Issue - meetings

This report sets out the Council’s budget proposals for 2026 - 27. It also sets out the overall financial position facing the Council for the medium term and highlights the significant risks, issues and uncertainties as well as detailing the results of the consultation, scrutiny and equalities processes.

Subject to approval by Cabinet, these will form the basis of the budget to be considered at the Full Council meeting on 23 February 2026.

Cabinet NOTED the following comments made in advance of considering the main report on the Budget & Council Tax 2026-27:

Councillor Conneely, as Chair, was invited to introduce the report from the Scrutiny Budget Scrutiny Task Group in relation to their review of the budget setting proposals for 2026-27, which had been included as Appendix D to the Budget and Council Tax report. In introducing the report, Councillor Conneely began by thanking all members of the Budget Scrutiny Task Group along with everyone else who had participated in the evidence sessions as part of the scrutiny process.  In welcoming the Government’s reintroduction of multi-year funding settlements, which it was hoped would strengthen the ability for the Council to develop a longer term planning approach, the impact of the broader thematic nature of the budget proposals was also recognised in support of a more strategic approach and in breaking down departmental silos with the role of scrutiny also seen as key in continuing to monitor how these were implemented along with their impact on residents to ensure no challenges arose that would require a change in strategy

Although supportive of the recent changes introduced in relation to the Local Government Funding regime, the Task Group had recognised the number of significant financial risks and pressures that continued to be faced by the Council and across local government as a whole, including rising demand for social care and the temporary accommodation crisis.  It was felt these challenges had been further compounded by the increasing role of privatisation and private equity in publicly commissioned services, particularly social care, which the Task Group had felt continued to undermine quality and drive cost inflation highlighting the need for meaningful reform of commissioning frameworks.

In terms of specific areas of focus, Cabinet was advised that the Task Group had been particularly encouraged by the work being undertaken to address the challenges in relation to supported exempt accommodation, as a means of delivering value for money whilst enhancing the quality of support being provided and in ensuring the private sector was not taking advantage of the market.  In addition, the Task Group had been keen to recognise and commend the work undertaken in relation to Children’s Services to invest in early intervention and reduce the reliance on agency staff, with it hoped this approach would be adopted more widely as best practice.

In concluding, whilst recognising the work still to be done in delivering the proposals, Councillor Conneely once again thanked all those involved for their participation in the Task Group and commended the recommendations made by the Budget Scrutiny Task Group to Cabinet for consideration as part of the budget setting process.

Having welcomed and supported the challenge, comments and approach taken by the Budget Scrutiny Task Group Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To recommend to Full Council an overall 4.99% increase in the Council’s element of Council Tax for 2026/27, with 2% as a precept for Adult Social Care and a 2.99% general increase.

(2)       To recommend  ...  view the full decision text for item 10

Prior to consideration of the main report, Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) welcomed Councillor Rita Conneely to the meeting who he advised had been invited to attend, as Chair of the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee and Budget Scrutiny Task Group, in order to introduce the main findings and recommendations within the Budget Scrutiny Task Group report in relation to their review of the budget setting proposals for 2026-27, which had been included as Appendix D to the Budget and Council Tax report.

In introducing the report, Councillor Conneely began by thanking all members of the Budget Scrutiny Task Group along with everyone else who had participated in the evidence sessions as part of the scrutiny process.  In welcoming the Government’s reintroduction of multi-year funding settlements, which it was hoped would strengthen the ability for the Council to develop a longer term planning approach, the impact of the broader thematic nature of the budget proposals was also recognised in support of a more strategic approach and in breaking down departmental silos with the role of scrutiny also seen as key in continuing to monitor implementation along with their impact on residents to ensure no challenges arose that would require a change in strategy.

Although supportive of the recent changes introduced in relation to the Local Government Funding regime, the Task Group had recognised the number of significant financial risks and pressures that continued to be faced by the Council and across local government as a whole, including rising demand for social care and the temporary accommodation crisis.  It was felt these challenges had been further compounded by the increasing role of privatisation and private equity in publicly commissioned services, particularly social care, which the Task Group had felt continued to undermine quality and drive cost inflation highlighting the need for meaningful reform of commissioning frameworks.

In terms of specific areas of focus, Cabinet was advised that the Task Group had been particularly encouraged by the work being undertaken to address the challenges in relation to supported exempt accommodation, as a means of delivering value for money whilst enhancing the quality of support being provided and in ensuring the private sector was not taking advantage of the market.  In addition, the Task Group had been keen to recognise and commend the work undertaken in relation to Children’s Services to invest in early intervention and reduce the reliance on agency staff, with it hoped this approach would be adopted more widely as best practice.

In concluding, whilst recognising the work still to be done in delivering the proposals, Councillor Conneely once again thanked all those involved for their participation in the Task Group and commended the recommendations made by the Budget Scrutiny Task Group to Cabinet for consideration as part of the budget setting process.

In welcoming the contribution from the Scrutiny Budget Task Group, Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) commended the thorough nature of the approach and robust challenge undertaken by the Task Group  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10