Explaining the Parish Precept 2026-27

At its Full Council meeting on 21 January 2026, Southwater Parish Council approved its budget and precept for 2026–27. This includes an increase in the Parish Council’s share of council tax, which for a Band D household is 58p per week.

Where your council tax goes

Most of the council tax you pay does not go to the Parish Council. Around 76% is paid to West Sussex County Council, with the remainder split between Sussex Police, Horsham District Council, and Southwater Parish Council.

Southwater’s share funds local priorities and services.

What does the increase mean?

The Parish Council’s portion of council tax has increased by 26.9%. For a Band D household, this is around 58p per week.

Even with this increase, the Parish Council’s council tax rate is 6% lower than it was five years ago, despite the Council now delivering more services and to a higher standard, evidenced by that Southwater Parish Council has also achieved the Gold Award, the only town or parish council in Sussex to do so.

Key drivers of the Council's approved budget for 2026-27 and precept increase are as follows.

1. Neighbourhood Plan: Full Council has resolved to progress a new Neighbourhood Plan, in response to speculative development, planning pressures and the need to maintain a robust local policy framework. The provision for this work contributes approximately 52% of the overall increase in the precept requirement for 2026-27 (£75,000 budgeted).

2. Staffing capacity including apprenticeship provision: The budget makes provision to strengthen organisational capacity, including the development of an apprenticeship opportunity for local career development. This supports business continuity, delivery of the Council’s adopted Business Plan, and the increasing workload associated with statutory processes and governance demands.

3. Youth services support: The budget includes increased grant funding to Southwater Youth Project CIO to support recruitment of an additional youth worker and maintain local youth provision.

4. Elections and by-election risk: Provision is included to replenish the Elections earmarked reserve in view of the by-election scheduled for 12 March 2026 and to ensure the Council is adequately provisioned for future election cycles (both further by election risk and ordinary elections in May 2027).

5. Use of General Reserves in prior years: Over the last three financial years, the Council has deliberately used surplus General Reserves to offset precept increases. That headroom has now been fully utilised with the latest year end projection for 2025-26 shows General Reserves reducing to around the Council’s adopted minimum level and proper practices guidelines, therefore it is no longer sustainable or prudent to fund recurring expenditure through further reserve drawdown to keep the precept artificially lower.

6. Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution readiness: The budget includes provision for professional advice to support the Council’s preparedness for local government reorganisation, including potential changes in responsibilities, service delivery, or asset management.

The Annual Budget is available to view here.

A responsible financial decision

In recent years, the Council has used its surplus General Reserves to keep council tax lower. That surplus has now been fully utilised, and further reliance on reserves would be unsustainable and against proper financial practices.

The 2026–27 budget takes a responsible, long-term approach, ensuring Southwater Parish Council can continue to protect local interests, deliver valued services at a high standard, and remain financially resilient for the future. To ensure everyone is informed, flyers will be delivered to every household in the parish explaining the parish precept increase in clear, straightforward terms. This will help make the information accessible to all residents, including those who may not use online channels.