Stirling Council has decided its annual budget today.
The council is currently in an estimated £10.7 million funding gap.
The council approved an 8.75% increase in council tax and an increase in the annual garden waste permit fee, increasing from £52 to £60. Resident parking permits will also rise from £98 to £120 per year.
An extra £3 million will be invested over the next two years on roads, playparks, cemeteries and public toilets. Extra funding for bus services has also been promised. However, the X10 Sunday service and S60 Saturday service will be removed.
Charges for using community centres and sports halls will also end.
Additional grass-cutting and deep-cleaning services were also approved in the budget.
Projects for new schools are also in place for Callander, Corbiewood and Durieshill. As well as a reduction in additional support needs and educational psychology support for children.
Local councils across Scotland have faced financial difficulty in recent years. Stirling Council also plans to dim its street lights as part of cost-saving measures.
Stirling Council’s leader, Councillor Susan McGill, said: “While to continue to navigate the financial challenges faced by local government, and won’t take any difficult decisions lightly this week, budget-setting is also an opportunity to invest in services and projects that support growth, community pride and deliver a better future for everyone across Stirling.”
The council ran a survey through The Big Conversation from 6 January to 1 February to gauge opinions from constituents.
The draft budget is available to read here.
Featured image credit: Stirling Council
Third year journalism student. 2025/2026 Lifestyle and Comment Editor at Brig. Published in The Yucatán Times, Mi Campeche and The Mourning Paper. Host of From the 40s with Air3Radio.
