Cherwell Council Tax
Message from Councillor David Hingley
As Leader of Cherwell District Council, I want to take this opportunity to update you on our work serving your communities in north Oxfordshire, to explain your council tax for the coming year, and to let you know what we’re doing to protect and improve the services you rely on.
Our vision and priorities
The council is driving positive, lasting improvements in the areas it oversees, such as delivering appropriate housing, supporting economic opportunity, protecting the environment, and nurturing community wellbeing.
Beyond maintaining and improving our core services, like waste collection and planning, my administration is ambitious about finding opportunities to do more to support you – whether it be healthy living initiatives or targeted support to reduce inequality.
Our change programme is also underway, looking for better ways of working and making it easier for you to access our services online.
Your council tax for 2026 to 2027
Sound finances are key to providing excellent services for the district. However, while demand for these services grows, the funding we receive from central government to pay for them is not keeping pace.
To address this challenge, we have identified over £1.7million in new efficiency savings for the coming financial year (2026/27). We have also strongly lobbied government on its proposed changes to our core funding. This has resulted in £4.4m more government funding than initially forecast for 2026/27.
On top of these efforts, we also need to increase our share of council tax by £5 per year for the average Band D property. This is in line with government expectations for all districts and will allow us to meet growing demand while keeping our services at the standards you expect.
This is a 3.2% increase to the portion of council tax that we set and is equivalent to less than 10 pence a week for a Band D property. It helps us protect and improve the local services you rely on and means we can continue our goal of delivering lasting, positive change for all our communities.
Where your money goes
Cherwell is responsible for collecting your council tax, but most of it goes elsewhere, with the vast majority redistributed to Oxfordshire County Council, Thames Valley Police, and your town or parish council. We only keep the remaining 6.33%, and use that to:
- Empty your bins and keep your towns and villages tidy
- Deliver your housing and planning services
- Support environmental health
- Provide advice and support for renters
- Offer sports, leisure activities and community safety initiatives
- Support job creation and work to reduce inequality
Looking forward
My administration and I are committed to supporting all of Cherwell’s places and to creating a district that meets your needs now, while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities.
On this page, you’ll find more information about how we are putting our small share of the council tax to work for you
With kind regards, Councillor David Hingley, Leader, Cherwell District Council.
How Cherwell District Council spends its portion of council tax funds
Our budget for 2026/27 is £32.3m.
Recent highlights of our work
- New play areas, activity and mental health programmes to support your wellbeing
- Making it easier to recycle glass with new kerbside collections
- Supporting local businesses and our town centres through strategic projects
- Delivering affordable homes and investing to prevent homelessness
- Rolling out cost-of-living support through grants and pension credit campaigns
Our Strategy
Our strategy focuses on what we aim to achieve for you and your community, driving continued progress through four vital priorities:
- Driving long term economic prosperity
- Empowering community leadership
- Leading environmental stewardship and climate action
- Delivering quality housing and placemaking
How Council Tax funds are divided
Your Council Tax bill is made up of several different amounts of money that go to different organisations:
- Cherwell District Council (6.33% cent)
- Town and parish councils (4.43% cent)
- Oxfordshire County Council (77.69% cent)
- Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner (11.55%)
Less than 7% of your Council Tax goes to deliver services provided by Cherwell District Council. Annual portion, by property band:
Council Tax explanatory notes and charges by band for 2026-2027
Council Tax explanatory notes form part of your Council Tax Demand Notice. Your Council Tax demand or exemption notice shows which band has been allocated to your property.
My Account
Manage your council tax and benefits online with My Account.