The Hertfordshire County Council cabinet met on 13 October 2025, and agreed to consult on proposed changes to school admission arrangements, approved a capital re-programming of £21.2 million, endorsed the council's new corporate plan, and agreed to proposed lease and licence arrangements to support a waste transfer station operational contract.

School Admission Arrangements

The cabinet agreed to a consultation on reducing the published admission number (PAN) at four community and voluntary-controlled primary schools for the 2027/28 academic year¹. The schools affected are:

• Kimpton Primary School in Kimpton, from 30 to 15 places
• St Mary's Junior School in Baldock, from 60 to 30
• Leavesden Green Primary School in Watford, from 60 to 30
• Little Green Junior School in Croxley Green, from 90 to 60 places

The council will retain its existing admission arrangements, including PANs, relevant areas, and co-ordination schemes, for 2027/28.

The decision was made because the council must determine admission arrangements and published admission numbers for community and voluntary schools annually. The School Admission Code 2021 requires consultation before amending admission arrangements, except when increasing a school's PAN. A reduction in PAN at these schools will better match places to expected demand, protecting their financial viability.

Finance Budget Monitor

The cabinet reviewed the Finance Budget Monitor Quarter 1 2025/26 report, noting an overspend of £4.2 million driven by pressures in the resources department, adult social care, and community protection. The cabinet agreed to a capital re-programming of £21.2 million.

The cabinet noted:

• a plan to minimise the use of the £10 million contingency
• an upward trend in social care demand and average costs
• departmental mitigations and actions to reduce pressures
• financial demands on the schools' high needs funding block and a forecasted in-year deficit of £51 million, potentially leading to an accumulated deficit of £77 million by year-end
• a capital in-year underspend of £13.8 million due to not purchasing office accommodation and a reduction in housing loans to Herts Living Ltd
• underlying risks in the capital programme that could cause delays and additional costs

The Net Revenue Budget of £1.2 billion is forecasting an overspend of £4.2 million (0.4%), assuming no use of the £10 million contingency. This forecast includes the successful delivery of 96% of the £42 million savings programme.

Schools Funding

Stephen Pillsworth, Director of Finance, noted that the funding the council receives from the government is woefully insufficient for the needs of children, and that the council will be spending £50 million more than the grant available to meet their educational needs.

In response, a councillor asked how the council was highlighting this concern to the public, given the impact of the fair funding formula². The Leader of the Council, Steve Jarvis, said that the council would continue to make the public aware and lobby Hertfordshire's MPs and ministers about the potential impact of funding reductions.

Another councillor pointed out that the failure of central government to provide adequate funding has a direct effect on the borrowing costs that the council incurs, which he estimated to be around £4 million a year and climbing. He said that he looked expectantly to see what the Education White Paper would bring out later in the autumn, but that the current situation was untenable nationally and particularly damaging for Hertfordshire.

Capital Programme

The Capital Programme is forecasting an underspend of £13.8 million for 2024/25 and re-programming of £21.2 million into later years.

Significant variances against the latest approved budget for 2025/26 and risks include:

• Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD)/Physical and Neurological Impairment (PNI) West (Schools & Children's Services): The scheme has been delayed due to the discovery of adverse ground conditions that requires mitigation in the form of grouting and changes to foundation design, resulting in a request to reprogramme -£5.0m.
• Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Longfield training facility (Community Protection): A budget pressure was identified at Riba Stage 3 which meant the scheme had to be descoped. Due to earlier delays in the programme, reprogramming of -£6.6 million is requested into 2026/27.
• Office acquisition (Resources): The acquisition of office accommodation will be no longer be proceeding following the withdrawal of the offer from the market. An underspend of -£9.8m is therefore reported with the resultant saving in capital financing costs used to mitigate the ongoing costs of leasing the property.
• Housing Development Loans (Resources): An underspend of -£4.0m is reported as the loans that will be advanced to Herts Living Ltd during 2025/26 are lower than originally forecast based on the schedule of sites to be disposed of.
• Brookfield Riverside and Garden Village (Resources): Based on revised timescales for achieving planning consent, completing infrastructure and relocation design work and obtaining full business case approval, reprogramming of -£3.9m is requested.
• Net Zero Exercise (Resources): The commencement of the solar panels programme has been delayed while the scope of works is being prepared, therefore -£1.0m is requested to be reprogrammed which will delay delivery of the revenue savings associated with the scheme.

Corporate Plan

The cabinet endorsed the council's new corporate plan for 2025-2028, subject to minor amendments, and recommended that the county council note the plan at its meeting on 21 October 2025.

The plan outlines the vision of Building a sustainable, inclusive and thriving Hertfordshire and the following priority objectives:

• Helping all children and young people to thrive and achieve their potential
• Fixing Hertfordshire's roads and buses
• Growing a more sustainable Hertfordshire
• Supporting those most in need
• Delivering more

The development of this plan follows the delivery of an initial 100-day plan introduced by the new administration following the elections.

Several councillors commented on the plan:

• Paul Zukowskyj, Executive member for Environment, Transport and Growth, highlighted the highway safety measures, including the rollout of 20 mph zones, which he said would make places safer and healthier.
• Adrian England, Executive member for Sustainability, said that sustainability can save energy and drive efficiency, and helps to de-risk against future costs.
• Stephen Giles-Medhurst OBE, Executive member for Highways, thanked officers for their engagement with the new administration and their receptiveness to suggested changes.
• Mark Watkin, Executive member for Education, SEND and Inclusion, said that it was critical that schools become more inclusive, and that the council would be creating an inclusion alliance to encourage schools to see the benefits of being able to educate a wider range of children.
• Sally Symington, Deputy Leader of the Council; Executive member for Adult Care Services; Chair Health & Well-being Board; Vice-Chair Employment Committee, said that she was pleased that supporting those most in need was one of the council's key priorities, and that the council planned to provide and develop additional adult care and social care accommodation to meet the growing need.
• Anthony Rowlands, Executive member for Children's Social Care, expressed appreciation for the support that the new administration had received in respect of children's social care since May, and said that the plan was coherent and joined up.
• Ajanta Hilton, Executive member for Public Health and Community Safety, said that she was pleased to see the preventative measures going in, and that she could see those coming into force already.

Waste Transfer Station Operational Contract

The cabinet agreed to enter into new lease and licence arrangements relating to the new waste services haulage contract, and delegated authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and the Executive Director of Resources, in consultation with the Executive Director of Growth and Environment and relevant executive members, to agree the terms of the legal documents required to support the waste transfer station operational contract.

The decision was made because the current waste services contract with FCC Recycling UK Ltd expires on 30 June 2026, and a new contract has been awarded to Veolia ES (UK) Limited. The new lease and licence arrangements are required to reflect the change in contractor.