The Bracknell Forest Council Cabinet met on 23 September 2025, and among the decisions made, they approved a strategic procurement plan for utilities, endorsed a strategic response to address a projected budget gap, and reviewed the progress of the Bracknell Forest Cambium Partnership. The Cabinet also received updates on the council's financial position and performance against the Council Plan.

Here's a breakdown of the key topics discussed:

Budget Update

The Cabinet received an update on the council's current and future financial prospects, including the predicted impact of the government's proposed Fair Funding 2.0 reforms. The report noted a predicted £18.75m budget gap over three years and the Cabinet endorsed a strategic response to address it.

The report highlighted that the returns provided by all directorates included a forecast variance against the approved budget plus any emerging issues that are likely to affect the position but cannot be accurately quantified at this point. Across the Council, variances have been identified indicating expenditure below the approved budget (-£2.847m), after taking into account the balance on the Corporate Contingency (£3.992m). Once Emerging Issues are included, the underspend reduces to -£0.570m.

The Cabinet agreed to note:

• The Council's predicted current year financial position.
• The predicted impact of the proposed Fair Funding 2.0 reforms and the responses submitted to the government's consultation on the reforms by officers and Councillors representing all political groups.
• The Council's predicted medium-term financial prospects based on the assumptions detailed in the report.
• The proposed strategic response to address the projected budget gap of £18.75m over the three years to 2028/29.

The proposed strategic response includes:

• Ensuring the financial resilience and sustainability of the council.
• Empowering more and innovate for better outcomes.

The design principles to help guide thinking as strategic plans are being developed are:

• Empowering communities
• Collaborating and innovating for results
• Continuous evidence-based decisions

Bracknell Forest Cambium Partnership Annual Review

The Cabinet reviewed the progress of the Bracknell Forest Cambium Partnership, a joint venture with Countryside Partnerships (now part of the Vistry Group), for the period December 2023 to December 2024, and approved the proposed JV Business Plan.

The partnership was formed to develop council-owned sites in and around Bracknell town centre¹. The strategic objectives for the Joint Venture were determined by the council and are enshrined in the legal partnership agreement and included in the Joint Venture business plan to clearly show its expected strategic direction, as follows:

• support and help the Council deliver its strategic plan;
• proactively facilitate the physical delivery of the strategic vision for the town centre;
• deliver new commercial and residential uses that support the on-going regeneration of the town centre contributing to economic development, and a balance of daytime and evening trade and activity;
• deliver development of high design quality, setting the bar for further future development;
• enable the provision of affordable residential homes, space for specific commercial occupiers and typologies, and new community facilities to ensure development delivers benefits for all;
• maximise regeneration potential by responding flexibly to each opportunity and leveraging development expertise and resource to identify new opportunities, including with other public sector partners; and
• provide long term revenue streams to the Council to support future service delivery and furtherance of the objectives under the Council's strategic plan whilst managing risk exposure per site

Progress included:

• Completion of construction at Coopers Hill for 52 homes (13 of which are affordable homes) with sales of the final home expected to complete in September 2025.
• Drawdown of the long leasehold interest in land at Market Street and the commencement of above ground construction works to deliver 169 high quality affordable and private for sale homes in the heart of Bracknell town centre along with commercial offerings on the ground floor of Market Street. Of those homes, 29 will be shared ownership and 52 will be social rent.
• Initial design and feasibility work on the Depot site and initial discussions with the Local Planning Authority regarding a planning application
• Award of the demolition contract for the High Street Car Park with a view to achieving a clear site by the end of 2026
• Following approval of the Town Centre Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document in October 2024, approval to carry out high level feasibility studies for the Southern Gateway area and High Street Car Park.

Work has paused on the Depot site to enable housing associations to assess the impact of the Government spending review in June this year. There have been early conversations with the Local Planning Authority to agree the approach to development on the site and the ambition remains to bring the site forward in line with the Initial Site Development Plan (ISDP) which was approved in October 2023.

The JV has been awarded the demolition for the High Street Car Park and had approval from the council to being high level feasibility studies in line with the Town Centre Masterplan for Southern Gateway. This will also include opportunities for the future development of the High Street Car Park site. The ambitions for the area include provision of new, high quality commercial space and homes, enhanced public open space and improved connectivity to and from the town centre on foot, cycle and public transport. The area will support the town centre economy and provide new cultural and community facilities.

Procurement Plan and Delegation of Award of Contract for Utilities

The Cabinet approved the Strategic Procurement Plan for utilities (electricity, gas and water) and delegated the decision to award the contract to the Executive Director: Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration.

The current framework for electricity and gas will expire on 20 February 2027, with a required notice period of 370 days in advance. The proposal for future procurement will bring the purchase of these utilities including an energy services function into a co terminus framework and under one framework provider with the purchase of water supplies. The preferred framework will be contracted for an initial period of 4 years with the option to extend for a further 4 years.

Council Plan Overview Report - Q1

The Cabinet noted the council's performance between April and June 2025, as highlighted in the Council Plan Overview Report, and reviewed the recommendations made by Overview and Scrutiny.

Some of the highlights from the report included:

• Formal adoption of the council's 2025–2030 Climate Change Strategy, with implementation already underway across services. During the quarter, the publication of Bracknell Forest's 2025 Climate Emergency UK score showed a marked improvement on the previous result, exceeding the single-tier local authority average.
• Adoption of the Unison Anti-Racism Charter by Bracknell Forest Council, marked by a launch event on 23 June. A work plan is being developed, informed by the annual Workforce Monitoring Report due to be finalised in Q2.
• Completion of extensive refurbishment works at the temporary site of Hawthorn Academy, a specialist school for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. The site passed its pre-registration Ofsted inspection and is ready to welcome its first cohort in September 2025.
• Approval of the Local Transport Plan 4 (2025–2037) by Cabinet in April, following public consultation. Formal adoption by Council is scheduled for early July.
• Cabinet approval of a kerbside glass recycling scheme, to add to plastics, foil, tins, paper and card already collected. A plan is now being developed to provide all households with a slim-line wheelie bin, whilst flats will be provided with larger communal bins.
• Adoption of the Asset Management Plan by Cabinet in June, setting out how the council will manage property assets to support local priorities, stimulate growth and generate income through innovative approaches.

Social Care Provider Update

The Cabinet delegated authority to negotiate the exit agreement with the current social care provider and finalise the transition arrangements to the new provider to the Executive Director: Resources and Executive Director: People in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Adults and Public Health and Finance and Corporate Improvement. The Cabinet also agreed that the required procurement process is undertaken in line with the Procurement Act 2023 to secure the long-term delivery of the service.