Transformational budget will build brighter future for St Helens Borough

Article date: 4th March 2026

At a Full Council meeting tonight, Wednesday, Councillor Anthony Burns, St Helens Borough Council Leader also announced free parking for three hours for visitors to St Helens town centre, free school uniforms for every pupil in the borough, bringing back the park ranger service to support our green spaces and a council-run grant scheme encouraging people to bid for funding that will boost pride in the borough.

Councillors voted in favour of the St Helens Borough Council Revenue and Capital Budget 202/27, which sets out the council's spending plans for the coming year.

Councillor Anthony Burns, St Helens Borough Council Leader, said: "Each year our budget is an opportunity to make the case for the work we are doing as a council to our residents. This year's budget highlights our strong commitment to growing our borough through our multi-million-pound regeneration projects for our two town centres alongside other support for businesses like free parking for customers. We are also investing heavily into giving our young people the best start in life through a comprehensive school development programme including further SEND facilities and helping families with the cost of uniforms. There is a huge £17 million earmarked for transport infrastructure investments that will benefit all road users among many other projects.

"Our budget will also make sure that we are protecting frontline services that deliver the vital services thousands rely on such as children and adults social care. These areas take up to two thirds of our revenue spending keeping people safe and well and close to their local communities. It is our responsibility to make sure that our most vulnerable residents can rely on our help in their time of need and I'm proud that this budget will help deliver that."

The budget also sets out the council's plans for Council Tax for 2026/27 with the recommendation predicated by Government for an increase of 2 per cent to go towards funding the extra cost of adult social care, with 2.99 per cent going towards the general increase to fund vital public services. This will not cover the entire budget requirement we need, but it will raise around £5.1m for services which otherwise would have to be cut.  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. 

Councillor Andy Bowden, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Health, and temporary portfolio holder for finance, said: "Council Tax is one of the key ways following the reduction of funding over many years that we can fund essential services that residents rely on every day. If we were to freeze Council Tax levels at their current rates we would instead have to look at cutting those essential services as it is used to fund our Revenue Budget, which delivers day-to-day services, rather than Capital Budget that uses a range of other funds to invest in projects like our ambitious regeneration schemes or schools investments.

"We know the ask for more is difficult, which is why alongside the budget we have also approved our Council Tax Reduction Scheme that will provide help for those who face hardship."

To find out more about the Council Tax Reduction Scheme visit: Council Tax Reduction - St Helens Borough Council

The budget has been shaped through a three-year settlement from Central Government, replacing the single year settlements the council has received for many years.

Councillor Bowden added: "The three-year settlement helps us to plan with more certainty about our medium-term spending power and is a welcome change that means we can plan investments with greater clarity."

The final settlement also saw an uplift in funding for the council that will further support delivery of a wide range of projects.

Councillor Burns said: "We were pleased that our intense lobbying of Central Government helped us to bring an additional £14.7 million in funding over the next three years in the settlement. This will help ease the challenges we have faced year-after-year to keep maintaining critical services and help us build a brighter future for all with support and investment across our borough."