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The Cabinet considered
a report of the Director of Corporate Services and Chief Finance
Officer, which outlined the proposed Revenue Budget, Capital
Programme and Council Tax for 2025/26 and the provisional budget
for 2026/27 and 2027/28, for recommendation to Budget Council on
26th February 2025. The information contained in the report was
subject to the approval of the Mayor of Greater Manchester Council
Tax precepts for 2025/26.
 
The report also
outlined the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025/26 to 2029/30. The
Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) provided the latest budget
position for the Council, set out the key financial challenges and
issues which would be faced over the
period, and provided details of the assumptions and estimates which
underpinned the budget. The strategy also took account of the
latest known developments both regional and at a local level.
 
The report author
was in attendance to present the
information and to address the questions and the comments of the
Cabinet Members and of the Leader of the Conservative Group.
 
Additionally, the
report author provided an update on the Township funding which was
being set at £8,000 per ward instead of £10,000 as
outlined in the report.
 
Cabinet Members noted
the update. The Leader observed that £8,000 per ward was
additional funding to what was already being
allocated to Townships on annual basis.
 
Furthermore, based on
the Budget position outlined in the report, the Cabinet agreed to
withdraw the proposed efficiencies/savings relating to the Bowling
Greens and to the Middleton Crematorium.
 
Resolved:
1.   
That the proposed revenue budget position outlined in Appendix 1 of
the report, based on a budget requirement of £331.642m for
2025/26 be considered and recommended to Budget Council for
approval;
2.   
That, subject to confirmation of the Mayor of Greater Manchester
precepts,

a)   
A Council Tax for district purposes of £2,058.84 for Band D
properties (4.99% increase) for 2025/26, be considered and
recommended to Budget Council for approval;

b)   
A Council Tax (including precepts) of £2,458.09 for Band D
properties (5.49% increase) be considered and recommended to Budget
Council for approval;
3.   
That  the proposed Capital Programme for
2025/26 to 2029/30 as detailed at Appendix 4 of the report, noting
that some of the assumed external funding included in the programme
was still subject to clarification from Government and in some
cases may involve bids for funding, be considered and recommended
to Budget Council for approval. It be noted that all approvals were
subject to confirmation of funding allocations;
4.   
That the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025/26 to 2029/30,
as detailed in Appendix 6 of the report be considered and
recommended to Budget Council for approval;
5.   
That the updated Pay Policy statement, as detailed in Appendix 7 of
the report, be considered and recommended to Budget Council for
approval;
6.   
That the updated Reserves Policy, as detailed in Appendix 8 of the
report be considered and recommended to Budget Council for
approval;
7.   
That, based on the Budget position outlined in the report, the
proposed efficiencies/savings relating to the Bowling Greens and to
the Middleton Crematorium be withdrawn. It be noted that the
outcome of the consultation on the remaining budget
efficiencies/savings included in Appendix 9 of the report would be
reported back to a future Cabinet and the proposed
efficiencies/savings would be implemented subject to the
outcome;
8.   
That the decision regarding any changes to the final allocations
for the Dedicated Schools Grant be delegated to the Director of
Children’s Services in consultation with the Chief Finance
Officer and the Cabinet Members for Children’s Services and
Finance and Growth, and the Leader of the Council;
9.   
That it be noted that the
Council’s share of the forecast 2024/25 Collection Fund
surplus was £4.929m. £2m would be transferred to the
General Fund Reserve and £2.929m would be transferred to the
Equalisation Reserve as part of the 2025/26 budget as detailed in
section 5.1.4 of the report;
10. That the transfer of reserves to top-up the
Transformation Reserve to £5m to enable delivery of the
programme and savings forecasted within the MTFS as detailed in
4.9.5 of the report be noted;
11. That the creation of the Growth Reserve to
support in year pressures in social care and housing as detailed in
4.9.4 of the report ne noted.
 
Reason for
decision:
Cabinet members were
required to consider and recommend a balanced 2025/26 Revenue
Budget to Budget Council, and provisional budgets for 2026/27 and
2027/28. The Council was required to set a balanced budget for
2025/26 by 11th March 2025.
 
The Revenue Budget and
Medium Term Financial Strategy were key elements of the budget
setting process.
 
Alternatives
considered and rejected:
The Council was
legally obliged to set a balanced budget. The budget setting
process was complex and had to be
undertaken in a planned way, and numerous alternatives were
considered in arriving at the proposals put forward in the report.
It was equally important that assumptions used in the preparation
of the budget were agreed, reasonable
and consistently applied by all services.