The money that we spend on our services comes essentially from four major sources:
- Business rates
- Council tax
- Revenue Support Grant
- New Homes Bonus
The levels of income we receive from each is shown below:
| Income source | 2026/27 (£'000) | 2025/26 (£'000) |
|---|---|---|
| Business rates | 7,837 | 12,779 |
| Council Tax | 18,191 | 17,266 |
| Revenue Support Grant / Funding Floor | 7,398 | 739 |
| New Homes Bonus | 0 | 31 |
| Total | 33,426 | 30,815 |
General Central Government Grant
Central Government have reorganised Local Government Financing as part of the Fair Funding Review 2.0, which will come into effect from 1 April 2026. 2026/27 therefore sees significant changes in the level of Business Rates income, which relates to the redistribution of Business Rates income growth over the defined level of Business Rates Baseline. This redistibution results in the increase seen for Revenue Support Grant. The Fair Funding Review 2.0 also consolidated various grants that were previously recognised in the Service Areas of the Council's accounts, resulting in the overall apparent increase year on year.
In 2025/26 Central Government are planning on continuing the Revenue Support Grant scheme and have introduced a Funding Floor Grant scheme. Our Revenue Support Grant for 2025/26 is due to be £256,000 with the Funding Floor grant due to be £483,000.
Business Rates
Business Rates are paid on commercial property, such as factories, offices and shops. The element we are allowed to retain is used to fund council services.
In 2026/27, our estimated Retained Business Rates Income will be £ 7,837,079.
More can be found on our Business rates pages.
Council Tax
Council Tax is a form of local taxation, based on the banding of your accomodation.
In 2026/27, our Council Tax income will be £18,191,281, excluding Parish Precepts.
More details can be found on our Council Tax Income page.
Charges for our services
Many of our services are free, but some have a small charge. For example, we charge for car parking around the city and at Park and Ride car parks.
The level of income we receive directly to pay for service provision is available on our Spending Plans page.
More details can be found on our Fees and Charges page.
Please Note: the fees and charges documents are correct as of April of any given year. Some fees and charges may change after April. Please visit the relevant service area pages of our website to view current fees.
