Investing in the district is driving force behind budget plans

Investing in the environment, car parks and keeping the district clean is the driving force behind the proposals for next year’s council budget. 

Canterbury City Council’s Cabinet will be asked for permission to consult on the draft budget at its meeting on Monday 3 November. 

Director of Finance Nicci Mills said: “Everyone at the council, officers and councillors alike, are acutely aware of the need to spend public money wisely and maximise the amount of good it does the district. 

“We want to invest in improving the services that matter most to those living, working and studying here. 

“They all have a stake in the council’s budget so we want to know what people think and listen to any ideas for savings or ways to increase our income.” 

Proposals in the capital programme – the money used to invest in council assets over the long term – include: 

• an initial £500,000 to work up a detailed plan for a multistorey car park at the Wincheap Park and Ride site. This is an extra option for the delivery of increased parking capacity with capital sums earmarked for future years should a decision be made to progress it 
• £150,000 to improve the inclusive play offer at Herne Bay Memorial Park 
• £136,000 to improve the Castle Street multistorey car park 
• £10,000 for on-street recycling bins in Whitstable Harbour and the seafront in Herne Bay 

When it comes to day-to-day or revenue spending, the draft budget includes: 

• £115,000 as a dedicated budget to clean and maintain the council’s car parks 
• £92,000 to care for and maintain the various projects paid for by the government’s Levelling Up Fund including looking after newly-planted trees 
• £10,000 for a district-wide tree planting programme paying for 3,000 new trees 
• £7,500 to start planting of the Canterbury Hedge Project running between Thanet and Swale  

To deal with the district’s waste, it is proposed to spend: 

• £345,000 to carry out extensive maintenance on the council’s hardworking refuse vehicles which are used by its contractor Canenco 
• £292,000 for Canenco to collect food waste from communal properties after the government changed the law to make it a requirement 
• £42,000 for Canenco to clean the slip roads off the A2 and Thanet Way 

The number of garden waste collections enjoyed by subscribers is set to increase from 23 to 24 leaving only the Christmas break when the service stops. 

Garden waste charges are planned to increase from £58.92 to £65 for each bin emptied but the cost of new or replacement green waste bins is proposed to fall. 

The cost of bulky waste collections is proposed to be cut to remove the temptation for residents to use cowboys who then fly tip what they collect, adding to the bill of the council taxpayer.  

The level of the decrease will be decided once residents are asked what measures they think will encourage more use of licensed bulky waste operators, like Canenco, over illegal operators who then fly tip on our roads and open spaces. 

Finally, the draft budget also includes £45,000 to rebuild the council’s economic development and local economy function to help implement the results of its town centre strategies work and help create jobs.

Other pressures on the budget include: 

• inflation on the goods and services we buy in to deliver services 
• increasing costs of temporary accommodation on Housing Benefit payments 
• government IT security requirements to better protect residents and their data 

To pay for the increases, it is proposed to:  

• increase Council Tax by 2.97% which represents 14p per week for an average Band D property – Canterbury City Council only accounts for around 11% of a resident’s total bill 
• use increased rental income from a good commercial performance at the Whitefriars shopping centre and the Riverside scheme 
• use increased parking charges by 10p in Band 1 car parks and increase the cost of parking permits by inflation at 4% 

When it comes to fees and charges, all are proposed to increase by inflation except: 

• those set by the government 
• museum admission charges, taxi and private hire vehicle licences, and boats and punts licences which will be frozen 
• fisherman dues, fuel and storage at Whitstable Harbour which will only increase by 2% 
• the cost of internments at our cemeteries which will increase to recover the council’s costs 

You can read the full report to Cabinet here. 

The Cabinet will meet at 7pm on Monday 3 November at the Guildhall, St Peter’s Place, Canterbury. 

Published: 24 October 2025