We want to hear your thoughts on our plans for transforming how we deliver services, and how we plan to balance the need to make savings with the need to invest in services in Newcastle. Here’s what we’re proposing.
The savings challenge
We have to make £8 million in savings in the next financial year, and a total of just over £40 million savings during the next three years. This is partly due to growing demand for social care services for children and adults, and partly due to other factors such as cost pressures and the impact of cuts on public services over the past 14 years.
We have to make £8 million in savings in the next financial year, and a total of just over £40 million savings during the next three years. This is partly due to growing demand for social care services for children and adults, and partly due to other factors such as cost pressures and the impact of cuts on public services over the past 14 years.
Our response – Change and Innovation: Newcastle
We’re launching a Change and Innovation Programme which will look to redesign how we deliver services, invest in technology and reduce external spend. Our goal is to make long-term savings, balance our budget and continue to meet the needs of people and organisations in Newcastle. highways repairs, neighbourhood services, play areas and services that benefit those who need us the most. We want to cut waste and improve efficiency.
We’ve set out these plans in our Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP), which sets out our financial plans for the next three years. We propose spending £328m on day-to-day services (net spending) and invest £134m on capital projects such as highway repairs, housing and schools which support the economy and create employment opportunities. (Note that money for capital projects cannot legally be spent on day-to-day services.)
We are proposing to increase core Council Tax by 2.99%, and increase the adult social precept by 2.0%. Funds raised via the adult social precept can only be used to pay for providing these services. This will increase income by an estimated £8.0m which will help to deliver the transformation programme and safeguard vital frontline services.
This is a summary. You can read more details about what we are proposing in these reports:
We’re launching a Change and Innovation Programme which will look to redesign how we deliver services, invest in technology and reduce external spend. Our goal is to make long-term savings, balance our budget and continue to meet the needs of people and organisations in Newcastle. highways repairs, neighbourhood services, play areas and services that benefit those who need us the most. We want to cut waste and improve efficiency.
We’ve set out these plans in our Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP), which sets out our financial plans for the next three years. We propose spending £328m on day-to-day services (net spending) and invest £134m on capital projects such as highway repairs, housing and schools which support the economy and create employment opportunities. (Note that money for capital projects cannot legally be spent on day-to-day services.)
We are proposing to increase core Council Tax by 2.99%, and increase the adult social precept by 2.0%. Funds raised via the adult social precept can only be used to pay for providing these services. This will increase income by an estimated £8.0m which will help to deliver the transformation programme and safeguard vital frontline services.
This is a summary. You can read more details about what we are proposing in these reports:
- Change and Innovation – a summary of our 2026-27 savings proposals
- Medium-Term Financial Plan for 2026-2027 to 2028-2029 – Revenue and Capital Plan
- Council Tax and Adult Social Care Proposal – Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA)
You can find all the background information and full details behind the MTFP proposals, including risk assessments, cost pressures, our capital and investment strategy, and more here: View the MTFP Cabinet papers
If you have questions about this, or you need this information in another format, such as large print, please contact us at: letstalk@newcastle.gov.uk or call: 0191 278 7878.
What we would like you to do
We would like to know what you think about our proposed approach to delivering services over the next three years. We have already heard from residents about their general thoughts about budgeting and council spending through the Newcastle People’s Budget, which you can see here: Newcastle People’s Budget 2026-27. Now we want to hear from you about the MTFP proposals. Please answer the questions below to give us your views!
Other ways to have your say
You can also share your views on our MTFP proposals through:
You can also share your views on our MTFP proposals through:
- Joining the discussion on Let’s Talk Newcastle Online: www.letstalknewcastle.co.uk/
- Sending an email to: letstalk@newcastle.gov.uk
- Writing to us at: Let’s talk Newcastle, Room 161, Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH.
Data Protection
All the information you give will be kept completely confidential. We will not share your answers with anyone else, and you cannot be identified from them. You do not have to answer these questions if you do not want to. For more information, you can read our Privacy Policy here: Let's talk Newcastle Privacy Policy
All the information you give will be kept completely confidential. We will not share your answers with anyone else, and you cannot be identified from them. You do not have to answer these questions if you do not want to. For more information, you can read our Privacy Policy here: Let's talk Newcastle Privacy Policy
What happens next
Our consultation runs from Tuesday 16 December 2025 until 21 January 2026.We will include the findings from it when the MTFP is revised in early 2026, and the final MTFP will then be presented to Full Council in March 2026 when councillors will vote on it.
Our consultation runs from Tuesday 16 December 2025 until 21 January 2026.We will include the findings from it when the MTFP is revised in early 2026, and the final MTFP will then be presented to Full Council in March 2026 when councillors will vote on it.
