Issue - meetings

To approve the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025/26 – 2028/29.

Councillor Z Hannington, Cabinet Member: Finance, Governance & Customer Services presented the report of the Director: Finance, People & which set out how the Council would deliver the Strategy and its five key priorities.   It sought approval of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy together with the budget framework for 2025/26.  It was noted that there had been a significant increase in costs and the demand for services, together with higher costs in relation to the provision of Adult Social Care.  There were high levels of financial pressure and complexity of need in relation to both Adult Social Care and Children’s Servies which had led to a Council Tax increase of 4.99% all of which would go to vulnerable children and adults.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote was taken on the recommendations as follows:

For (43) Councillors E Aston, K T Blundell, M Boylan, A J Burford, E Callear, L D Cater, C Chikandamina, G H Cook, E Davies, P Davis, F Doran, A England, S Handley, Z Hannington, C Healy, T Janke, A Jhawar, J Jones, J Kaur, L Lewis, G Luter, A D McClements, R Mehta, K Middleton, H Morgan, R A Overton, N Page, L Parker, I Preece, S A W Reynolds, S J Reynolds, H Rhodes, R Sahota, P J Scott, S Syrda, P Thomas, B J Thompson, K Tomlinson, W L Tomlinson, K Tonks, J Urey, O Vickers and D R W White

Against (6) Councillors S Bentley, S P Burrell, A J Eade, T J Nelson, G Thomas and R Tyrrell.

Abstain (0)

RESOLVED – that:

a)    the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2025/26 to 2028/29 and the budget framework for 2025/26 set out in this suite of reports be approved;

b)   a council tax increase of 4.99% for 2025/26 including the Government’s 2% Adult Social Care precept, equivalent to £0.69 per week general council tax increase for the average Band B property and £0.46 per week for the ASC precept, which will be fully invested in the provision of social care services for the most vulnerable members of our community be approved;

c)    the net investment of £7.7m into Adult Social Care in 2025/26 be approved;

d)   the budget savings listed on Appendix 10 totalling £13m in 2025/26 and £11.8m ongoing be approved;

e)    the continuation of work with partner organisations, including Town & Parish Councils and Voluntary Sector and Community Groups to seek to identify ways to mitigate the impact of some of the cuts to services that we can no longer afford to deliver and to note the availability of the Invest to Save/Capacity Fund which is available to support partnership working be approved

f)     the base budget set out in Appendix 8 be approved;

g)   the policy framework for Reserves and Balances and their planned use outlined in Appendix 6 be approved;

h)   the Risk Register at Appendix 14 be approved;

i)     the endorsement of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme a link to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60