Purpose

To set out and agree the Council’s
budget proposals for recommendation to Full Council.

Content

Cabinet NOTED the following comments made in
advance of considering the main report on the Budget & Council
Tax 2025-26:
 

1.     Councillor
Conneely, as Chair of the Scrutiny Budget Scrutiny Task Group,
summarising the main recommendations from the Task Group in
relation to the budget process which had been
included as Appendix D to the Budget and Council Tax 2025 -
26 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 emphasising the ongoing nature of the
financial challenges and pressures faced by the Council, Councillor
Conneely reiterated the need for fundamental reform of the current
way in which local authorities were
funded, given the inadequacy of the existing funding
regime.
 
In outlining the
comprehensive nature of the process undertaken by the Task Group in
reviewing the budget proposals, it was
hoped Cabinet would actively seek to take forward the
recommendations made as a result which, it was highlighted, had
included a focus on:
 
·            
The impact of the proposed changes to the Council Tax Support
Scheme and package of support being
provided for more vulnerable residents in seeking to manage
the impact, which it was noted the Resource & Public Realm
Scrutiny Committee would continue to monitor.
 
·            
The need to review the way in which the use of funding generated
through Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy could be maximised
to provide optimal community benefit; and
 
·            
The way in which the Council’s commissioning and procurement
arrangements could be enhanced to
provide greater cost efficiency, value for money and social
value.
 
In concluding,
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.
 

2.     Councillor Lorber
who, whilst recognising the financial
crisis faced by local government, felt it important to
highlight the £150m reserve of Strategic Community
Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) funding held in Brent.  Whilst aware of the restrictions in the permitted
use of this funding, Councillor Lorber felt stronger
representations needed to be made to the Government in seeking to
ease the restrictions and provide greater flexibility and autonomy
in how the Council could use this funding given the wider pressures
and demands faced by key local services and in addressing what he
felt to be the current poor state of the borough.  In closing, he felt the £150m SCIL reserve
identified could make a significant contribution towards addressing
the issues residents were concerned about and therefore was keen to
encourage ongoing lobbying of Government to allow Councils to
decide how to spend that money and avoid the need for further cuts
to services.
 
Having noted the comments made by Councillor
Lorber and welcoming and supporting the approach taken and
recommendations made 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 2025/26, with 2% as a
precept for Adult Social Care and a 2.99% general increase.
 
(2)       
To recommend to Full Council the General Fund revenue budget for
2025/26, as summarised in Appendices A and B of the
report.
 
(3)       
To recommend to Full Council the savings proposals for 2025/26 as
set out in Appendices C (i) and C (ii) of the report.
 
(4)       
To note the Equalities Impact Assessments on the budget proposals,
as set out in Appendices C (iii) and C (iv) of the
report.
 
(5)       
To note and endorse the report from the Budget Scrutiny Task Group
in Appendix D of the report.
 
(6)       
To recommend to Full Council the HRA budget and business plan for
2025/26, as set out in section eight and appendix O of the
report.
 
(7)       
To agree, for final approval by Council, the HRA rents for council
dwellings, tenant service charges and garages as set out in section
eight of the report.
 
(8)       
To agree the rents set under the Housing General Fund for Brent
Housing PFI and traveller’s site pitches and to note the
rents for Hillside dwellings as set out in section eight of the
report.
 
(9)       
To note the Dedicated Schools Grant, as
set out in section nine of the report.
 
(10)   
To recommend to Full Council the changes to the existing Capital
Programme in relation to additions of new schemes and reprofiling,
as set out in section ten of this report, and note the Capital
Pipeline Schemes in Appendix E of the report.
 
(11)   
To recommend to Full Council the Capital Strategy, the Non-Treasury
Investment Strategy, the Treasury Management Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement
as set out in Appendices F, G, H and I of the report.
 
(12)   
To recommend to Full Council the Reserves Strategy and schedule of
reserves, as set out in Appendices J (i) and J (ii) of the
report.
 
(13)   
To agree, and where relevant agree to recommend to Full Council the
schedule of fees and charges, as set out in Appendix K (ii) of the
report.
 
(14)   
To note the results of the budget consultation, as set out in
section seven and detailed in Appendices L (i) and L (ii) of the
report.
 
(15)   
To note the legal advice from the Corporate Director, Law and Governance, as set out in Appendix M of the
report.
 
(16)   
To note the decision of the Corporate Director, Finance and
Resources to continue as part of the Eight Authority Business Rates
pool in 2025/26 as set out in section six of the report.
 
(17)   
To note the changes to waste policy, notably the Extended Producer
Responsibility (ERP) for packaging from 2025 and agree to recommend
to Full Council for the funding to be
transferred to reserves in 2025/26.
 
To also note and approve the recommendations
identified for consideration by Full Council as detailed in section
2.18 – 2.37 of the report.
 
Eligible for call-in: No (report and
recommendations referred to Council)