State IntegrityReceipts, not verdicts

Warwickshire County Council: spending, reserves and debt

Warwickshire County Council runs county-wide services such as schools, social care and roads for about 644,021 people in the West Midlands, alongside 5 district councils.

Key figures

Net spending on services, 2025-26
£1.10 billion
£1,711 per resident · MHCLG revenue outturn
Reserves, 31 March 2026
£218.3 million
unallocated and earmarked · MHCLG revenue outturn
Borrowing, 31 March 2026
£236.2 million
outstanding · £367 per resident · MHCLG
Investments, 31 March 2026
£193.7 million
outstanding · MHCLG
Band D, 2026-27
£1,903.86
this authority's precept · MHCLG
Population, mid-2025
644,021

What the figures show

MHCLG records net spending on services of £1.10 billion by Warwickshire County Council in 2025-26; education was the biggest single service, at 46% of the services that cost money.

In cash terms the total was 11.4% higher than in 2024-25, and 80% higher than the £612.6 million of 2017-18.

At 31 March 2026 the authority held £218.3 million in unallocated and earmarked reserves (£74.9 million unallocated, £143.4 million earmarked for set purposes), excluding schools and public health reserves. That is £3.3 million more than a year earlier (+2%). The peak in this series was £232.5 million at 31 March 2022.

MHCLG's borrowing and investment table shows £236.2 million of outstanding borrowing at 31 March 2026, against investments of £193.7 million. That is below the £335.4 million recorded at 31 March 2010. The latest quarter, to 30 June 2026, shows £236.2 million.

That is £367 for each resident, dividing the borrowing figure by the ONS mid-2025 population estimate (644,021), 17th highest of the 21 county councils in England with money pages here.

For 2026-27, this authority's Band D precept is £1,903.86, +4.4% on 2025-26 and 3.8 times the £500.63 of 1993-94. On the statutory proportions that means £1,269.24 in Band A and £3,807.72 in Band H.

Warwickshire County Council spending by service, 2025-26

ServiceNet spending, 2025-26Share of services that cost moneyPer resident
Education£503.7 million45.7%£782.17
Adult social care£263.8 million23.9%£409.68
Children's social care£165.5 million15.0%£257.05
Highways and transport£38.6 million3.5%£59.89
Fire and rescue£31.9 million2.9%£49.60
Public health£29.2 million2.6%£45.34
Environment and regulation (including waste)£25.8 million2.3%£40.05
Central services£18.8 million1.7%£29.12
Planning and development£11.8 million1.1%£18.40
Culture and leisure£10.4 million0.9%£16.10
Housing (not council housing)£2.5 million0.2%£3.80
Total£1.10 billion£1,711.19
£1.10 billion£0 2017-182025-26
Warwickshire County Council net spending, 2017-18 to 2025-26.
£232.5 million£0 Mar 2018Mar 2026
Warwickshire County Council reserves, 31 March 2018 to 31 March 2026.
£391.4 million£0 Mar 2010Mar 2026
Warwickshire County Council borrowing, 31 March 2010 to 31 March 2026.
£1,904£0 1993-942026-27
Warwickshire County Council Band D, 1993-94 to 2026-27.

History

Warwickshire County Council: net spending by year
YearNet spending
2017-18£612.6 million
2018-19£619.4 million
2019-20£643.2 million
2020-21£721.0 million
2021-22£743.3 million
2022-23£795.6 million
2023-24£886.9 million
2024-25£989.1 million
2025-26£1.10 billion
Warwickshire County Council: reserves at 31 March
DateReserves
31 March 2018£132.6 million
31 March 2019£151.3 million
31 March 2020£181.8 million
31 March 2021£223.1 million
31 March 2022£232.5 million
31 March 2023£197.0 million
31 March 2024£171.0 million
31 March 2025£215.0 million
31 March 2026£218.3 million
Warwickshire County Council: borrowing and investments
DateBorrowingInvestments
31 March 2010£335.4 million£91.7 million
31 March 2011£375.4 million£116.9 million
31 March 2012£391.4 million£209.6 million
31 March 2013£388.8 million£221.4 million
31 March 2014£385.8 million£219.0 million
31 March 2015£383.2 million£250.2 million
31 March 2016£378.1 million£234.1 million
31 March 2017£353.1 million£220.8 million
31 March 2018£352.0 million£262.8 million
31 March 2019£352.0 million£341.6 million
31 March 2020£342.0 million£354.7 million
31 March 2021£322.0 million£397.3 million
31 March 2022£322.0 million£461.5 million
31 March 2023£322.0 million£460.8 million
31 March 2024£273.0 million£356.9 million
31 March 2025£273.0 million£303.9 million
31 March 2026£236.2 million£193.7 million
Warwickshire County Council: Band D by year
YearBand D
1993-94£500.63
1994-95£523.13
1995-96£495.00
1996-97£522.83
1997-98£552.25
1998-99£595.98
1999-00£642.36
2000-01£677.68
2001-02£713.60
2002-03£801.04
2003-04£865.14
2004-05£922.21
2005-06£949.50
2006-07£996.28
2007-08£1,045.21
2008-09£1,085.98
2009-10£1,128.18
2010-11£1,155.25
2011-12£1,155.25
2012-13£1,155.25
2013-14£1,155.25
2014-15£1,178.19
2015-16£1,201.14
2016-17£1,249.02
2017-18£1,298.88
2018-19£1,363.68
2019-20£1,431.81
2020-21£1,488.87
2021-22£1,533.51
2022-23£1,590.93
2023-24£1,653.57
2024-25£1,736.19
2025-26£1,822.95
2026-27£1,903.86

Warwickshire County Council figures as CSV · What each figure measures

Warwickshire County Council council tax bands, 2026-27

Worked out from Band D (£1,903.86) at the proportions in section 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992; this authority's share only.

BandAnnual amount
Band A£1,269.24
Band B£1,480.78
Band C£1,692.32
Band D£1,903.86
Band E£2,326.94
Band F£2,750.02
Band G£3,173.10
Band H£3,807.72

Councils above and below

Where Warwickshire County Council sits in the ladder of power

The bodies above Warwickshire County Council and the council areas it serves. How the ten levels work.

  1. Level 4: County councils, combined authorities and metro mayors

    • Warwickshire County Council this page
  2. Level 7: Regional blocs and supranational bodies

  3. Level 8: The UN and global treaty bodies

  4. Level 9: The IMF, World Bank and global finance

    • International Monetary Fund (IMF) The UK has been a member since 27 December 1945 and has a quota of SDR 20,155.1 million (IMF country page for the United Kingdom).
    • World Bank Group (WBG) The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.
  5. Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums

    • G7 The UK is one of the seven members.
    • G20 The UK is a G20 member.

Sources

MHCLG revenue outturn · MHCLG borrowing and investment table · MHCLG Band D table · ONS population, mid-2025. Read 15 October 2026; file fingerprints (SHA-256) are listed on the council money page.

More on Warwickshire County Council

Figures checked 15 October 2026. Link moved or figure out of date? Tell us.