Council tax set to increase by 4.99 per cent in St Helens

The revenue and capital budget 2026/27 report is due to be discussed at the cabinet meeting next Wednesday.

The report sets out more than £150 million which is committed for investment in projects like the “once-in-a-generation” transformation of St Helens and Earlestown town centres, including the transformation of The Gamble Building, alongside investment in leisure, roads and schools – which are all key components to the proposed budget.

The council highlighted that this is on top of continuing to provide the hundreds of services residents use every day including green spaces, highways maintenance, recycling and business support, among others.

If the budget is approved at cabinet, it will then go to full council next month for final approval.

Investments

Cllr Andy Bowden, cabinet member for adult social care and health, and temporary portfolio holder for finance, said: “This is one of the biggest investments we have ever made as a council, delivering on our plans to revitalise not one but two town centres in our borough, with steelworks coming out of the ground already on two key developments, our new St Helens Transport Interchange and Earlestown Town Hall.

"There is also funding in place for projects like The Gamble Building, restoring the St Helens Library to its rightful home, alongside the archives service and dedicated space for young people.

“We are also investing heavily in schools, including funding for new SEND provision for primary, secondary and higher education pupils, providing children of our borough with the best start to life regardless of their need. There is also £10 million earmarked over the next two years for a strategic leisure investment that will have a positive impact on residents’ health and wellbeing by creating new opportunities to engage in activities. Alongside this, cabinet will also hear about our plans for a £17 million investment in our highways that will benefit all road users.”

The budget is split between revenue and capital spending; revenue is the spending that comes from a mixture of council tax, business rates and Government grants, and helps to fund the day-to-day services like adult social care, children’s services, waste and recycling collections and much more. Capital spending is funded through a mixture of grants, money raised from sales of council assets and prudential borrowing.

Council tax

The report also sets out the council’s plans for council tax for 2026/27.

There is a recommendation for an increase of two per cent to go towards funding the extra cost of adult social care, along with 2.99 per cent going towards the general increase to fund vital public services. The council says this will “not cover the entire budget requirement we need”, but it will raise around £5.1 million for services which “otherwise would have to be cut”.

The cabinet is invited to recommend to council to approve a 2026/27 Band D council tax of £1,975.65, which equates to a council tax increase consisting of a two per cent adult social care precept and a 2.99 per cent general council tax increase – a total of 4.99 per cent.

It stated that for approximately 85 per cent of households, the proposed rise would mean less than an extra 23p per day to “help maintain essential services at a time of increasing demand”.

Cllr Bowden added: “Our proposed budget will help us continue to deliver the everyday services our residents rely on, to protect the most vulnerable and invest in a brighter future for our borough, all while delivering a balanced budget.”

The budget will be discussed at the cabinet meeting next Wednesday, which begins at 4pm.

You can find out more about the budget and watch the meeting online here: Agenda for Cabinet on Wednesday, 25th February, 2026, 4pm St Helens Borough Council