The council’s budget and annual plan for 2025/26 were approved today (Thursday 13 February) at its Full Council meeting.
This includes an extra £12.3 million funding boost for potholes, road safety and priority repairs across Essex. The extra funding for highways improvements will be allocated across several areas, including:
- £8.5 million to continue the Members’ Highways Initiative
- £1.6 million increase in the road safety budget
- £1.3 million for improvements to cycle paths
- £500,000 new funding to repair damaged road signs
- £400,000 extra funding to improve drains and reduce the risk of flooding.
In 2024/25 significant additional funding was invested in priority highway repairs and maintenance. This year’s budget will allow much of that progress to continue, while also providing a funding boost to other areas of highway improvements.
The budget is designed to protect essential services and invest in areas such as the county’s infrastructure, our outstanding children’s services and our work to level up opportunities and reduce inequalities.
In addition to highways, the council will prioritise spending its budget of more than £2 billion next year across other key areas, to deliver:
- a strong, inclusive and sustainable economy
- a high-quality environment
- positive health, wellbeing and independence for all ages
- a great place for children and families to grow.
The council’s 2025/26 budget plans include a Council Tax increase of 3.75%. This includes a 1.75% general increase and 2% increase in the adult social care precept. For an average Band D property, this would mean an increase in the county council element of Council Tax of £1.09 a week.
Also announced at the Full Council meeting was the £1.3 million Essex Year of Opportunity. Building on the success of Essex Year of Reading and Essex Year of Numbers, the council will empower and inspire people to gain new skills and pursue exciting career opportunities through this latest campaign. We have also recognised the hard work of ECC’s foster carers and have provided an uplift to their fees.