Harlow Council has recorded a healthy budget surplus for the 2024/25 financial year - despite freezing council tax and significantly increasing investment in local services.
A report going to Cabinet on Thursday 10 July confirms that the council ended the financial year (to 31 March 2025) in surplus, defying national trends where many councils are reporting overspending and council tax hikes.
Thanks to prudent financial management, Harlow Council not only stayed within budget but also maintained strong reserves and healthy account balances across the board. This robust financial footing has allowed the council to increase its budget for the current financial year (2025/26) by 41% - again, without raising council tax.
This investment is powering delivery of the council’s Building Harlow’s Future plan, with all six key missions now fully funded and showing real progress on the ground.
Commenting on the strong financial outturn for 2024/25, the Leader of the Council, Cllr Dan Swords, said:
“Strong financial management is crucial for every council - that means spending taxpayers' money well and keeping to the budget we have set. So many councils across the country and struggling enormously at present with significant overspending and budget deficits being reported in nearly all councils whilst council tax increases. However, the story in Harlow is quite different.
“The report released this week on the council’s financial performance for the last financial year which ended on 31 March 2025 shows that we have again achieved a healthy budget surplus whilst freezing council tax.
“It is because of this financial management that we are able to increase our budget for this year by 41% whilst freezing council tax again and delivering more than ever before. Our Building Harlow’s Future plan sets out in plain sight what the council is spending taxpayers' money on - transforming our town for a generation - which is only possible because of our strong financial management.”