Agenda

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 26 November 2025.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link:-

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of public questions is mid-day on Thursday 11 December 2025 [mid-day 3 clear working days before the meeting].

The deadline for the submission of a statement is mid-day on Tuesday 16 December 2025 [mid-day the working day before the meeting].

The deadline for the submission of a petition is Wednesday 3 December 2025 [10 working days before the meeting].

To consider recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny committees on items not otherwise included on the Cabinet Agenda.

This report:

·      Aims to ensure the council presents a robust legally balanced 2026/27 budget.

·      Highlights the significant amount of uncertainty at this time caused by fluctuations in the predicted outcome of the governments Fair Funding Formula review.

·      Provides an update on the implications of the November local government finance policy statement, alongside the Chancellor’s 26 November National Budget.

·      Presents an update on the latest assumed MTFP position of the council.

·      Includes updates in respect of the existential threat to the council’s financial sustainability caused by the accumulated and growing deficit on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) as pertaining to the high needs block expenditure on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND).

·       Proposes not to change the Local Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTSS) for 2026/27 and therefore to continue with the same scheme the council has operated with since April 2019.

This report responds to the agreed action in the quarter two budget monitoring report for 2025/26 for the Corporate Director for Children’s Services to bring forward to December Cabinet a detailed report on the DSG high needs expenditure forecast and available mitigation measures. This report also seeks Council approval for additional resources required over the approved budget.

The quarter two budget monitoring for the DSG reported to the council’s Cabinet on 26 November was a projected increase in the high needs funding gap for 2025/26 from the budgeted gap of £57.5m to £71.8m. This reflects higher than expected growth in demand in the later months of the last financial year with this unabated and with a significant increase in the costs of pupil placements. 

The cumulative deficit at 31 March 2026 is projected to be £183.1m.

BCP Council adopted ‘A shared vision for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 2024-28’ in May 2024. 

The shared vision is the corporate strategy which sets out the council’s vision, priorities and ambitions as well as the principles which underpin the way the council works as it develops and delivers its services. 

Incorporated in the vision is a set of measures of progress for achieving the vision, priorities and ambitions. 

This is the performance monitoring report for Quarter Two 25-26, presenting an update on the progress measures. 

The council’s delivery against its priorities and ambitions can also be monitored through the performance dashboardwhich is available on the council’s website providing up-to-date real time information on the progress measures.

With the UK Government progressing major waste legislation and policy reforms, the Waste Strategy for BCP Council 2026-36 has been drafted setting out clear ambitions and commitments, with consideration to the key drivers for change, to provide a pathway for enhancing our waste and recycling services over the coming decade.

This strategy will direct the retender of a major waste disposal contract in 2027 and sets out ambitions and supporting actions for progressing towards achievement of our waste and carbon targets by 2035.

Access to nature is of vital importance for the health and well-being of residents and visitors, supporting mental and physical health.

BCP is an area of high nature value but access to green spaces is unequal, and biodiversity is generally declining across the UK and within BCP.

This report outlines the actions taken by BCP Council to comply with the Biodiversity Duty under the Environment Act 2021. It summarises our Green Infrastructure strategy framework, a report on Biodiversity net gain, our mitigation policies and delivery, green space capital improvements and countryside management.

It presents BCP’s first report on biodiversity and a summary of monitoring, reporting and our actions for delivery for nature recovery. These plans will ensure nature is considered fully, declines are reversed and that access to nature is provided. It will support the greening of our urban environment and are part of the work as foundation level Nature Towns.

BCP Council has a statutory duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity and has committed, in its Shared Vision 2024 – 2028, to create ‘vibrant places where people and nature flourish’.

Three council-owned sites have been identified where different land management approaches would increase the diversity of wildlife, create nature corridors and improve residents’ health and wellbeing by making natural areas more accessible to explore and enjoy. These are Erlin Farm, Millhams Mead and Solent Meads.

To avoid creating new pressure on the budget at a time of financial challenge across the council, this paper sets out a sustainable funding proposal and options for a mechanism to deliver this.

A previous Cabinet paper approved the principle of creating a mechanism to enable BCP Council to sell Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units from council-owned land, either in-house or via an arms-length organisation. This paper focuses on the funding mechanism and outlines options with a recommended approach.

Since BNG became law in February 2024, approximately £187k worth of funding for nature (in the form of BNG unit purchases) has gone to other areas of England from development activity which has taken place in BCP Council’s Local Planning Authority (LPA) area. This means areas outside BCP are benefiting from improved biodiversity and the associated improved health and wellbeing impacts. The recommendations in this paper would establish a mechanism to ensure the benefits of the BNG planning policy would remain within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Where the current use of a site is proposed to change, a period of public and stakeholder engagement will be undertaken to ensure the best approach for nature and residents. This will come forward in a future report for a further decision.

None of the changes will involve building on these sites, this would fundamentally contradict the objective of creating more habitat and increasing biodiversity.

[PLEASE NOTE: Should Cabinet wish to discuss the detail of the confidential appendix at Appendix 7 the meeting will be required to move into Confidential (Exempt) Session].

High Street Rental Auctions, as part of new government legislation, will enhance the council’s ability to bring long-term vacant properties on the high-street back in to use via an auction process.

The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 gives the Authority the power to go ahead with the High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) a new permissive power. As per the guidance, once the Authority has designated specific streets or areas as HSRA areas (following a mandatory 28 day consultation) which satisfy the test that the area is important to the local economy due to a concentration of high street uses. The designation is registered as a local land charge.

The Authority can then only use the powers in that area designated. This does not stop more areas being designated later provided they also meet the test and can be funded.

BCP Council undertook a public consultation to gauge opinions from key stakeholders over the required period of 28 days during the summer of 2025. The results highlighted a 75% approval for the programme. There is clearly a local desire for HSRAs to be implemented and bring new life to the high street. 

The next step in the process is for Cabinet to designate the high streets within Bournemouth town centre. Without this, the power of HSRAs cannot be implemented.

It should be noted that the HSRA process is multi-stage and may take several months from designation to the first auction, due to statutory notice periods and preparatory work.

The Chief Executive to report on any decisions taken under urgency provisions in accordance with the Constitution.

To consider the latest version of the Cabinet Forward Plan for approval.