Wheatley Hill Parish Council approved its budget for 2026-2027 in the sum of £147,313 at a meeting of the Parish Council held on 12 January 2026.
Durham County Council had advised of changes to the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (LCTRS) grant and tax base for the forthcoming 2026/27 financial year.
In 2024/25 Durham County Council implemented a three-year phased reduction of 50% of the LCTRS grant paid to local councils. The staged cuts, running from 2024/25 to 2026/27, were intended to gradually reduce the support originally provided by the Council Tax Reduction Schene, introduced in 2013 to reduced local tax bases.
The County Council had now changed its position and was stopping all LCTRS grant payments entirely from 2026/27. This proposal was part of the County Council’s response to its wider financial pressures.
In 2025/26 the Parish Council received a LCTRS grant of £5,969 and the tax base was 787.00. The Parish Council would receive no grant in 2026/27, and the tax base had been reduced to 784.00.
Due to the loss of the LCTRS grant and the reduced tax base the Parish Council had to consider how to balance its budget for 2026/27 and set a budget based on an 8% increase to the precept. The increase was necessary to make up for the loss of the LCTRS grant.
The Parish Council set a budget of £147,313 for the 2026/27 financial year. Due to the loss of the LCTRS grant Durham County Council were advised that the Parish Councils precept request for 2026/27 was £147,313.
The figures below demonstrate what a household would have paid in 2025/26 compared to what they will be paying in 2026/27.
| Band | A | B | C | D | E | F | ||
| 2025/26 | 115.56 | 134.82 | 154.08 | 173.34 | 211.86 | 250.38 | ||
| 2026/27 | 125.82 | 146.09 | 166.96 | 187.89 | 229.57 | 271.31 | ||
| Increase | 10.26 | 11.27 | 12.88 | 14.55 | 17.71 | 20.93 |
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