The festive break gave councils a chance to draw breath before the final push to formalise their budget decisions for next year. Most councils will set challenging savings requirements, while maximising the opportunity to increase their fees, charges and council tax.
While some councils have seen much of their final budget gap closed by the Government's announcements on redistribution, others have witnessed pressures unassuaged by the resources available. In this context, before the Christmas break, councils were invited to indicate whether they will apply for Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) in 2026-27.
