Purpose

The Council has a statutory responsibility to
set a council tax and budget in advance of the commencement of the
new financial year (1 April to 31 March). During the year the
Council will review its spending plans, consider options to amend
spending to meet new priorities and consider comments received as
part of the consultation process.

Content

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet agrees the
additional budget request of £1m to the Acquisitions of Land
or Dwellings be incorporated into the substantive 2026-2027 Budget
and Council Tax report along with the revised Capital Programme,
Appendix B and C as contained withing
FIN/723a

That the Full Council be
recommended to approve the following items regarding the 2026/27
Budget:

a)               
approves the proposed 2026/27 General Fund Budget as
set out in section 6 and Appendix A of report
FIN/723;

b)               
approves the proposed 2026/27 Housing Revenue
Account Budget as set out in section 9 of report
FIN/723 and the updated Appendix B contained
with report FIN/723a;

c)               
approves the 2026/27 and future years Capital
Programme and funding as set out in section 10 of report

FIN/723 and the updated table in paragraph 10.5 detailed in
report FIN/723a including that request of £1m to the Acquisitions of Land or
Dwellings; 

d)               
agrees the transfers between reserves as outlined in
updated Appendix C of the report FIN/723a;

e)               
agrees that the Council’s share of Council Tax
for 2026/27 be increased by 2.99% an increase of £7.15 from
£239.04 to £246.19 for a band D property as set out in
paragraph 5.21 of report
FIN/723;

f)                 
approves the Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27 as
outlined in section 12 and Appendix E of report
FIN/723;

Reasons for the
Recommendations

To provide adequate funding for the proposed
level of services and to fulfil the statutory requirement to set a
Budget and Council Tax and report on the robustness of
estimates.

Increasing the capital programme for the
Acquisition of Land or Dwellings by £1m will allow the
Council to Buy Back properties as they are identified.