Decision Maker:

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: February 20, 2025

Purpose:

Content: RESOLVED   That Council   a) approved the 2025-26 Revenue Budget as set out in this report, which includes and sets:           i.               a budget requirement of £828.065m including the Dedicated Schools Grant of £427.219m resulting in a net revenue budget requirement for the General Fund of £400.846m as set out in Appendix A.   ii.              a total Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes of £214.835m as contained in paragraph 5.26.   iii.             an average Band D Council Tax of £1,827.06 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, as set out within the separate Council Tax Resolution Report attached at Appendix K.   iv.            pressures of £51.8m, including adjustments for the reversal of one-off funding in 2024-25, and savings, efficiencies and income proposals of £26.3m as detailed in Appendix B.   v.              the provisional Dedicated Schools Grant budget of £427.2m for 2025-26, as detailed in Appendix C, and summarised in paragraphs 5.47 to 5.85.   vi.            the draft planned use of, contribution to, and movement in, reserves as identified in paragraph 5.40, section 9 and Appendix D of the report, subject to the final call on reserves as a result of the Final Financial Settlement or other changes.   vii.           corporate budget requirements as set out in paragraph 8.1, including a contingency sum of £2.8m as set out in paragraph 8.2.   viii.          the Treasury Management Strategy for 2025-26 as set out in Appendix H including the Authorised Borrowing Limit of £749.084m.   ix.            the recommended Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy as set out in Section 10 and Appendix J.   b)    delegated authority to the Executive Director of Finance and Performance (Section 151 Officer) in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and Transformation to agree any necessary variations to the budget prior to 1st April 2025.   c)    delegated authority to the Executive Director of Finance and Performance (Section 151 Officer) in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and Transformation to agree the use of the following reserves which will provide the flexibility to manage the overall budget during 2025-26.   ·       Transformation Reserve ·       Public Health Reserve ·       Waste Management Reserve ·       Adult Social Care Reserve ·       Smoothing Reserve ·       Business Rates Retention Reserve   d)    noted the forecast financial position for 2026-27 to 2028-29, noting that this will be reviewed as further information becomes available and updated as part of the budget process for 2026-27 onwards.   e)    noted that the financial position has been based on the Final Local Government Settlement announced on 3rd February 2025.   f)      considered the consultation feedback as summarised in the report and attached at Appendix E.   g)    noted the Equality Impact Screening Assessment as at Appendix F as having been taken into consideration.   h)    considered the outcome from the Corporate Scrutiny Committee, as detailed at Appendix G.   i)      considered the Section 25 Report of the Executive Director of Finance and Performance (Section 151 Officer) as set out in Section 15, including her review of the robustness of the estimates and the adequacy of the reserves.   j)      delegated authority to the Executive Director for Children’s Services and the Executive Director of Finance and Performance (Section 151 Officer) in consultation with Executive Member for Children, Education and Skills and the Executive Member for Finance and Transformation 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 Schools Funding Formula;   k)    delegated authority to the Executive Director of Finance and Performance (Section 151 Officer) in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and Transformation 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.     Council Tax Setting   That Council:   a)       noted the legal background to setting the budget and Council tax as set out in Appendix I.   b)       approved the Council Tax Resolution attached as Appendix K to this report which is based on the budget proposals, and which:   ·       Calculates the Council tax requirement in accordance with Section 31A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011.   ·       Calculates a basic amount of Council Tax and an amount of tax for each valuation band (the Council element) in accordance with Sections 31B and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992, as amended.   ·       Sets an amount of Council Tax for each category of dwellings in each valuation band in accordance with Section 30 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992.     Reason for Recommendations: To ensure that the Council complies with its Constitution and legislative requirements in setting the budget for North Northamptonshire Council from 2025-26.   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.     In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, the names of the councillors voting for the decision, against the decision or abstaining from voting are as follows:-   For the decision:- (32)   Paul Bell David Brackenbury Wendy Brackenbury Cedwien Brown Lloyd Bunday Jon-Paul Carr Robin Carter Melanie Coleman Scott Edwards Clive Hallam Helen Harrison Larry Henson Helen Howell David Howes Philip Irwin Bert Jackson King Lawal Graham Lawman Lora Lawman Bill McElhinney Paul Marks Dorothy Maxwell Andy Mercer Gill Mercer Macaulay Nichol Tom Partridge-Underwood Russell Roberts Mark Rowley Jason Smithers Malcolm Ward Andrew Weatherill Lee Wilkes     Against the decision:- (12)   Jean Addison Leanne Buckingham Lyn Buckingham William Colquhoun Martin Griffiths Jim Hakewill Matt Keane Anne Lee John McGhee Zoe McGhee Mark Pengelly Simon Rielly     Abstaining from the decision:- (1)   Keli Watts