We have detailed some key highlights from the Cabinet meeting, held on Monday 3rd February 2025.
Budget and Medium-Term Financial Plan 2025/26- 2028/29
At Monday’s Cabinet meeting members discussed the final Revenue Budget for 2025/26 and changes to the Capital Programme.
The report was presented by Andrew Vallance, Deputy Chief Executive, who said: “Since the draft budget was presented to Cabinet in December, the council has had the final Local Government Settlement from central government which sees a 2.99 per cent cash reduction for the authority.
“Due to calculations around business rates, the council has been able to reduce the use of reserves needed to set a balanced budget from the forecast £1.4m to £600,000.”
Members discussed the proposed charges for carparks where parking has previously not been charged for, and the recommendations from last month’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting that the proposed charges should not be implemented.
Members agreed to recommend to full council that the budget for 2025/26 and the Medium Term Financial Plan along with the anticipated use of reserves be approved.
They also agreed to recommend that full council approve the amendments to the Capital Programme as well as a Council Tax increase for 2025/26 of 2.99 per cent and that the Council Tax Reduction Scheme remains a100 per cent funded scheme.
The proposed fees and charges for 2025/26 were also recommended for approval by full council next month, with the recommendation that the proposed fees for current non-chargeable carparks are removed.
Revenue Budget and Capital Programme Monitoring 2024/25
Members discussed the recommendations arising from last month’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting which considered a report on the revenue and capital budgets as at 30 November 2024, including an update on progress at achieving revenue savings.
The council has achieved £1.8m of savings, and £600,000 of savings will not be delivered this year.
The revenue budget remains overspent and officers are working to reduce the drawdown on reserves during the remainder of the financial year. The overall drawdown from reserves is forecast to be £885,000 against the budgeted £185,000.
The Capital Programme comprises a range of strategic projects that span more than one year and many operate for several years or have recurrent investments. The focus is on the affordability of the overall programme and ensuring that any negative impact on the revenue budget due to borrowing and interest costs is minimised.
Councillor Ashan Jeeawon, portfolio holder for Finance and Governance, said: “I’d like to acknowledge the hard work by officers and the senior leadership team to manage the council’s finances to the current position.”
The report was noted by councillors, and the efforts made by officers and the council’s senior leadership team to manage the authority’s finances were unanimously commended by members.
Public Consultation on the Draft Housing Development Strategy
Cabinet discussed the recommendation from January’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee that Cabinet be asked to recommend the approval of a public consultation the draft Housing Development Strategy (HDS).
The report presented to Cabinet recommended that Members support a full public consultation on the draft HDS to ensure residents, businesses and stakeholders have their say on the council’s housing development ambitions in the district.
Members unanimously agreed that the draft Housing Development Strategy be approved for consultation purposes.
Key Performance Indicators 2025/26
Head of Corporate and Strategic Services, Anna Evett, presented a report on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for 2025/26 which included recommendations arising from the January Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.
The report set out the proposed key performance indicators for nine service areas for the coming financial year. These areas are: Climate; Environmental Health; Housing; Customer Services; Neighbourhood Services; Estates; Corporate Core; Planning Development Management; and Revenues and Benefits.
The purpose of the KPIs is to manage the performance of the authority at a focused and prioritised level.
Cabinet members unanimously agreed the new Key Performance Indicators for 2025/26.
Published: 13th February 2025
