The council leadership hailed the budget as ‘balanced stable and prudent’ but faced criticism for imposing the maximum increase on bills
Council tax bills in Wigan will rise by 4.99 per cent in April
Council taxpayers in Wigan are to be hit with an inflation-busting rise. A meeting of the Labour controlled council on Wednesday evening (March 4) confirmed bills will increase by 4.99 per cent from April, 2026.
This year’s budget does not contain cuts to spending or services, bosses say. Some two per cent of the rise is ring-fenced to be spent on adult social care.
The increase in council tax will equate to around £1.30 per week for a typical Wigan Band A household. Those living in a Band D property face paying around £1.94 a week more from April.
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Opposition councillors said that above inflation rise would hit struggling families and that ‘residents would not forget the council raising bill by the maximum allowed’. This year’s budget also includes a savings target for the year of £14.2m.
Proposing the budget, council leader David Molyneux said that despite the rise, bills ‘will still be the lowest in North West and one of the lowest of all metropolitan authorities in the country’.
He added: “We should be rightfully proud of what we do achieve as a council as we continue to deliver over 700 services for the 300,000 plus residents of our borough and many of these services have won national recognition.”
The leader also confirmed the authority would be retaining free car parking at weekends at all council car parks.
Coun Nazia Rehman presented the budget to councillors in more detail. She said: “This budget is a balanced stable and a prudent budget protecting frontline services, the lowest council tax in Greater Manchester, easing pressure on household budgets while protecting key services with increased investment in social care for both children and adults.
“We have an ambitious house building programme having delivered hundreds already and there will be half a million to improve our waste collection and recycling services, supporting residents to recycle more and easier.
“There will be more investment in libraries and digital inclusion, with major upgrades to the library network, including historic restoration at Tyldesley library.”
Independent councillor Stuart Gerrard spoke against the budget. He said: “Tonight’s about choices, political choices. “This administration is asking residents to accept a 4.99 per cent council tax rise. At a time when families are juggling food bills, energy costs, rent and mortgage increase and stagnant wages this Labour council has chosen to take the maximum increase available.
“Residents will not forget that less than two years ago Keir Starmer said there would be ‘not a penny more’ on council tax. In the last two budgets council tax has gone up 10.9 per cent in total. The reality is that local taxpayers are once again being used as the Treasury’s shock absorbers.”
Coun Gerrard proposed an amendment to the budget that would use £1m of council reserve funds to tackle ‘grot spots’ around the borough, the money divided equally among every ward. That amendment was not accepted by the Labour leadership.
A majority of councillors later voted to accept the budget as proposed.
