REGENERATION is the priority as Worcester City Council raises its share of the council tax by an average of 1.8p per day.
Councillors set the city element of the council tax at a meeting of the council last week.
The amount residents will be asked to pay for an average Band D property is £226.01 in 2026/27,
This contributes to meeting the cost of providing a wide range of services including bin collections, housing, support for the homeless, parks, street cleaning and planning.
The city council receives nine per cent of the council tax paid by residents.
The total council tax bill also includes charges for services provided by Worcestershire County Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia Police, and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority. Residents in Warndon Villages and St Peter’s also have to pay an additional charge for their parish councils.
Worcester City Council’s net budget for 2026-27 has been set at £14.9 million.
That will enable it to provide essential services, alongside an ongoing programme of improvements to playgrounds and facilities in the city, and a packed programme of family-friendly events and attractions at Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum, and The Commandery.
During 2026-27 the council will also deliver two major regeneration projects for the city, with the opening of the new Scala arts and entertainment centre, and the reopening of the refurbished Crematorium in Astwood Road.
The budget includes £17,000 to support a move to power diesel-fuelled vehicles in the council’s fleet with hydrotreated vegetable oil. Once completed, this will create a 90 per cent cut in carbon emissions compared to diesel, and reduce the emission of harmful particulates.
City council leader Coun Lynn Denham said: “Worcester residents will see a bigger rise in their council tax bills than usual this year, but it’s important for them to know that the city council is not responsible for this. Our part of the bill has only increased by just under 2p a day.
“Our budget for 2026-27 will support our delivery of significant benefits for Worcester, including an improved crematorium, the new Scala arts centre, and a reduction in carbon emissions and pollution thanks to our use of hydrotreated vegetable oil to power more of our vehicles.
“Importantly this will all be in addition to the vital services that people rely on, like bin collections, street cleaning, housing and planning.”
