Council leader Councillor David Ross explained: “We want people to have their say on council spending. In recent years, we’ve avoided the need to make large savings thanks to strong financial management and working more efficiently.

“However we continue to live in challenging times and, like all councils, Fife is experiencing a rising demand for services, particularly as the cost of living continues to impact people and families across the Kingdom.

“We’re in pretty good shape but we’ll need to do more over the next few years to balance the books and protect our strong position for the future. This consultation is designed to gather people’s feelings about how we prioritise our spending, potential ways to save money and the contribution council tax should make. It’s not just about our budget for 2026-27 - feedback will help us consider service plans beyond that. I would urge people to take part and have their say.”

Last year, the council spent over £528 million on education, schools and childcare - and £249m on health and social care. Together these services use over two thirds of the council’s total budget. 

Fife’s financial position is stronger than many other councils. Prudent use of resources and careful investment has meant council tax rates have stayed among the lowest in Scotland, and bigger cuts to services seen elsewhere have been avoided. 

Councillor Ross added: “Last year we agreed a three year budget to help with forward planning. This included an intention to increase council tax by 5% in 2026/27. Although we won’t know how much our government grant for 26/27 is until the Scottish budget in January, current estimates assume a £5 million gap between income and expenditure for next year, rising to £36m by 2028/29.  

“Without any other action we’d actually need a 7.5% council tax rise to cover costs next year. But there are other options as to how we spend or save, and that’s why we are asking Fifers to help develop these.” 

An online survey will be available from Monday, December 8 until Sunday, January 11, 2026 here.

For anyone without internet access or less confidence using online survey tools, staff in local libraries will be on hand to help access and complete the questionnaire. Community teams and Fife Health & Social Care Partnership’s Participation and Engagement team will also offer opportunities for a range of service users to have their say, through a mix of face to face conversations and supported online access.

Findings from the public engagement will be shared with all political group leaders by the end of January, to help inform thinking ahead of the budget meeting in February.

Consultation is also underway with council tenants who are being asked to consider three options for rent increases for 2026/27.

The housing budget is held and managed separately to the rest of the council’s spending.  

Fife Council’s spokesperson for housing, Councillor Judy Hamilton, commented: “Every year we consult with tenants on rent options and it’s a really important decision for every household. Although December and January is a busy time of year, I hope that tenants will take this opportunity to have their say on rent options and let us know their housing priorities.”

This year, the council will consult on three options for rent rises for 2026/7 - 5.5%, 6% and 7%.

The survey will be carried out through the Down Your Street magazine. It will also be available online here until January 31 to give tenants the opportunity to share their views before councillors take final budget decisions in February next year. The new rent level will be applied from April 2026.