The Executive of High Peak Borough Council are scheduled to meet on 9 October 2025 to discuss the first quarter finance, performance and procurement report, revisions to the working age local council tax reduction scheme, and an empty property strategy. The meeting will also include a review of the forward plan. A portion of the meeting will be held in private to discuss information relating to the financial or business affairs of a particular person.

First Quarter Finance, Performance and Procurement Report

The Executive are scheduled to discuss the council's overall performance and financial position for the first quarter of the year. A report on the First Quarter Finance, Performance and Procurement Report includes a summary of performance and the forecast financial position after considering service activity. Detailed analysis is to be provided in the appendices, covering finance (Appendix A), procurement (Appendix B), and performance (Appendix C).

The report includes the following headlines:

• Finance: The General Fund provisional outturn for 2025/26 is forecast as a £158,530 underspend. £48,140 in efficiencies have been identified so far in the year, with a further £61,610 to be found. The Housing Revenue Account is forecast to be in deficit by £1,363,822, which is £293,722 more than anticipated in the revised budget. The General Fund Capital Programme budget is forecast to underspend by £1.156million, and the HRA Programme is forecast to underspend by £1.63million. Cash investments totalled £18.6million and external borrowing was £73.3 million. There is a forecast £147,800 overspend on net interest cost. Council Tax collection was at 28.35% (28.44% previous year), and Business Rates collection was at 31.00% (31.37% previous year). Sundry debt over 60 days old totalled £450,958, across 165 invoices.
• Procurement: 40 procurement activities were completed. The Procurement forward plan includes 52 procurement activities for completion/start in 2025/26. Procurement performance was at 96%.
• Performance: 71% of the key performance indicators were on track to be met, with 34% performing better than in the previous year. The Council closed 77 complaints and received 79 comments, 19 MP comments and 14 compliments.

The report also provides an update on the efficiency programme, collaborative arrangements, The Springs shopping centre in Buxton, the Housing Revenue Account, treasury management and revenue collection.

The report notes that the successful delivery of all corporate priorities is dependent upon the effective management of performance and financial resources. It identifies a number of risks to the financial position, which are explained in the financial report attached at Appendix A.

Revised Working Age Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme

The Executive are scheduled to discuss proposed changes to the Council's Council Tax Reduction Scheme, with effect from 1 April 2026. The High Peak Revised Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2026- Permission to Consult report requests permission to undertake a consultation with the major preceptors¹ and the public, as required by legislation.

The proposed changes are designed to:

• Allow all applicants who receive Universal Credit but who do not have any earnings to be allowed the maximum level of support.
• Allow for any payments made under the Post Office Horizon compensation scheme², the infected blood compensation scheme or the LGBT financial recognition scheme to be disregarded when calculating any entitlement.
• Align the temporary absence rules within the current working age scheme to those that are prescribed by central government for the pension age Council Tax Reduction scheme.

The report notes that the current Council Tax Reduction scheme costs approximately £6,946,233.76, which is borne by the Council's Collection Fund. Costs are shared between the Borough Council (11.40%), the County Council (71.60%), the Police and Crime Commissioner (12.90%), and the Fire and Rescue Service (4.10%). The proposed changes are intended to make the current scheme more equitable and easier to administer, and there is no intention to reduce the level of support available to other households. Based on current modelling, were the new scheme to be in place at the current time, the costs would be £12,715.00.

The report states that a full consultation will be undertaken with Derbyshire County Council, the Derbyshire Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime Commissioner, and the public.

Empty Property Strategy

The Executive are scheduled to discuss the Alliance wide Empty Property Strategy 2025 and proposed Enforced Sales policy. The Empty Property Report 15092025 Corporate Select Committee seeks a recommendation of the threshold amount for undertaking enforced sales, and requests that the Strategy and Enforced Sales policy are recommended for approval.

The objectives of the strategy are to:

• Bring empty properties back into use using a range of advice, assistance and support.
• Use enforcement action to bring long term, problematic empty homes back into use.
• Raise awareness of empty property issues.
• Better understand why homes are empty and where possible minimise the number of properties that become long-term empties
• Create accurate information in relation to empty properties
• Balance the need for new build with making the best use of existing stock
• Discourage -anti social behaviour, vandalism, crime or fear of crime
• Improve housing conditions, the vitality of the built environment and prevent the deterioration of the buildings.

The report notes that the delivery of the Strategy is co-ordinated by a cross-service officer working group led by the Executive Director (Resources). Enforced Sales policies have been used effectively by neighbouring councils as an alternative option to Compulsory Purchases and Empty Dwelling Management Orders. They allow authorities to deal with difficult long-term properties through acquiring ownership to sell the property or land at market value, discharging the debt to the Council, with the remainder of the cost paid to the owner / descendants, and ultimately bringing the property back into use.

The report includes the Empty Property Strategy (Appendix A) and Enforced Sales Policy (Appendix B).

Forward Plan

The Executive are scheduled to review the HPBC Forward Plan, which lists the decisions the Executive intends to take during the coming months. The plan includes key decisions to be made between October and December 2025, including a review of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, the Empty Homes Strategy, and the First Quarter Finance Performance and Procurement. It also lists future decisions regarding the Buxton Crescent Hotel, an Arts, Culture & Heritage Strategy, a BNG Habitat Bank³, a Second Quarter Finance Performance and Procurement report, and a Medium Term Financial Plan.