Increased charges for leisure facilities are on the table in West Berkshire.
West Berkshire Council is asking residents for views on how to balance its 2026/27 budget — and two proposed changes could directly affect local services.
One plan would raise the hire charge for the Henwick Worthy artificial sports pitch by 35%, taking a full 90‑minute pitch from £140 to £189. Peak‑time charges would also be extended to cover all‑day Sunday.
The council says the pitch increase could generate up to £33,000 in extra income.
Another proposal would stop the council directly providing adult respite care in the community (the Adult Respite in the Community Service, ARC) and instead buy those services from other providers. The council says this could save up to £30,000; it notes ARC is being used as a regular service for nine clients who could be supported differently.
Overall, the council has identified £6.4m of savings it needs for 2026/27, but the two measures put out for public opinion would save around £60,000.
Iain Cottingham (Lib Dem, Thatcham Central), portfolio holder for finance and resources, said: “The council has some very difficult decisions to make in order to set a balanced budget for the financial year ahead.
“It is therefore very important that we hear from individuals who live, work and visit West Berkshire, as that will assist us to better evaluate the impact of the decisions that we make.”
Forecasts earlier in 2025/26 project a budget overspend of £6.8m by the end of March 2026.
Mr Cottingham added: “This is because we are experiencing a higher demand for our services and are seeing an increase in the complexity of social care support required.
“High inflation has increased the cost of delivering the essential services we’re legally required to provide, as well as the support we offer to residents and businesses.
“We are taking immediate actions to reduce the projected overspend, such as reviewing recruitment activity to fill only the most critical vacancies this year, reviewing our spend and only approving statutory (legally required) services, or which is otherwise unavoidable, managing the number of agency workers engaged by the council and transforming the way we work to save money.”
West Berkshire Council leader Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West), said: “Councils across the country are facing significant financial pressures, and we are no exception.
“Despite these challenges, we are committed to protecting frontline services and are pleased to be consulting on only two measures that will directly affect them this year.
“There’s a range of details being worked on, and your feedback will help us make the difficult decisions ahead in a way that reflects our community’s priorities.
“This budget consultation is a vital opportunity for you to tell us what matters most to you – please do take part and let us know your views.”
The budget will be considered by the executive on Thursday 12 February 2026 and approved by full council on Thursday 26 February 2026.
Details and how to respond are at westberks.gov.uk/balancing-our-budget. Anyone unable to access the site can call customer services on (01635) 551111. Have your say by noon on Monday 12 January 2026.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
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