The Council Tax Setting Committee of Croydon Council met on Thursday, 26 February 2026, to formally set the Council Tax for the 2026-27 financial year. The meeting was convened urgently following the establishment of the committee at the Budget Council meeting the previous day and the confirmation of the Greater London Authority (GLA) precept. The primary focus of the meeting was to review and approve the final Council Tax figures.

Setting the Council Tax for 2026-27

The committee was scheduled to consider a report recommending the confirmation of the Council Tax levels for the 2026-27 financial year. This followed the agreement of the 2026-27 budget by Full Council on 25 February 2026, which included a 4.99% increase in the Croydon element of the Council Tax. This increase, amounting to £99.30 for a Band D property, brings the Croydon element to £2,089.40, and incorporates a 2.00% levy for Adult Social Care.

Additionally, the report indicated that the Greater London Authority (GLA) had agreed its element of the Council Tax, known as the GLA precept, on 26 February 2026. This precept was set to increase by 4.10%, resulting in an additional £20.13 for a Band D property, bringing the GLA's contribution to £510.51.

The committee was recommended to approve the calculation of the total Council Tax for 2026-27, which, after combining the Croydon and GLA elements, would result in a Band D charge of £2,599.91. This represents an overall increase of £119.43. The report outlined the detailed calculations for various Council Tax bands, as well as the breakdown of the Council Tax requirement, which is the amount the council needs to collect from council tax payers to fund its services.

The report referenced the Council's obligation under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to set a balanced budget and Council Tax annually. It also noted how the proposed Council Tax aligns with Executive Mayor Jason Perry's business plan, contributing to outcomes such as balancing the council's books and delivering good sustainable services. The report also provided links to the supplementary agenda concerning the establishment and appointment of the Council Tax Setting Committee.

The report pack included detailed appendices, such as Appendix 1, which provided the full calculation of the 2026-27 Council Tax requirement and the corresponding Council Tax bands. This appendix detailed the breakdown of the Croydon element, including the Adult Social Care levy, and the GLA precept, before presenting the final aggregated Council Tax figures for each property band from A to H.

Procedural Matters

The meeting was also scheduled to address several procedural items. These included the election of a Chair and a Vice-Chair for the Committee for the 2025/26 municipal year. Apologies for absence were to be received, and members were reminded of their obligations regarding the disclosure of interests, in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct and the Localism Act 2011. The agenda also included a provision for receiving notice of any urgent business not on the agenda, and a standard motion for the exclusion of the press and public from the remainder of the meeting, should it be necessary due to the disclosure of exempt information.