Council finances summary

For 2026 to 2027 we are expecting to receive an income of £122.9 million and spend £144.7 million, which means the net budget to pay for services is £21.8 million.

We will receive government grants, including Business Rates relief grants together with retained Business Rates of £12.6 million, leaving an amount to collect from Council Tax of £9.2 million.

Our Council Tax requirement

Item
Value
Item:
The Council Tax requirement for 2026 to 2027
Value:
£9,150,850
Item:
The Council Tax requirement for 2025 to 2026
Value:
£8,840,927
Item:
The percentage increase for a Band D equivalent from 2025 to 2026 until 2026 to 2027
Value:
2.99%

Spending summary

Our share of Council Tax (£9.1 million) funds many services including homelessness, refuse collection and waste recycling, maintaining community spaces and sports pitches, environmental health duties, supporting major projects around the town as well as health and wellbeing initiatives.

The key pressures affecting the budget for 2026 to 2027 are:

  • pay and prices inflation
  • the cost of homelessness and temporary accommodation
  • decreased income from investment properties
  • elections
  • building control

Full details of the our budget can be read in the document below.

2026 to 2027 Budget and Council Tax (PDF, 692.51 KB)

Net cost of services

Services
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£)
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£)
Variation (£)
Services:
Cabinet
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-3,706,660
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-552,053
Variation (£):
3,154,607
Services:
Community engagement and culture
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
1,773,450
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
1,299,410
Variation (£):
-474,040
Services:
Environment, sustainability and climate change
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
5,222,830
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
5,443,910
Variation (£):
221,080
Services:
Housing
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
8,839,690
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
11,845,170
Variation (£):
3,005,480
Services:
Leisure and wellbeing
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
9,436,660
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
9,067,250
Variation (£):
-369,410
Services:
Planning and economic development
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
2,496,120
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
2,634,330
Variation (£):
138,210
Services:
Public protection
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
1,194,750
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
776,530
Variation (£):
-418,220
Services:
Resources
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-754,230
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-3,004,170
Variation (£):
-2,249,940
Services:
Depreciation
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-4,492,600
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-4,915,320
Variation (£):
-422,720
Services:
Net expenditure
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
20,010,010
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
22,595,057
Variation (£):
2,585,047

Net expenditure

Item
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£)
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£)
Variation (£)
Item:
Investment interest
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-1,512,683
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-1,369,620
Variation (£):
143,063
Item:
Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP)
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
522,900
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
543,900
Variation (£):
21,000
Item:
Total of net cost of services less investment interest and MRP
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
19,020,227
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
21,769,337
Variation (£):
2,749,110
Item:
Transfer to or from reserves
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
87,920
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
0
Variation (£):
-87,920
Item:
Net expenditure
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
19,108,147
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
21,769,337
Variation (£):
2,661,190

Grants and other funding

Item
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£)
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£)
Variation (£)
Item:
Retained Business Rates
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-7,554,931
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-6,728,520
Variation (£):
826,411
Item:
Council Tax
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-8,840,927
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-9,150,850
Variation (£):
-309,923
Item:
Collection fund surplus or deficit: Council Tax
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
9,937
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
0
Variation (£):
-9,937

Government grants
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£)
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£)
Variation (£)
Government grants:
New Homes Bonus
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-19,880
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
0
Variation (£):
19,880
Government grants:
Revenue Support Grant
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-280,918
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-4,514,580
Variation (£):
-4,233,662
Government grants:
Recovery Grant
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-375,387
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-375,387
Variation (£):
0
Government grants:
Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-38,868
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
0
Variation (£):
38,868
Government grants:
Funding Floor (formerly Funding Guarantee)
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-381,173
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
0
Variation (£):
381,173
Government grants:
Extended Producer Responsibility Grant
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-1,426,000
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-1,000,000
Variation (£):
426,000
Government grants:
National Insurance funding (estimate)
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-200,000
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
0
Variation (£):
200,000
Government grants:
Grants and other funding total
2025 to 2026 original estimate (£):
-19,108,147
2026 to 2027 original estimate (£):
-21,769,337
Variation (£):
-2,661,190

Spending changes - budget requirement

Budget requirement for 2025 to 2026 is £19,108,000.

2026 to 2027 budget variances

Item
Variation (£)
Item:
Inflation
Variation (£):
794,000
Item:
Minor variation
Variation (£):
-33,000
Item:
Asset management costs
Variation (£):
383,000
Item:
Housing Benefit subsidy
Variation (£):
186,000
Item:
Remove contingency 2025 to 2026
Variation (£):
-1,592,000
Item:
Contingency budget 2026 to 2027: capacity, town council, insurance, pay award, commercial income
Variation (£):
1,034,000
Item:
Built environment capital charge increase
Variation (£):
-141,000
Item:
Town Hall utilities
Variation (£):
-85,000
Item:
Town Hall DHN cost recovery
Variation (£):
-50,000
Item:
Community facilities operational efficiencies
Variation (£):
-106,000
Item:
Homelessness Grant funding
Variation (£):
454,000
Item:
Homelessness
Variation (£):
1,683,000
Item:
General Fund hostel income (full year effect)
Variation (£):
-139,000
Item:
Election
Variation (£):
184,000
Item:
Reduce vacancy provision (from 4.5% to 4%)
Variation (£):
125,000
Item:
Savings 2026 to 2027
Variation (£):
-865,000
Item:
Unachieved savings 2025 to 2026
Variation (£):
170,000
Item:
Housing Benefit external audit catch up
Variation (£):
130,000
Item:
Asset management income
Variation (£):
-274,000
Item:
Food waste
Variation (£):
517,000
Item:
Discretionary Rent Relief (DRR)
Variation (£):
100,000
Item:
Building Control
Variation (£):
114,000
Item:
K2 Leisure Centre
Variation (£):
-217,000
Item:
HRA recharge decrease
Variation (£):
185,000
Item:
Transfer to or from reserves
Variation (£):
-88,000
Item:
Investment interest
Variation (£):
192,000
Item:
Budget requirement 2026 to 2027
Variation (£):
21,769,000

Band by band charge table

Visit our Council Tax changes webpage for a table showing the Crawley Borough Council charge only for each property band (A to H).

Precepting authorities’ budget figures

The Council Tax requirements for West Sussex County Council and Sussex Police are shown below.  Please see their website for full details.

Service
Council tax requirement for 2026 to 2027 (£)
Council tax requirement for 2025 to 2026 (£)
% change
Service:
West Sussex County Council
Council tax requirement for 2026 to 2027 (£):
70,265,248.31
Council tax requirement for 2025 to 2026 (£):
66,593,277.99
% change:
4.99
Service:
Sussex Police
Council tax requirement for 2026 to 2027 (£):
10,478,679.27
Council tax requirement for 2025 to 2026 (£):
9,871,711.72
% change:
5.60