Purpose

To consider and approve the
revised General Fund Budget and Capital Programme for 2025/26 and
consider and recommend to Council:
 
·        
the General Fund Budget Estimates 2026/27 and the
Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2026/27 and to 2030/31
·        
the Council Tax levels for 2026/27
·        
the Capital Programme 2026/27-2028/29
·        
the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Capital
Strategy and Annual Treasury Investment Strategy for
2026/27.

 
 

Content

AGREED that:
 

(i)           
The revised estimates for 2025/26 as set out in
Section 6 and Appendix A showing an estimated surplus of
£107k which will be transferred to the Budget Equalisation
Reserve be approved,
 

and to recommend to Council that:

 

(ii)         
the General Fund revenue budget for 2026/27 as set
out in Section 7 and Appendix A be approved,

(iii)        
the Medium-Term Financial Strategy as outlined in
the report and Appendix B be adopted,

(iv)        
the Capital Programme and funding statement as set
out in Appendix D be approved,

(v)         
the adoption of the additional Business Rates Relief
measures as detailed in Section 5 using Discretionary Relief Powers
be approved

(vi)        
the expenses detailed in Section 10 be approved to
be treated as general expenses for 2026/27,

(vii)       
the Port Health levy for 2026/27 be set as shown in
Section 11

(viii)      
the current working age Council Tax Support Scheme
be adopted with effect from 1 April 2026 as set out in Section 13,
with appropriate changes to the prescribed pensioner scheme as
determined by regulations,

(ix)        
the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Minimum
Revenue Provision Policy Statement (including amending the MRP
calculation to be based on the ‘Annuity method’ from
2025/26 onwards), Treasury Investment Strategy, Prudential and
Treasury Indicators for 2026/27 and Capital Strategy 2026/27 as set
out in Section 14 and Appendix E be approved,

(x)         
the Band D Council Tax level for Fenland District
Council services for 2026/27 be set at £253.35, a reduction
on the current year.