Bedford Borough Council’s Executive has agreed to a 4.99 per cent increase in council tax, but this still has to be approved by the Full Council.
The council is required to set the council tax by March 11 for the coming financial year.
Cllr Jim Weir (Conservative), the portfolio holder for finance, told the Executive: “The budget for 25/26 is based upon a 2.99 per cent increase in core council tax, in line with the government limits announced in the policy statement of 28 November 2024.
“This is supplemented by a 2% adult social care precept,” the Conservative ward councillor for Great Denham added.
This is an increase of £91.05 on the average band D property, giving a council tax of £1,915.69 for that band. This does not include police, fire or town/parish precepts.
The council’s budget will be put to Full Council on 5 February.
Fire service asks for feedback
Bedfordians have until 31 January to have their say on a proposed council tax increase to their fire service precept.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) has received government approval to raise the council tax levy by up to £5 for the 2025/26 financial year.
If approved, this would increase the annual Band D charge for fire and rescue services from £112.72 to £117.72, or just 42p a month.
The fire service says this increase would generate an additional £1.1 million, which would go “directly to supporting the vital services” provided by Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS).
Assistant Chief Officer Gavin Chambers emphasized the importance of this funding.
“Every pound raised through the council tax plays a critical role in maintaining the high standards of service that Bedfordshire residents rely on. For context, it costs approximately £1.2 million per year to keep a fire engine crewed and available 24/7,” he said.
The FRA is encouraging people and businesses to participate in the ongoing consultation and share their views on whether they support the proposed increase.
“This is your opportunity to help ensure that BFRS continues to provide high-quality, life-saving services to the community,” added a spokesperson.
To have your say, visit the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s consultation page.
Police maximum
Meanwhile, Bedfordshire Police could increase their precept by the maximum amount the police and crime commissioner have said.
In december, a written statement from the policing minister Diana Johnson MP, confirmed that PCCs will have the “flexibility” to raise the police precept to £14 for a Band D property in 2025-26.
PCC John Tizard said: “Given the historic underfunding of police services across the country and in Bedfordshire over the last 14 years, it will be necessary to increase the council tax by 5.28 per cent.
“This equates to £14 for an average Band D council taxpayer – equal to only 27p a week.
“If the police element of the council tax increase were to be less than this, there would have to be reductions on police numbers with detrimental impact on everyone in the county,” he said.
The PCC added that it is expected that a similar increase will be seen across the country.
The minister’s statement said the government expects police forces to improve efficiencies and productivity alongside the funding increase for police forces.
“I am committed to achieving value for money, to take advantage of collaboration with regional police services and wider local public sector partners, and to drive productivity upwards,” the PCC said.
“I will always expect the police to maximise impact with the available resources, eliminate waste and never use the lack of funding as an excuse for poor performance or failing the people of Bedfordshire.’
“Existing collaboration arrangements with both Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire have already produced savings of over £10 million,” he said.
The government has allocated £900k for an uplift in neighbourhood policing officers, as part of its plan to recruit 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs, and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles.
The PCC said: “There will be a requirement for Bedfordshire to use the funding allocated in this specific grant to redeploy officers from elsewhere onto neighbourhood policing teams, as well as to recruit more officers.
“There are already extensive measures in place for this in each neighbourhood policing team which allow them to connect with and engage with their communities but these need to be strengthened.
“[My] police and crime plan has set out a clear vision for local policing and is committed to a local policing strategy by April 2025.
The policing minister’s statement did not include the government’s total policing and law enforcement funding.
In 2025-26, funding for areas including Arms-Length Bodies, Cyber Crime, Forensics, Fraud, Police Productivity and Innovation and Tackling Exploitation and Abuse (including Violence against Women and Girls) will be decided as part of the Home Office’s wider budget allocation process.
“The profile of crime in Bedfordshire is changing and evolving rapidly, and we cannot ignore the vital requirement for resources dedicated to tackle violence against women and children, drug crime and serious violence, cybercrime and fraud,” the PCC said.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
Additional reporting by
Paul Hutchinson, Bedford Independent
