Purpose

To seek recommendation to Council to approve the 2026-27 Budget
and MTFP

Content

RESOLVED
 
KEY DECISION 
 
That the Executive:
 

a)  Approved for consultation the 2026-27 Draft
Revenue Budget, which includes:
 

i.                    
an estimated net revenue budget of
£872.4m (£441.8m including the Dedicated Schools Grant)
as set out in Appendix A, noting that this is subject to further
update and change following the publication of the provisional
Local Government Finance Settlement.
 

ii.                  
Band D Equivalent Council Tax of
£1,918.23 for North Northamptonshire Council, representing an
increase of 2.99% in the ‘core’ Council Tax and a
further 2% for the Adult Social Care Precept.
 

iii.                
pressures of £47.0m,
including adjustments for the reversal of one-off funding in
2026-27, and savings, efficiencies and income proposals of
£21.3m as detailed in Appendix A.
 

iv.               
the provisional Dedicated Schools
Grant budget of £441.2m for 2026-27, pending the final
settlement.
 

v.                 
the draft planned use of reserves
is set out in Appendix A of the report, noting the reserves will be
reviewed again after the Finance Settlement and prior to the final
budget proposals, to consider the risk applying at that
time.
 

b)   For
the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG):
 

i.                    
Noted the provisional allocations
of the funding for the Schools Block, and the Central School
Services Block, and note that the High Needs Block and Early Years
Block will be updated when the provisional allocations are
announced by the DfE.

 

ii.                  
Following consultation with the
Schools Forum, delegated authority to the Executive Director of
Finance and Performance (S151 Officer) and  Executive Director for Children’s
Services, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and
Efficiency and Executive Member for Children’s, Education and
Families to determine the DSG 2026-27 schools funding formula, high
needs funding arrangements and the early years funding formula in
line with Department for Education guidance.
 

c) Approved for consultation the General Fund
Capital Programme 2026-30 and HRA Capital Programme
2026-30. 

 

d)  Endorsed the budget consultation process as
outlined at paragraphs 5.16 to 5.20 which commences following the
approval of the recommendations in this report.
 

e) Noted that the funding allocations are
estimates only at this stage and will not be confirmed until the
publication of the final Local Government Finance Settlement in
late Jan / early Feb.

 

f) Delegated authority to the Executive Director
of Finance (S151 Officer) in consultation with the Executive Member
for Finance and Efficiency to amend the draft budget following the
publication of the provisional Local Government Finance
Settlement.

 

 

Reason for Recommendations: To
ensure that the Council complies with its Constitution and
legislative requirements in setting the budget for North
Northamptonshire Council from 2026-27.

 

Alternative Options Considered
– This is the start of the formal budget consultation for the
General Fund and any comments from the consultation, together with
any changes from the Finance Settlement, will be considered as part
of this process to inform the need for alternative
options.