Each year the Council must plan ahead and prepare budgets for the new financial year which starts on 1 April. There are in fact two separate budgets - one for Revenue and the other for Capital expenditure.
The Council's total revenue expenditure, excluding expenditure relating to Council Housing is charged to the General Fund. The net expenditure on the General Fund after allowing for government grants, contributions to and from revenue balances and direct charges for services is met by the Council Tax payer. The net expenditure on Council Housing is mainly recovered by way of rents from Council House tenants.
The Council's Capital Budget funds expenditure on the purchase, maintenance and improvement of assets that provide benefit to the community for many years to come, such as schools and roads.
A budget for 2025-26 was set at Full Council on 26 February 2025. This budget increased Scottish Welfare Fund and Financial Insecurity Funding to lessen the impact of the significant hardship caused by the cost-of-living crisis. It increased funding towards Public Transport to provide free bus travel one Saturday per month, in addition to Christmas and Clear Air Day in June. It also provided funding to Culture Perth and Kinross to maintain service provision for libraries and museums.
For communities it has created a Community Resilience Fund offering support during weather events, continues to invest in Local Action Partnerships and Community Investment Fund, and provides funding to support community led bus operations.
A council tax increase of 9.5% was decided.
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