Renfrewshire Council has approved a £622.794 million budget for 2026/27, including a 7.5% rise in council tax and a 7.5% increase in council house rents.
The budget sets out how money will be spent on services including schools, housing, health and social care, community projects, sport and events.
A total of £1.3 million has been allocated to the Fairer Renfrewshire programme. This will fund the continuation of the £50 winter school clothing payment for eligible children, the Winter Connections programme, and support for Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau to continue Welfare Rights Advocacy and school advice services.
A further £200,000 will top up discretionary housing payments, and £600,000 will be added to the Scottish Welfare Fund.
Charges for non-residential adult social care services will be frozen. Parking charges will also be frozen. Most other service charges will rise by 5% in line with inflation.
Renfrewshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership will receive £6.137 million in total. This includes £5.767 million to support adult social care services such as social work and Care at Home, and £370,000 on a recurring basis linked to the 2025/26 pay award.
The council has committed to maintain unallocated reserves at £10 million.
Investment in schools and sport includes £1.4 million to upgrade pitches at Linwood and St Benedict’s High Schools. This will mean every high school in Renfrewshire has an all-weather pitch.
£2.1 million will be invested over the next three years to complete refurbishment or replacement of every council play park in Renfrewshire. An additional £100,000 will allow resident associations to apply for funding to improve play parks they maintain.
£2 million will go towards upgrading sports and leisure facilities managed by OneRen. A further £200,000 will be invested in sports pavilions that are in use but underused, with the aim of increasing community use and potential community ownership.
£100,000 has been set aside for condition surveys, cleaning and improvements to public memorials. Another £200,000 will fund an additional Community Environment Team squad to help keep the area clean.
To improve local environments around tenements, flats and estates, £150,000 will create a community improvement fund. Gallowhill has been identified as a priority area. A further £30,000 will support community and “Friends of” groups who volunteer in their local areas.
In the environment section of the budget, £25,000 will be allocated each year to increase the tree replacement programme. The council will also investigate buying land in the Blythswood area of Renfrew to protect green space, with £30,000 committed for initial work.
Provision has also been made to allow the council’s entire diesel fleet to use HVO fuel, which is a type of renewable diesel aimed at reducing emissions.
Events and culture funding includes £350,000 to extend the current events programme to 2028/29. £100,000 will support the Johnstone Criterium Cycling event.
A total of £480,000 will fund a two-year visitor marketing campaign and enhanced events support. £80,000 will explore the potential for a Dark Sky Park in Muirshiel Country Park in partnership with Glasgow Science Centre. £30,000 will fund a full condition survey of the visitor centre at Castle Semple. £120,000 of match funding will support Phase 2 of the Exchange Theatre project.
The council has also confirmed a five-year £337 million investment in council housing. This is made up of £51 million in government grant for new builds and £286 million in the council’s capital programme.
Council house rents will rise by 7.5% in 2026/27, the second year of a three-year rent strategy agreed in 2025.
This year, 2,210 improvements will be made to homes through investment works, new builds and regeneration projects. A further £1.3 million will enhance responsive repairs and maintenance services.
£250,000 has been allocated for year two of the £600,000 YouDecide Tenant Fund, which allows tenants to decide how funding is spent in their area.
The full budget will now guide council spending for the year ahead, covering everything from frontline services to long-term investment in housing, sport and community facilities.