Households across Royal Borough of Greenwich will pay an additional £1.46 weekly for council services from April, with another 39p going to the Greater London Authority, as the authority prepares to approve its spending proposals for the coming financial year.
The borough has drafted a balanced budget for 2026 to 2027 ahead of Full Council consideration scheduled for Thursday 26 February 2026, maintaining its 14-year record of avoiding emergency government bailouts despite requiring £150 million in savings during that period.
Council Tax will rise by the maximum permitted 2.99 percent, accompanied by a separate 2 percent Adult Social Care levy. The combined increase remains below rates charged by surrounding boroughs, according to the authority.
A separate £60 million Getting Things Done programme announced in October will fund town centre improvements, anti-fly-tipping measures, special educational needs school facilities, pothole repairs and related infrastructure priorities identified through resident feedback.
More than two-thirds of total spending goes toward supporting vulnerable adults and children, with the council working to extend independent living periods through technology adoption while reducing expenditure on private sector children’s care placements.
The authority eliminated hotel use for homeless families last year, generating £5.88 million in taxpayer savings. Efforts continue this year to address homelessness root causes and decrease temporary accommodation requirements overall.
Council Leader Anthony Okereke acknowledged difficult choices made during recent years while defending retained services including five Advice Hubs and a Council Tax Support Scheme. He welcomed central government’s introduction of three-year funding settlements, special educational needs funding responsibility transfer, and partial Docklands Light Railway extension financing for Thamesmead.
An additional £1 million allocation will support Freedom Pass provision, enabling older residents to travel across London without charge for accessing services, social activities and employment opportunities.
The government funding settlement assumes maximum permitted tax increases, with the additional £6.9 million generated through Council Tax rises covering only a portion of a £45 million budget shortfall.
Cabinet Member for Finance Denise Hyland emphasized continued operational changes aimed at cost reduction and service improvement, noting the need for innovative working methods given substantial financial pressures.
Housing Revenue Account rents will increase 4.8 percent in accordance with Rent Standard regulations, though Greenwich maintains some of London’s lowest social housing rental rates. Previous year improvements included 1,500 kitchen and bathroom upgrades plus energy efficiency enhancements for 12,000 properties, with similar programmes planned for 2026 to 2027.
Capital investment proposals cover public building improvements and new community facility construction across the borough. The capital programme enables major projects such as Woolwich Waves leisure center, providing spaces designed to support resident health, wellbeing and community engagement.
Rising service demand driven by population growth and increased needs continues pressuring council finances, alongside escalating costs for delivering existing provision. The three-year government settlement offers improved planning capability compared with previous annual funding announcements.
The draft budget requires Full Council approval before implementation, with the February meeting representing the final stage before the financial year commencing in April. Council tax bills reflecting the approved increases will be issued to residents following formal adoption of the spending plans.
