Purpose

To recommend for approval to
Council the General Fund Final Budget 2026-27 and MTFP

 

Content

RESOLVED:

 

KEY DECISION

 

(i)            
To endorse the contents of the
report and to recommend the budget proposals onto Council for
approval. 
This includes:

 

a)           
The 2026/27 Revenue Budget for
approval and adoption as set out in the report, which
includes:

 

i.              
An estimated net revenue budget of
£891.3m (£458.8m including the Dedicated Schools Grant)
as set out in Appendix A of the report, noting that this is subject
to further update and change following the publication of the Final
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 £47.3m,
including adjustments for the reversal of one-off funding in
2026-27, and savings, efficiencies and income proposals of
£20.1m as detailed in Appendix A of the report.

 

iv.          
The provisional Dedicated Schools
Grant budget of £458.8m 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.

 

vi.          
Corporate budget requirements as
set out in Appendix A of the report, including a contingency sum of
£2.4m.

 

vii.        
The recommended Flexible Use of
Capital Receipts Strategy as set out in Appendix A pages 155 to 159
of the report.

 

viii.       
That Council delegate authority to
the Executive Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) in
consultation with the Executive Member for Finance, Efficiency and
Change to agree any necessary variations to the budget prior to
1st
April 2026.

 

ix.          
That Council delegate authority to
the Executive Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) in
consultation with the Executive Member for Finance, Efficiency and
Change to agree the use of the following reserves which will
provide the flexibility to manage the overall budget during
2026-27:

 

•        
Transformation Reserve

•        
Public Health Reserve

•        
Waste Management
Reserve

•        
Adult Social Care
Reserve

•        
Smoothing Reserve

•        
Business Rates Retention
Reserve

 

(ii)          
That the Executive:

 

(a)         
Noted that the financial position
has been based on the Provisional Local Government Finance
Settlement announced on 17th
December 2025 together with any
further announcements and updates to the budget position as at the
date of the publication of this report.

 

(b)         
Noted that, at the time of
writing, the Final Local Government Settlement is yet to be
published and, therefore, some figures may be subject to
change.

 

(c)          
Considered the consultation
feedback as summarised in the report and attached at Appendix C of
the report.

 

(d)         
Considered the Equality Impact
Screening Assessment as at Appendix B of the report.

 

(e)         
Delegated authority to the
Executive Director for Children’s Services and the Executive
Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) in consultation with the
Executive Member for Children’s Services and the Executive
Member for Finance, Efficiency and Change to approve North
Northamptonshire’s DSG budgets and Schools Funding Formula
and to finalise the funding allocation for schools, in line with
North Northamptonshire’s School Funding Formula.

 

(f)           
Delegated authority to the
Executive Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) in consultation
with the Executive Member for Finance, Efficiency and Change to
draft the recommended budget resolution for Council in accordance
with the necessary legal requirements and to take into account the
decisions of the Executive and any final changes and other
technical adjustments that may be required.

 

Reason
for Recommendation

 

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

 

The budgets have been subject to a
formal budget consultation and scrutiny and the feedback has been
considered as part of this process.