And time is now running out for Fifers to have their say as the current consultation ends on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
Council Leader Cllr 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.
Added Cllr Ross: "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."
The online survey is available until Sunday, January 11, 2026 here: www.fife.gov.uk/councilspending
For anyone without internet access or less confidence using online survey tools, staff in local libraries are on hand to help access and complete the questionnaire. Community teams and Fife Health & Social Care Partnership’s Participation and Engagement team are also offering 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.
