Wiltshire Council Asks Residents How £567m Budget Should Be Spent in 2027/28

Wiltshire Council is inviting residents to have their say on how millions of pounds of public money should be spent, as it prepares its budget for 2027/28.

Six public round-table discussions will take place across Wiltshire during November and December, giving residents and council staff the opportunity to discuss spending priorities and where savings could be made.

The sessions will be attended by Wiltshire Council Leader Cllr Ian Thorn, Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Gavin Grant and senior council officers.

The discussions come as local authorities face increasing financial pressures, with rising costs and growing demand for public services, particularly adult social care, children's services and support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Cllr Gavin Grant said councils are legally required to set a balanced budget, but increasing inflation and demand for complex care services are creating significant challenges.

He said the council wanted to hear directly from residents about where money should be spent and which areas should be prioritised for savings.

Cllr Grant explained that feedback from previous budget discussions had helped the council change the format of this year's events, allowing more time for detailed conversations about residents' ideas.

He said the aim was to make difficult financial decisions while continuing to provide quality services and achieve value for money for Wiltshire taxpayers.

Salisbury residents invited to attend December discussion

One of the six discussions will take place in Salisbury, giving local residents an opportunity to put forward their views directly to council representatives.

The Salisbury meeting will be held on Wednesday 2 December, from 5.30pm to 7pm, at Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre, Hulse Road, Salisbury, SP1 3NR.

The other meetings will take place at the following locations:

• Monday 16 November, 5.30pm to 7pm: Malmesbury Library, Cross Hayes Lane, Malmesbury, SN16 9BG.

• Wednesday 18 November, 5.30pm to 7pm: Melksham Community Campus, Market Place, Melksham, SN12 6ES.

• Monday 23 November, 5.30pm to 7pm: Devizes Library, Sheep Street, Devizes, SN10 1DL.

• Thursday 26 November, 5.30pm to 7pm: Monkton Park, Monkton Hill, Chippenham, SN15 1ER.

• Monday 30 November, 5.30pm to 7pm: Nadder Centre, Weaveland Road, Tisbury, SP3 6HJ.

• Wednesday 2 December, 5.30pm to 7pm: Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre, Hulse Road, Salisbury, SP1 3NR.

Each discussion will last approximately 90 minutes.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents must register in advance using the council's online registration form.

Residents can register here: 2027/28 Budget round-table discussion

Where does Wiltshire Council spend its money?

Wiltshire Council's budget for 2026/27 is approximately £567 million. Nearly 84% of its core funding comes from Council Tax and a share of business rates.

More than half of the council's budget is spent on adult and children's social care.

The approved spending allocations for 2026/27 include:

• Adult services: £224 million.

• Families and children: £74 million.

• Environment: £62 million.

• Education and skills: £41 million.

• Assets, highways and transport: £64 million.

These figures highlight the scale of spending on essential services across the county.

The council is expected to publish its proposed budget for 2027/28 early in the new year, before the plans are discussed at a Full Council meeting in February.

The November and December meetings will give residents an opportunity to influence the priorities being considered before those proposals are finalised.