Rutland County Council has set out its spending proposals for the coming year.

The authority's budget for 2026/27 includes a 3.9 per cent rise in council tax – and in consultation documents, bosses highlighted some of the main areas where funds would be used.

The two biggest costs for the council are adult social care, education and special needs.

The draft budget – which is expected to receive final approval later this month – reveals a £26.9million cost for social care, while education and supporting young people with special educational needs or disabilities takes up a further £21.2m.

Other costs highlighted in the report include £6m for recycling, waste services and street cleaning and £5.2m for highways and transport.

The council also faces a £4m housing benefit bill and must also spend £1.7m on public health. Both these costs are ones which the council is legally obliged to meet.

Another £700,000 will be spent maintaining parks and open spaces while £1.1m will go towards the culture and heritage services, including the running of Oakham Castle and Rutland County Museum.

The budget documents also set out a range of one-off projects – covered by so-called capital spending – some of which are yet to be approved. 

advertisement

In the report, the council states: "We try to draw in as much external funding as possible for our capital schemes and have plans to invest £28.1m in various capital programmes over the next three years. 

"A revised capital strategy that reflects the four key objectives in our corporate strategy will help to determine which schemes go forward as part of our capital programme."

The budget reveals that £400,000 could be spent on the introduction of X-ray diagnostic services at Rutland Memorial Hospital, while £60,000 could go towards examining the viability of expanding or improving health services in the east of the county.

Bosses want to set aside £1m for public realm enhancements across Oakham and Uppingham town centres.

While £2.6m is needed to adapt primary school classrooms and expand specialist facilities for children with social, emotional and mental health needs.

Bosses want to spend £250k to "accelerate environmental initiatives" such as nature recovery, sustainable transport, energy efficiency and net-zero carbon projects.

And £1m is required to support improvements to the junction for Cold Overton Road, Barleythorpe Road, Melton Road and Station Road in Oakham.