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Bridgend Council’s Cabinet has published its draft budget plans for 2026-27 (pdf).
As things stand, BCBC expects to make £2.42 million worth of cuts and savings – significantly lower than the figure of £5 million suggested elsewhere.
The headline proposal is that plans for a further cut to the core budget for schools have been dropped. This was a key recommendation of the cross-party Budget Scrutiny Group, which published its own conclusions towards the end of 2025.
Headline Draft Budget Proposals
Available here (pdf).
- Council tax is set to increase by 4.95%.
- £300,000 worth of cuts to school catering services, which is expected to have “little impact on the front line”.
- £129,000 cuts to backroom social services staff and £370,000 worth of cuts/savings to adult social care placements.
- Charges for bereavement services, residential and non-residential care would increase by 10%.
- £75,000 worth of cuts to cleaning and maintenance of BCBC assets.
- Car parks (particularly Rhiw Car Park) could have opening hours extended to generate extra income.
- £250,000 cut to CCTV services, with a request made to South Wales Police to make up any funding shortfall.
The final budget is normally published in February each year and will be subject to a full council vote.
BCBC won’t know exactly how much they have to spend until the Senedd approves the Welsh Budget and local government settlement for 2026-27.
Labour and Plaid Cymru have an agreement-in-principle to pass the budget (Labour doesn’t have a majority in the Senedd), which has increased the amount of money available to local councils.
Bridgend Council is set to receive an extra £5 million more than originally expected as part of this agreement.
A public consultation has been launched on the draft budget plans, set to close on 27th January 2026. All of the details are available here.
