Council propose freezing 2026/27 council tax and delivering ambitious budget

Watford Borough Council’s share of council tax for 2026/27 is being recommended to be frozen, alongside a proposed balanced and ambitious budget that continues to protect essential services and deliver major investment across the town.

The decision would mean the council’s share of council tax for a Band D household will remain at £308.51 for the year. This is below inflation and equates to approximately £5.93 per week to fund a wide range of local services, including weekly household recycling and waste collections, street cleaning, parks, leisure facilities and community services.

Like local authorities across the country, the council continues to face significant financial pressures from rising inflation, increasing costs and growing demand for services such as housing and homelessness support. Over the past decade, government grant funding to the council has been cut significantly, making careful financial planning more important than ever.

Despite these challenges, the council has set a balanced budget that prioritises frontline services, supports the most vulnerable and continues to invest in projects that improve residents’ quality of life. This has been made possible through strong financial management, clear priorities and the delivery of year-on-year savings.

Key highlights of the 2026/27 budget include:

• Increased funding to tackle fly-tipping, littering and dog fouling
• Continued investment in parks and open spaces, including more tree planting, new litter bins and water fountains, improved footpaths in Cassiobury Park, cemetery improvements, support for Hertsmere’s new cemetery (which will also serve Watford residents), Cherry Tree Allotment reprovision and playground improvements
• Improvements at both leisure centres, including an aesthetic and equipment upgrade at Woodside and at Central, high-quality studios, an extended state-of-the-art gym that almost doubles in size, improved accessibility with more IFI-accredited equipment, and fully refurbished changing facilities.
• Continued progress on sustainability and infrastructure, including work towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, alongside cycle and road infrastructure improvements and upgrades to local parades, including Vicarage Road

Photocaption: Photo of the new Cycle Studio in Watford Leisure Centre - Central

The budget builds on a busy and successful previous year for Watford, which has seen the reopening of the Colosseum, progress on the Town Hall Quarter and Museum, energy-efficiency upgrades to homes and community buildings, neighbourhood grant funded projects such as the mountain bike trail, the launch of the Green Loop, river and wetland restoration, improvements to St Mary’s Churchyard, ongoing homelessness/housing support and the delivery of popular events.

Photocaption: Collage of reopening of the Colosseum

Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: “We know residents are feeling the pressure of the cost of living, and freezing our share of council is one way we can help with day-to-day expenses. It means the average household continues to pay around £6 a week for a wide range of services, from weekly waste and recycling collections to clean streets, parks and leisure facilities.

 

“At the same time, we are continuing to invest in frontline services. In this budget we are increasing the funding to tackle fly-tipping, littering and dog fouling. It is really important that Watford is clean and tidy.

 

“We will also continue to invest in the town’s parks and leisure centres, work with fantastic homelessness charities to help people in need and help Watford become more sustainable, as well as improve air quality locally.

 

“This budget helps keep our share of council tax as low as possible, means we can invest in important services and manage the council’s finances well.”   

Hertfordshire Country Council, who receives the largest share of council tax revenue and the Police and Crime Commission, have yet to finalise their council tax figures, so the final 2026-27 amount that Watford residents will pay next year will be announced in March.