Current Council Budget (2026–2027)

This page explains Falmouth Town Council’s current budget and how the town council precept is used to fund local services and facilities in the town.

Budget approval

The 2026–2027 budget and town council precept were approved by Falmouth Town Council at a special meeting of the Full Council on January 2026.

Page updated

This page was last updated in March 2026.

Budget at a Glance

Total council budget (2026–2027): £5,621,226
Amount funded by the town council precept: £4,057,218
Precept increase: 9.93%
Band D cost increase: approximately 85p per week

The town council precept is the part of your Council Tax that pays for services provided by Falmouth Town Council. Cornwall Council collects this as part of the overall Council Tax bill.

How Your Council Tax Is Split

Your Council Tax bill is made up of several parts set by different organisations.

For a typical Band D property, the town council precept represents around 7–8% of the total Council Tax bill.

The rest funds services provided by other authorities.

Typical breakdown of a Council Tax bill:

Cornwall Council – the largest share, funding services such as adult social care, education, highways and waste collection
Devon and Cornwall Police – funding local policing
Falmouth Town Council – around 7–8%, funding local town services and facilities

Information for Residents about the 2026–2027 Precept

Falmouth Town Council sets a budget each year to fund the services and facilities it provides for the town.

These include maintaining parks and open spaces, operating community buildings and cultural facilities, supporting local organisations through grants, and providing services such as cemeteries, public toilets and community safety initiatives.

Like many councils, the town council is experiencing higher operating costs. These include rising energy prices, increased insurance costs, higher employment costs and the ongoing maintenance of public buildings and facilities.

After reviewing the budget, the council agreed a 9.93% increase in the town council precept, which represents an increase of approximately 85 pence per week for a Band D property.

The weekly increase by Council Tax band is:

Band A – 57p
Band B – 66p
Band C – 75p
Band D – 85p

The council recognises that increases in household costs affect residents. The budget has been set to allow the council to continue maintaining important services, supporting community facilities and investing responsibly in the town’s public assets.

One of the council’s most significant responsibilities is the Passmore Edwards Municipal Building, which houses Falmouth Library and Art Gallery. These services provide free public access to books, exhibitions, information and learning opportunities for residents of all ages.

Income from the second homes council tax premium is being used cautiously. Rather than funding everyday spending, it is being set aside to help protect and future-proof the Municipal Building so that these important public services can continue to operate in the future.

What the Town Council Provides

Money raised through the town council precept helps fund a range of services and facilities used by residents across Falmouth.

These include:

Parks, gardens and open spaces, including Kimberley Park, Gyllyngdune Gardens, Trescobeas Playing Fields, Dracaena Playing Fields and Pendennis Headland
Public toilets across the town
Falmouth Library and Falmouth Art Gallery
Princess Pavilion community venue
Community safety initiatives including CCTV and Street Rangers
Youth and community support programmes
The town cemetery and burial services
Community grants and support for local organisations and events

These services help support the town’s public spaces, cultural facilities and community wellbeing. For all full list of services please visit our services page.

How the Town Council Precept Is Spent

The town council precept helps fund a range of services and facilities across Falmouth.

The chart below shows how the town council precept is distributed across the main services provided by the council.

Council services and administration – 37.23%
Maintaining council buildings and facilities – 24.43%
Parks, gardens and open spaces – 14.99%
Falmouth Library and Falmouth Art Gallery – 14.29%
Princess Pavilion community venue – 7.23%
Town events and management – 1.40%
Cemetery and burial services – 0.42%

Community Grants

The council also provides grants to local organisations and community groups. These grants support a wide range of local activities and services including youth provision, community wellbeing initiatives, cultural events and voluntary organisations across the town.

Further information about eligibility and how to apply can be found on the Community Grants page.

Budget Documents

You can download the full budget documents below:

Current Council Budget 2026–2027 (PDF)
Residents’ Precept Information Letter 2026–2027 (PDF)

These documents provide detailed financial information about the council’s income, expenditure and financial planning.

If you need this information in another format, please contact us.

How the Budget Is Set

Each year, during November, December and January, Falmouth Town Council reviews and sets its budget for the financial year ahead.

As part of this process, the current year’s budget is reviewed and updated to reflect decisions already taken by the Council and its Committees, along with any other identified changes.

The draft budget is considered by the Finance and General Purposes Committee before being recommended to Full Council for approval. The final budget and town council precept are approved by Full Council before the start of the new financial year.

Previous Budgets

Previous council budgets are available to view below:

These pages provide summaries and documents for earlier financial years.

If you require this information in a different format please contact us.