Brixton Council Approves 2026-27 Budget with £4.2 Million for Road Maintenance and Parks Upkeep

Brixton and Lambeth Council passed its 2026-27 budget on 7 July with a 4.1 per cent council tax increase that raises the Band D rate to £1,892. The measure allocates £4.2 million for road resurfacing across Coldharbour and Ferndale wards plus £1.1 million for extended park maintenance in Brixton Recreation Ground and Loughborough Park.

Why the vote occurred now

The decision follows the release of the council’s March 2026 highways condition survey, which found 37 per cent of local roads rated as poor or very poor. Officers told the meeting that the Department for Transport capital grant for 2026-27 had been confirmed at £2.9 million, leaving a shortfall that required local revenue to meet the full programme.

Residents in the two priority wards will receive scheduled resurfacing on 14 streets including Coldharbour Lane and Loughborough Road by March 2027. Households outside those wards will see no change to road works timetables and will continue to report potholes through the existing online portal without guaranteed repair dates.

Park users gain 30 additional weekly opening hours at the two named sites, with new lighting installed at Brixton Recreation Ground. Library service hours across the borough remain unchanged at the current 42 hours per week total.

Budget figures and next steps

The approved budget document records total general fund expenditure of £312 million, of which £18.4 million is earmarked for environment and leisure services. Council tax revenue is projected to rise by £6.7 million compared with the 2025-26 base.

Implementation begins in August 2026 when the new tax rates appear on residents’ bills. The highways team will publish a detailed works calendar on the council website by 1 September, listing exact street segments and expected completion dates for each project.