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Hyndburn Borough Council announces budget proposals for 2026/27

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Accrington Town Hall

Hyndburn Borough Council announces budget proposals for 2026/27

The Council’s Cabinet has today published proposals for the 2026/27 revenue and capital budgets.

Whilst much of the Council’s budget is made up of fixed costs related to the day to day delivery of numerous services like dealing with planning applications; maintaining and improving our parks and open spaces; emptying your bins; managing cemeteries and more, this year’s budget sees some growth items aimed at improving the service we offer our residents.

Despite a number of increasing cost pressures, the Council is continuing its commitment to keep costs low with a freeze on charges for green waste collections and the continuation of offering free bulky waste collections to all households. The budget also includes new provision for the collection of food waste, an increase in our planning team in order to ensure planning applications are dealt with as efficiently as possible; introduction of a new Sports Development Officer to support our grassroots sports clubs across Hyndburn and a new ASB Officer to help tackle anti-social behaviour in our townships.

The budget will also see significant capital investment. The Capital Programme for 2026/27 will continue to deliver key investment in council and public facilities adding another £7.86m to £56.51m the Council currently has approved.

The additions to the programme in 2026/2027 of £7.86m include:

  • £689,000 of investment into Parks and Play areas of which the Council expected to be able to utilise £630,000 of external grant funding to contribute to the improvements. This is spread across the Borough and will include improvements to play areas at Gatty Park and Peel Park; access improvements at Mercer Park; open space improvements at Bullough Park and Brookside; improvements to the pavilion at Lowerfold Park and a new artificial cricket wicket in Great Harwood
  • £1,359,906 to provide Disabled Facility Grants this year which is fully funded from the better care fund, enabling our most vulnerable residents to stay in their homes by making adaptations
  • £435,000 on community projects that involve war memorial restoration, Christmas decoration replacement and Great Harwood Clock Tower lighting.
  • £2,600,000 towards the future development of the Market Chambers building linked to a bid for additional grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to re-imagine the interior and exterior of the building into a Heritage and Arts venue.
  • £450,000 for the continuing repurposing of Mercer Hall Leisure Centre and the contribution towards Accrington Stanley Community Trusts capital investment in sports initiatives.

The Capital programme for 2026/2027 is partly funded from the UK Government grant to deliver a Pride in Place Impact Fund. Hyndburn will receive £1.5m which we have committed to projects that deliver visible improvements to community spaces; public spaces and high street and town centre revitalisation. Pride in Place funded capital projects will take place across the borough.

These projects will sit alongside our ongoing capital projects such as the £30 million investment in Huncoat Garden Village creating 1800 new homes; completion of major refurbishments of the Market Hall and Burtons Chambers in Accrington Town Centre; improvements to Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre.

Councillor Munsif Dad, Leader of the Council said:

“This year’s budget represents a clear and confident plan for protecting essential services while continuing to invest in the borough’s future. We’ve listened to residents, and where we’ve identified issues or gaps in service, we’re introducing solutions like new officers covering sports development and antisocial behaviour. We’re also investing in our assets, with planned improvements to parks and play areas across the borough, a programme of war memorial restorations, a major town centre CCTV upgrade and additional funds for projects across Hyndburn.

Continuing our commitment to keep costs down for residents, we are freezing charges for green waste collections at £35 per year whilst bulky waste collections will remain free of charge.

I’m looking forward to presenting this budget to Overview and Scrutiny and then to Full Council, where we can set out the work we’re doing to support residents, strengthen our local economy and deliver real improvements across our communities.”

As part of the budget setting process, the outline budget proposals will be presented to Cabinet for endorsement on 18th February. The Council’s Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee will then have the opportunity to review the budget on 23rd February, prior to submission to a Full Council meeting on 26thFebruary for final approval.

Residents are given the opportunity to have their say on the budget by submitting a question to the Leader of the Council relating to the proposed revenue and capital budgets, which are now available for review on the Council website here https://democracy.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=133&MId=3033

Valid questions will be put to the Leader at the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 23rdFebruary.

Councillor Noordad Aziz, Chair of the Committee said:

“Overview and Scrutiny is an important part of the budget-setting process. Public questions play an important role in ensuring that decisions about both revenue and capital spending are transparent, accountable and shaped by the people they affect. This engagement helps us scrutinise proposals more effectively and ensures the Council’s priorities reflect the needs of our communities.”

Residents are invited to submit questions relating to the Council’s revenue and capital budget proposals by emailing scrutiny@hyndburnbc.gov.uk by 12 noon on 19th February. Valid questions will be submitted to the Leader of the Council at the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 23rd February.