Council Website Costs

Last updated 10 October 2026 · By Alex Wood

Most councils want a straight answer to “how much does a council website cost?” before they spend time on meetings and proposals. Here is ours, followed by what goes into the price, the ongoing costs to budget for, and the hidden extras to look for in any quote.

The Short Answer

Our small parish council websites start from £495 for the design and build, with content population, hosting and maintenance quoted on top. Town council websites, and larger parishes, cost slightly more because they involve more committees, more documents to migrate and more features, but still start from £895. Every quotation we send is itemised, so you can see exactly what you are paying for and compare it fairly with other suppliers.

One-Off Costs

• Design and build: the website itself, including council-specific features such as the meeting calendar, councillor pages and document uploads
• Content migration: moving pages, news, agendas, minutes and documents from your current website. For councils with many years of meeting papers, this is often the biggest variable
• Additional features: for example an events calendar with online ticket sales, a jobs board, a business directory or reporting tools
• Training: hands-on sessions so your clerk and other editors are confident from day one

Ongoing Costs

• Hosting: secure, UK-based hosting with backups and an SSL certificate
• Support and maintenance: WordPress and plugin updates, security monitoring, and help when you need it
• Domain name: renewing your .gov.uk or other domain, usually through your registrar
• Email: if your council email is hosted separately, budget for that too

Our annual support fee covers hosting, maintenance, security and technical support. We do not charge extra for adding new pages, publishing content or making minor changes.

What Affects the Price

• Council size: a small parish council with a handful of pages has different needs from a town council with several committees and extensive service information
• The size of your archive: how many years of agendas, minutes and documents need to move across, and whether any need to be made accessible
• Features: meeting calendars and councillor pages are standard; bookings, ticketing, jobs boards and directories add to the build
• Design: every site is professionally designed, but a more bespoke visual design takes longer

Hidden Costs to Check For in Any Quote

The cheapest build price is not always the cheapest website. Before you compare quotes, ask each supplier:

• Is content migration included, and is there a limit on the number of documents?
• Is an accessibility statement included, and has the site actually been tested against WCAG 2.2 AA?
• Are there charges for edits, new pages or support calls?
• Are security updates included, or charged when they are needed?
• Who owns the website content, design and domain name if you leave?
• Can you export all your pages and documents, and is there an exit fee?
• Is hosting tied to a minimum contract term?

Comparing Quotes Fairly

Compare the total cost over three to five years, not just the build price. A cheap build with high annual fees can cost more over the life of the website than a higher build price with modest running costs. Your council’s financial regulations will say when you need more than one quote, so check the thresholds before you start and gather comparable quotes in one go. Our guide to choosing a council website supplier lists the questions worth asking.

Budgeting for a New Website

Most councils agree their budget and precept over the winter for the financial year starting in April. If you are planning a new website for next year, get indicative prices in the autumn so the cost can be built into the budget, and include the ongoing annual costs as well as the build.

What About Free Website Builders?

Free and low-cost website builders can look attractive, but a council website has obligations that a general-purpose builder is not designed for: WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility, an accessibility statement, and publishing meeting papers and Transparency Code information in an organised way. The real cost is often the clerk’s time spent working around the builder’s limitations.

Get a Clear, Itemised Quote

Tell us about your council and we will send a clear, itemised proposal. Request a quotation, call 01225 667 977 or email councils@zonkey.co.uk. You can also see what is included in our parish council websites and town council websites.