Residents across the borough are being asked to share their views on what the Council’s budget priorities are for the next financial year.
The public consultation is now open and will close on Friday 9 January 2026.
Feedback will help shape how the Council allocates its £359m budget across its services including social care, street scene, libraries, children’s centres, parks and green spaces and many more.
This is a chance for every resident to have their say on where they think the Council should prioritise its spending on services and where it should look to reduce levels of investment.
About six pounds in every ten spent by the Council goes on social care services, including those for children and families, and older people and those with disabilities. A further 10% or so is committed to other unavoidable expenditure, including levies to other agencies that the Council is required to pay.
About 38% of the Council’s budget is funded through council tax, with the rest made up of a combination of locally generated business rates and various grants from central government. Over the last 15 years, councils have increasingly been expected to rely on locally generated council tax in order to fund local services.
Rotherham Council’s Leader, Cllr Chris Read, said: “Over the last few years we have consistently kept council tax rises below the government’s referendum limits, and in the last two years we have had the lowest increases of any council in Yorkshire. Those decisions have saved Rotherham households £200 each. Despite that, and the ongoing funding challenges that all councils are facing, we have been able to carve out some cash to respond to the needs of our communities. That has included recruiting to our new Street Safe team, beginning to address concerns about anti-social behaviour, more resources to keep our streets clean, and investment in roads and in our high streets.
“Since 2010, Rotherham Council has had to make in excess of £200 million of savings, forcing difficult choices to be made. And while last year brought us much welcome relief from the new government, due to changes in the way that councils are funded, we are still facing significant uncertainty about our budget position for the coming year. So we need to hear from as many people are possible; what are the services that you most value? What are the challenges you want us to address? And what wouldn’t make your priorities when cash is tight?”
The Council Plan, which guides budget planning, focuses on creating a borough where places are thriving, safe and clean, as well as building an economy that works for everyone. It also outlines how the Council will support children and young people to achieve their potential, and support residents to live well, be healthy, and be able to be independent in their homes for longer.
The consultation for the 2026/27 Budget is just one of the ways the Council listens to what its residents and allows for improvements based on feedback to be made to services.
The Council is currently estimating an overspend in its current year’s budget of £0.9m due to the increased need and costs around social care services for both adults and children, a delay in the delivery of the Waste Management route optimisation programme, and the impact of the Local Government Pay Award.
Feedback from the consultation will inform the proposed budget, which will be scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 4 February 2026, before being considered by Cabinet on 9 February 2026. Final decisions will be debated by full Council on 5 March 2026.
For more information and to take part in the consultation, visit www.rotherham.gov.uk/consultation-feedback/council-budget-2025-26
