The Public Cabinet of Bexley Council met on Monday 26 January 2026 to discuss the council's performance, budget monitoring, medium-term financial strategy, and transformation programme. Key decisions included noting the performance report, approving the budget monitoring position, and noting and approving recommendations related to the medium-term financial strategy.

Bexley Performance Report

The council reviewed its performance for the quarter ending September 2025, as detailed in the Bexley status report Q2 25. Ten exceptions were highlighted, indicating sustained trends or variances outside normal parameters. Positive performance was noted in the proportion of social care users receiving self-directed support and direct payments, with performance comparable to London and England averages. The number of household waste sent for reuse, recycling, or composting stood at 46.6%, an increase from the previous year, and the percentage of people in sustained employment reached 81.9%. Attendances at leisure centres also showed an upward trend, exceeding 570,000 for the year.

Areas requiring closer attention included the percentage of care leavers accessing employment, education, and training, which remained below expectations despite an improving trend. The rate of first-time entrants to the youth justice system was also highlighted as a higher-than-expected outlier, influenced by an increase in such entries in the final quarter of 2024-25.

Councillor Noe praised the Planning Department's performance and noted that approximately 33% of new homes delivered were affordable, exceeding the Mayor of London's target by 13%. He also addressed concerns regarding building control, acknowledging that while figures might appear challenging, significant work was underway to improve performance in a difficult market.

The report also highlighted progress in recycling, with figures expected to be close to 50% for the year. The rollout of the food waste service to flats had reached over 70%, and a new reuse shop at the Footscray Recycling Depot was reported to be thriving.

Councillor Burr raised a query regarding the clarity of complaint data, specifically instances where no fault found was recorded despite commentary indicating fault. An amended version of the report was promised to address this.

The Cabinet was asked to note the report.

Budget Monitoring

The council reviewed its financial performance for the period ending November 2025, as presented in the Budget Monitor November - Period 8 - Public Cabinet - font 12 for Kevin. Overall cost containment was praised, with general fund overspends below 1% of the total budget.

Councillor Taylor highlighted a reduction in the overspend within children's social care and commended the work on bearing down on costs for looked-after service placements, attributing this success to the growth and stability of the council's foster care numbers.

Councillor Diamond drew attention to an anticipated underspend of £1.6 million in environmental services, largely due to improved recycling rates and reduced waste disposal costs. He also provided an update on highways spending, confirming that instructions totalling £919,000 had been issued for maintenance work, and £5.4 million for Bexley's capital programme. The council's road network received a green rating from the Department for Transport, with an average score of 86, placing it among the top local authorities nationally for road condition. Councillor Diamond also criticised the Prime Minister for alleged misinformation regarding the council's highway funding.

Councillor Newton welcomed the receipt of dedicated schools grant funding as part of the safety valve programme and highlighted initiatives to support young people experiencing emotionally-based school avoidance (EBSA), including training, toolkits, and parent-carer support groups.

Councillor Bishop reported on the positive performance of housing services, noting a reduction in temporary accommodation numbers and positioning Bexley as the best-performing borough in London for prevention.

Councillor Burrero questioned the methodology behind the highways performance scores, suggesting that while an average score placed Bexley seventh, individual road category scores varied significantly.

The Cabinet was asked to note and approve the budget monitoring position, slippage and accelerated spend in the capital programme, and additions and deletions to the capital programme.

Medium-Term Financial Strategy

The council discussed its Medium Term Financial Strategy for the period 2026-27 to 2029-30. The strategy aims to demonstrate a balanced budget for 2026-27 and a plan for continued investment in services.

The provisional local government finance settlement was noted, with a headline increase in spending power. However, a detailed analysis revealed a decrease in grant funding after the first year, increasing the council's reliance on council tax. Residual budget gaps are forecast for the years 2027-28 through to 2029-30, ranging from £8.3 million to £17.9 million. Significant capital investment exceeding £25.6 million is planned over the MTFS period.

The Leader expressed thanks to officers for their work on the strategy, noting that the settlement was not favourable for Bexley, with core spending power being squeezed. Despite this, the council is in a strong position due to robust financial controls and planning. The strategy includes provisions for investment in frontline services, pay increases, contract inflation, and service growth.

Councillor Aar outlined the new growth strategy, which aims to attract investment, focus on well-being, skills, employment, and job creation, and reduce long-term costs. A new cultural strategy is also being developed to deliver social and economic benefits.

Councillor Diamond provided details on planned capital expenditure for the upcoming year, including £1.154 million for playground equipment replacement and upgrades across several parks, and a £5 million budget for the roads programme. He also addressed concerns about the Freedom Pass, assuring residents that its funding was safe and criticising political gamesmanship surrounding the issue.

The Cabinet was asked to note and approve various recommendations, including noting planning assumptions, approving sale fees and charges, noting officer recommendations on council tax, noting the revised capital programme, and noting the outcome of the local government settlement and the council's response.

Future Bexley Transformation Programme

An update was provided on the Future Bexley - position update FINAL transformation programme, which aims to deliver savings and improve services. The programme has verified £3.63 million in savings for 2026-27, with further savings anticipated in subsequent years through initiatives such as the introduction of advanced practitioner roles and commercialisation of services.

The programme is designed to deliver large-scale, proactive savings, moving away from reliance on one-off investments. Future transformation efforts will also focus on a whole-life approach to Children's Services and the integration of personalisation, digital solutions, and integrated working within Adult Social Care and Health to support vulnerable residents.

The Cabinet was asked to note the report for information, including the proposed savings, strategic scope, and the phase 2 roadmap.