Issue - meetings

Report of Councillor P R Kerry, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Leadership and Finance

RESOLVED – That

1.     Cabinet made the following recommendations to Council:

a.     the budget in respect of the General Fund as set out in Appendix 1 of this report be approved as the Current Budget for 2025/26.

b.     the budget in respect of the HRA as set out in Appendix 3 of this report be approved as the Current Budget for 2025/26.

c.     the Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 4 of this report be approved as the Current Budget for 2025/26.

This was not a Key Decision and so can be implemented with immediate effect by officers.

Cabinet considered a report which set out the proposed revisions to the Budget for 2024/25, which had been approved by Council in January 2025.  Cabinet was asked to endorse the proposed revisions and to recommend them to Council for approval.

The report stated that the revised budget process was now completed and the proposed revisions for the General Fund, HRA and Capital Programme were set out in the appendices to the report.

Cabinet considered the report. It was suggested that a variance in Extended Producer Responsibility had slightly skewed the position of the General Fund, however, it was highlighted that this would be offset once the changes made under Simpler Recycling had been brought in. It was agreed that the Council was in a positive position regarding its Medium Term Financial Plan.

RESOLVED – That

Cabinet made the following recommendations to Council:

1. the budget in respect of the General Fund as set out in Appendix 1 of this report be approved as the Current Budget for 2025/26.
2. the budget in respect of the HRA as set out in Appendix 3 of this report be approved as the Current Budget for 2025/26.
3. the Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 4 of this report be approved as the Current Budget for 2025/26.

REASONS FOR DECISION

The purpose of this report is to prepare revised budgets as early as possible within the financial year to provide sufficient time to allow any planned changes to be delivered. The Council has faced some specific financial challenges this year putting pressure on the ability to set a balanced General Fund budget but, use of reserves ring fenced for providing resilience when needed has mitigated this.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED

There are no alternative options being considered at this time. How resources are utilised is ultimately a decision for Members which will form part of the 2026/27 Medium Term Financial Planning process.

This was not a Key Decision and so can be implemented with immediate effect by officers.