At a meeting of Penrith Town Council held this evening (Monday 15th December) members of the town council unanimous voted to set the councils new 2026/27 budget and council tax precept increase for Penrith Households.
Introducing the agenda item Penrith Mayor and Chair of the town council Cllr Valerie Bowen said “I am pleased to present this budget report to the town council.”
"The 2026/27 town council budget has a total expenditure of £624,575 which requires a precept of £526,749 paid by Penrith households as a precept on the council tax bill."
The town council 2026/27 precept demand will see a 1% increase in the Penrith town council element of the council tax.
A Penrith household with the property valued in Band D will see the town council's full council tax element increase to £84.76p per year plus the amounts forming the council tax from Westmorland and Furness Council Cumbria Police and Cumbria Fire.
Among the town council 2026/27 budget items Penrith households will fund is £4,000 budget line to support Town Centre Greening. This budget generally supports the Penrith BIDs summer planting arrangements. This budget would primarily support the BID-led town centre greening initiative, while also enabling small-scale community group’s environmental projects.
A budget line of £20,000 for Town Dressing - Town centre dressing is the temporary use of banners, planters, lighting, seasonal decorations, signage and other visual enhancements. The budget would be used to meet the costs of putting up and taking down the lamppost banners on Middlegate and applying for any consents, dressing for specific events and supporting with event costs.
A budget line of £5,000 has also been added for a new summer event to be held in Castle Park.
Having reviewed the last May Day 2025 expenditure, the town council Events Officer has submitted a budget revision for a further £5,000 for the annual May Day event, taking the budget to £20,000.
The town councils Economic Development Officer has also submitted a growth bid of £4,500 for the ongoing annual maintenance of the new £195,000 Wayfinding signs which will be installed by the town council in 2026/27.
The biggest share of the town council budget will go to covering staffing costs of the town council at £366,435.
The 1% increase in the town council precept raised no debate among the town councillors when proposed by Cllr Bowen and Seconded by Cllr Shepherd with councillors present at the meeting including the two new councillors recently elected following two resignations from the town council all voting to support in increased precept demand from Penrith households to cover the councils 2026/27 budget.
You can watch the full town council meeting here https://penrith.town/news/penrith-town-council---monday-15th-december-2025
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