Council Tax level for Stratford-on-Avon District

Stratford-on-Avon District Councillors have set the district element of the Council Tax at a meeting of the Council on Monday 24 February.

The amount residents will be asked to pay for a Band D property is £169.12, an increase of £5. This is an increase of 3.1%, which for an average home represents just an additional 42p per month to the District Council next year.

This means that all the services provided by the District Council cost £3.25 a week for a Band D household. This contributes to meeting the cost of providing a wide range of services including recycling and waste collection, planning, street cleaning, housing, housing benefits, leisure services and children's play areas.

The Council Tax from Stratford-on-Avon District Council for residents for 2025/26 for each of the valuation bands is:

A        £112.75                        
B        £131.54                  
C        £150.33                                              
D        £169.12
E        £206.70                
F         £244.28
G        £281.87
H        £338.24

Although the District Council acts as the collecting agent for Council Tax, it only receives 7.1% of the Council Tax paid by residents. Warwickshire County Council receives the lion's share of 76.6%, the Police 12.8% and Towns/Parishes 3.5%.

This means the District Council only retains 7.1p of every £1 paid in Council Tax to provide its range of services.

Cllr David Curtis, Portfolio Holder for Resources, said: "As we review our budget for the coming year, it is essential that we are clear about our goals and the way forward. This budget is not merely about numbers and balances but about our shared vision for the future and the concrete steps we need to take to achieve it.

"Over the past five years Stratford-on-Avon District Council has seen its funding from central government decline by 17%, whilst the Council has been subject to 24% inflation over the same period.

"The future is uncertain with the local government re-organisation on the horizon and with local authorities expected to cover the additional costs. However, although we must be prudent, through careful financial management we have resources to invest to secure the best future services for our residents.

"This budget supports the most vulnerable in our community with initiatives to support victims of domestic abuse, homelessness and the cost-of-living crisis.  It introduces new measures to adapt to, and to mitigate the effects of climate change. It works to safeguard services against future financial pressures.

"We need to look ahead and work now to invest in the future changes required to maximise public benefit from our resources. We work with our communities, we listen to their priorities, and we act in their interests, these principles are at the heart of this budget." 

Cllr Susan Juned, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council, said: "We are an ambitious, fair, inclusive and responsible organisation which puts our communities at the heart of everything we do. Over the next five years our communities and residents will face a range of challenges which we need to address and while some of these are included in our Council Plan, others have emerged.

"Funding for local government across the country has been a concern for the past 10 years. Our Rural Services Grant has ceased and other grants also along with a further postponement to the Government's Spending Review. Thankfully, we are not one of the 30 Councils that have asked to be included in claiming for exceptional Financial Support this next year - up from 19 last year. Nevertheless, higher service demands, and higher delivery costs are a challenge.

"The uncertainties around the proposed local government re-organisation is a challenge to ensure residents continue to receive high quality services. Making sure we are resilient to further cuts and financial challenges is essential. With this budget we are setting ourselves realistic aims and objectives within areas of focus already outlined in the Council Plan."

Stratford-on-Avon remains a low-taxing authority, 18th lowest out of 164 district councils across the country in 2024/25.

Council Tax Resolution 2025/26 - Total Band D Council Tax

Anyone who thinks they could be struggling to pay their Council Tax is encouraged to contact the District Council as soon as possible by calling 01789 260990 or email revenues@stratford-dc.gov.uk, where the team will be able to advise what help is available.

Following Full Council approval, provision has been made within the 2025/26 budget to fund the following:

• £30,000 for Women's Aid Domestic Violence project support, training, community awareness and work with partners to ensure the availability of their services within the district.
• £50,000 additional funding for the Economic Recovery Reserve to encourage economic activity through one off schemes.
• £50,000 Trees for Parish Councils scheme.
• £50,000 for a Business Conference, to stimulate the local economy, increase networking opportunities, showcase local talent, innovation and promote education and training for local businesses.
• £70,000 to fund the temporary closure of the High Street in Stratford-upon-Avon to assess the feasibility of making such a closure more permanent.
• £80,000 to fund a screening programme in partnership with the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust (GFCT) which is focuses on prostate cancer awareness and early detection.
• £100,000 for the Gateway scheme.
• £100,000 to support Cycle Schemes aimed at promoting sustainable transportation.
• £100,000 for an Economic Development Officer to support the Economic Development activity for a period of two years.
• £150,000 for a new splash pad at the Stratford Recreations Ground play area.
• £222,000 additional funding for Environmental Street Scene Improvement promoting public safety and security.
• £250,000 to fund various projects with the aim of enhancing and improving community facilities, services, and overall infrastructure, thereby fostering a stronger and more vibrant local community.
• £250,000 for the Stratford relief road study.
• £500,000 for various Council construction projects.
• £520,000 for the Climate Change Fund ensuring the Council can continue its commitments to climate change for next year.
• £600,000 to be used to directly target cost-of-living hardship through selected partners.
• £1.2m for an Avon Hydro Scheme to produce a fully renewable energy that could be used by local residents or businesses by utilising the natural drop in the Avon and waterflow to power a turbine.
• £2.5m for affordable and temporary housing to help reduce temporary accommodation costs.
  
  

 The District Council is also seeking to introduce a second home premium from April 2026 and will be conducting a public consultation during 2025 on this topic.