Issue - meetings

To set out for Cabinet’s consideration and recommendation to Council the proposed 2025/26 budget and council tax based on.

·     Increasing council tax by 4.99% in 2025/26 in line with the government’s annual referendum threshold which can be broken down into a 2.99% basic increase and a 2% uplift by way of the Adult Social Care (ASC) precept.

·     Implementation of the approved financial strategy.

·     Implementation of £7.8m of further savings, efficiencies, and additional income generation required to set a legally balanced budget and support the basis of a more financially sustainable council moving forward.

·     Borrowing to fund the Special Educational Needs and Disability services revenue expenditure above the level of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs grant. It will also be considered with government if it would be prudent to obtain a capitalisation direction associated with the  2024/25 and 2025/26 interest costs on the accumulated DSG deficit.

·     Recognise that the government must come up with a permanent solution to return the SEND system both locally and nationally to financial sustainability.

·     Recognition that the council is technically insolvent from the 1 April 2025 onwards as the accumulated deficit on the DSG will be greater than the total reserves held by the council, with a negative overall general fund position and is only protected by the statutory override.

This report also provides the latest Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) covering the 3-year period to 31 March 2028.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the report set out for Cabinet’s consideration and recommendation to Council the proposed 2025/26 budget and council tax based on.

·     Increasing council tax by 4.99% in 2025/26 in line with the government’s annual referendum threshold which can be broken down into a 2.99% basic increase and a 2% uplift by way of the Adult Social Care (ASC) precept.

·     Implementation of the approved financial strategy.

·     Implementation of £7.8m of further savings, efficiencies, and additional income generation required to set a legally balanced budget and support the basis of a more financially sustainable council moving forward.

·     Borrowing to fund the Special Educational Needs and Disability services revenue expenditure above the level of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs grant. It will also be considered with government if it would be prudent to obtain a capitalisation direction associated with the 2024/25 and 2025/26 interest costs on the accumulated DSG deficit.

·     Recognise that the government must come up with a permanent solution to return the SEND system both locally and nationally to financial sustainability.

·     Recognition that the council is technically insolvent from the 1 April 2025 onwards as the accumulated deficit on the DSG will be greater than the total reserves held by the council, with a negative overall general fund position and is only protected by the statutory override.

Further to this Cabinet was informed that this report also provides the latest Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) covering the 3-year period to 31 March 2028.

Thanks were expressed to officers for all the work which had gone into the proposed budget 2025/26.

In presenting the report the Portfolio Holder for Finance detailed the pressures of SEND and highlighted some of the Councils achievements over the last year whilst also acknowledging the continued investment in areas.

Councillor Farquhar addressed the Cabinet commending the administration on the budget and raising a question in relation to the cessation of the camera car with a proposed saving of £11,000 and the £25,000 set aside for another car.

In relation to this the Portfolio Holder for Destination, Leisure and Commercial Operations advised that the car was at its end of life, and that civil enforcement officers were more effective than the car itself. In relation to this the Portfolio Holder advised that the long-term solution should be fixed cameras, particularly around schools. Further to this the Portfolio Holder advised that the additional £25,000 set aside was for the vehicles in which the civil enforcement officers travel in.

Cabinet members spoke in support of the budget and acknowledged the significant work which taken place across the council.

The Leader thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Committees for their budget scrutiny on chosen areas and emphasised the importance of a collaborative approach for budget setting.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)           Undertakes  ...  view the full decision text for item 111

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the report set out for Cabinet’s consideration and recommendation to Council the proposed 2025/26 budget and council tax based on.

·     Increasing council tax by 4.99% in 2025/26 in line with the government’s annual referendum threshold which can be broken down into a 2.99% basic increase and a 2% uplift by way of the Adult Social Care (ASC) precept.

·     Implementation of the approved financial strategy.

·     Implementation of £7.8m of further savings, efficiencies, and additional income generation required to set a legally balanced budget and support the basis of a more financially sustainable council moving forward.

·     Borrowing to fund the Special Educational Needs and Disability services revenue expenditure above the level of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs grant. It will also be considered with government if it would be prudent to obtain a capitalisation direction associated with the 2024/25 and 2025/26 interest costs on the accumulated DSG deficit.

·     Recognise that the government must come up with a permanent solution to return the SEND system both locally and nationally to financial sustainability.

·     Recognition that the council is technically insolvent from the 1 April 2025 onwards as the accumulated deficit on the DSG will be greater than the total reserves held by the council, with a negative overall general fund position and is only protected by the statutory override.

Further to this Cabinet was informed that this report also provides the latest Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) covering the 3-year period to 31 March 2028.

Thanks were expressed to officers for all the work which had gone into the proposed budget 2025/26.

In presenting the report the Portfolio Holder for Finance detailed the pressures of SEND and highlighted some of the Councils achievements over the last year whilst also acknowledging the continued investment in areas.

Councillor Farquhar addressed the Cabinet commending the administration on the budget and raising a question in relation to the cessation of the camera car with a proposed saving of £11,000 and the £25,000 set aside for another car.

In relation to this the Portfolio Holder for Destination, Leisure and Commercial Operations advised that the car was at its end of life, and that civil enforcement officers were more effective than the car itself. In relation to this the Portfolio Holder advised that the long-term solution should be fixed cameras, particularly around schools. Further to this the Portfolio Holder advised that the additional £25,000 set aside was for the vehicles in which the civil enforcement officers travel in.

Cabinet members spoke in support of the budget and acknowledged the significant work which taken place across the council.

The Leader thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Committees for their budget scrutiny on chosen areas and emphasised the importance of a collaborative approach for budget setting.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)           Undertakes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111