The district council works out the amount for each tax band which is shown on your bill with the percentage change from the previous year. Precepts for 2025-26 and 2026-27 are shown below.
| Parish | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
| £ | £ | |
| Alvington | 10,736 | 11,238 |
| Awre | 18,326 | 20,159 |
| Aylburton | 19,661 | 20,491 |
| Blaisdon | 4,760 | 5,088 |
| Bromsberrow | 8,617 | 8,617 |
| Churcham | 13,455 | 13,546 |
| Cinderford | 545,596 | 564,691 |
| Coleford | 560,000 | 610,000 |
| Corse | 9,928 | 10,126 |
| Drybrook | 69,926 | 69,926 |
| Dymock | 35,000 | 36,400 |
| English Bicknor | 8,036 | 8,036 |
| Gorsley & Kilcot | 6,200 | 6,324 |
| Hartpury | 11,346 | 11,777 |
| Hewelsfield/Brockweir | 9,243 | 10,820 |
| Huntley | 25,196 | 32,196 |
| Kempley | 7,255 | 8,284 |
| Littledean | 45,383 | 46,744 |
| Longhope | 34,235 | 35,000 |
| Lydbrook | 29,150 | 32,000 |
| Lydney Town | 781,018 | 826,658 |
| Mitcheldean | 141,924 | 176,123 |
| Newent Town | 500,150 | 529,028 |
| Newland | 32,000 | 35,200 |
| Newnham | 44,036 | 45,400 |
| Oxenhall | ||
| Pauntley | 7,000 | 7,300 |
| Redmarley | 14,250 | 22,750 |
| Ruardean | 25,000 | 31,250 |
| Rudford & Highleadon | 6,482 | 7,982 |
| Ruspidge & Soudley | 68,510 | 74,119 |
| St. Briavels | 31,818 | 39,850 |
| Staunton (Coleford) | 17,500 | 26,000 |
| Staunton (Glos) | 9,953 | 10,953 |
| Taynton | 7,145 | 7,417 |
| Tibberton | 9,315 | 10,153 |
| Tidenham | 129,486 | 151,934 |
| Upleadon | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| West Dean | 229,357 | 240,825 |
| Westbury-On-Severn | 39,000 | 47,000 |
| Woolaston | 27,582 | 30,340 |
| 3,598,575 | 3,886,745 |
More detailed information for town and parish councils where the precept exceeds £140,000 can be found on the individual town/parish website links to which can be found on Forest of Dean District Council website: www.fdean.gov.uk/council-tax-and-benefits/pay-council-tax/where-your-council-tax-goes
Special expenses
Expenses relating to closed churchyards are treated as special expenses and charged to the relevant parishes. There is currently one town and one parish to which this applies.
| Parish/Town | Precept/Band | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
| £ | £ | ||
| Newent Town Council | Precept | 4,000 | 2,350 |
| Band D | 1.60 | 0.93 | |
| Lydbrook Parish Council | Precept | 5,110 | 5,970 |
| Band D | 6.84 | 7.90 |