How the Council Tax money is spent

The following table shows the breakdown of our spending on services in 2026/27.

Councils spending on services 2026/27

Breakdown of spending on services in 2026/2027

2025-26 Revised EXP

£m

INC

£m

NET

£m

Portfolio

2026-27 EXP

£m

INC

£m

NET

£m

22.4 (14.3) 8.1 Leader: Infrastructure and Corporate Strategy 21.6 (14.5) 7.1
9.2 (6.9) 2.3 Deputy Leader: Housing and Planning 9.1 (3.4) 5.7
12.3 (4.5) 7.8 Business, Culture, Music and Tourism 11.5 (3.6) 7.9
138.1 (86.1) 52.0 Children, Learning and SEND 146.1 (88.8) 57.3
34.4 (6.6) 27.8 Climate, Environment and Waste 31.0 (6.2) 24.8
16.7 (2.0) 14.7 Community Safety and Regulatory Services 13.8 (2.4) 11.4
79.2 (67.9) 11.3 Finance, Assets and Public Transport 78.6 (68.2) 10.4
5.4 (1.1) 4.3 Regeneration and Law and Governance 7.0 (1.7) 5.3
108.3 (47.2) 61.1 Social Care and Healthier Communities 120.2 (54.1) 66.1
0.9 0.0 0.9 Levies 0.9 0.0 0.9
1.7 0.0 1.7 Contingency 6.1 0.0 6.1
21.9 (9.3) 12.6 Financing Costs, Interest etc 21.5 (8.3) 13.2
0.0 (28.2) (28.2) Non Service Specific Grants 0.0 (12.0) (12.0)
0.3 (11.5) (11.2) Earmarked Reserves and Capital Contributions (2.6) 0.0 (2.6)
450.8 (285.6) 165.2 Total Southend-on-Sea City Council 464.8 (263.2) 201.6
    (46.4) Business Rates     (42.5)
    (7.8) Revenue Support Grant     (42.4)
    (1.4) Collection Fund Surplus     (1.0)
    110.1 SCC Unparished Council Tax Requirement     115.7
    0.5 Leigh Town Council Precept     0.5
    104.0 Total SCC Council Tax Requirement     116.2
    15.8 Essex Police and Crime Commissioner     16.9
    5.3 Essex Fire Authority     5.7
    131.2 Total Council Tax Requirement     138.8

Levies

The City Council is required to contribute to the services provided in Southend-on-Sea by the following bodies.

Contribution from Southend-on-Sea City Council to the Following bodies.

2025 - 2026

£000

Services Provided

2026 - 2027

£000

219 Essex Local Flood Defence – Environment Agency 222
621 Coroner's Court 692
25 Kent and Essex Inshore and Conservation Authority 26
865 Total 940

Flood status warnings and information booklets are available from the 24 hour floodline service on 0345 988 1188.

Councils Spending 2026-2027 at Council Tax Band D Equivalent

Spending at Band D Equivalent

Band D Equivalent

 

2025 - 2026

£

2026- 2027

£

Gross Expenditure 7,183.77 7,586.50
Gross Income (4,471.68) (4,296.04)
Net Expenditure 2,712.09 3,290.46
Business Rates (762.20) (693.82)
Formula Grant (128.15) (691.85)
Use of Reserves 0.00 0.00
Collection Fund Surplus (23.00) (16.32)
What residents pay at Band D
What You Will Pay at Band D

2025- 2026

£

2026- 2027

£

% Increase
Southend-on-Sea City Council* 1,798.74 1,888.47 4.99%
Essex PFCC - Police and Community Safety 260.37 275.31 5.74%
Essex PFCC - Fire and Rescue Authority 87.57 92.52 5.65%

Other than Leigh-on-Sea Town Council Area

2,146.68 2,256.30 5.11%
Leigh-on-Sea Town Council 53.25 59.39 11.53%
Leigh-on-Sea Town Council Area 2,199.93 2,315.69 5.26%

* this includes a 2.0% increase specifically for Adult Social Care.

Government statement concerning adult social care funding

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has made an offer to Councils with responsibility for adult social care. (“Adult social care authorities” are local authorities which have functions under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, namely county councils in England, district councils for an area in England for which there is no county council, London borough councils, the Common Council of the City of London and the Council of the Isles of Scilly.)

The offer for the financial year 2026–27 is the option of a Council with responsibility for adult social care being able to increase their council tax by an additional 2% on top of the core principle, without holding a referendum, to assist the authority in meeting expenditure on adult social care.

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