Councillors also agreed to increase Council Tax by 15.61%, meaning a Band D household will now pay £1576.77, equivalent to £4.08 per week.

This level means Falkirk has the tenth highest Council Tax in Scotland, of those local authorities which have set their budgets.

As part of the council’s Financial Strategy, steps are also being taken to maximise revenue from a range of fees and charges to help sustain essential services while keeping costs fair for residents and businesses. To support this, increases were approved that include a 10% increase on parking charges.

A £231m capital investment programme for the next five years was also approved, which will deliver significant improvements across the area that will benefit residents and businesses.

Included in the total is the £15m of additional investment funded from 1.5% of Council Tax. This investment has been ringfenced as follows:

• £3.8m will extend the roads resurfacing programme, improving an extra 180,000 square meters of roads for safer, more durable roads. This includes a £200k allocation for road safety measures at primary schools.
• £3.5m will replace the B805/50 Blairs Canal bridge, ensuring a safe, reliable crossing for all vehicles, including HGVs.
• £3.3m will help fund critical ICT upgrades, including school Wi-Fi, equipment to support service delivery, reducing cyber risks and network failures.
• £1.6m will be invested into the expansion of Carrongrange school into a 5 to 18 campus, creating a centre of excellence for specialist education.
• £1.5m will be used to improve the learning estate, focusing on priority repairs to roofs, mechanical and electrical systems, and other key building components.
• £815k will support flood prevention in areas such as Maddiston, Letham, and Westquarter, with further investment in the gully replacement programme.
• £335k will help fund the relocation of the Inclusion & Wellbeing Services to support children and young people aged 3 to 18 with additional support needs.
• £150k will go towards the renovation and protection of the B-listed Bo’ness Town Hall’s decorative lantern cupola.

A further £200k was allocated from the Council Tax increase for a transport study to consider the future strategic public transport provision in particular bus services.

In addition to these investments, £500k has been allocated to the Regeneration Fund, with an anticipated £800k from the Place Based Investment Programme.

This funding will support the identification and delivery of key projects in Bo’ness and Camelon and Tamfourhill, helping to revitalise local economies and support economic growth.