The Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority Executive Committee is scheduled to convene on Wednesday, 4 February 2026. The meeting's agenda includes discussions on the Medium Term Financial Plan, the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, and the Budget Monitoring Report.

Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2026/27 to 2030/31

A key item for discussion is the proposed Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for the financial years 2026/27 to 2030/31. This plan is closely linked to the Service's Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) 2025-2030. The report outlines the proposed revenue and capital budgets, taking into account the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2026-27. It details assumptions regarding council tax increases, business rates, and grant funding, noting a significant decrease in non-council tax funding due to the Fair Funding Assessment¹. The plan also includes the capital programme, which features funding for a proposed local training facility and the redevelopment of High Wycombe Fire Station². The adequacy of reserves is also assessed, with a projected General Fund Balance of £2.0m and earmarked reserves of £0.2m. The Chief Finance Officer's statement confirms the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of reserves.

The Prudential Code, Prudential Indicators and Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP)

The committee will consider the Prudential Code, Prudential Indicators, and Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) policy statement. These are required to support the MTFP and set the financial limits within which the Authority will operate. The report indicates that the Authority has no plans for additional external borrowing in the foreseeable future. The authorised limit for 2026/27 is recommended to be set at £2.5m higher than the operational boundary limit to allow for effective cashflow management and the implementation of IFRS 16 Leasing³. The Minimum Revenue Provision is a statutory charge against the General Fund, estimated at £47k for 2025/26. The Prudential Code aims to ensure that capital investment plans are affordable, prudent, and sustainable.

Response to The Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-27: Consultation

The committee will review the Authority's response to the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-27 consultation. This consultation sought views on various aspects of local government funding, including fair funding allocation, transitional arrangements, and council tax referendum principles. The Authority's response, submitted by Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive Louise Harrison, expresses disagreement with the proposed distribution of the total Fair Funding Allocation, arguing that restricting council tax increases unfairly penalises prudent authorities. While agreeing with the transitional arrangements, the Authority disagrees with the proposed council tax referendum principles, stating that the £5 precept flexibility does not go far enough and advocating for the removal of referendum principles for standalone fire and rescue authorities. The response also highlights concerns about the use of a forecast GDP deflator for inflationary increases and the lack of specific capital funding for Fire and Rescue Services.

Budget Monitoring Report April 2025 - December 2025

A budget monitoring report for April to December 2025 will be presented, detailing the Authority's revenue and capital spending position. The report forecasts a projected underspend of £0.867m against a budget of £42.989m. This underspend is primarily attributed to lower direct employee costs due to vacant positions, reduced Airwave costs, one-off income, and investment returns exceeding budget expectations. However, a projected funding shortfall of approximately £0.202m is anticipated due to reduced grant allocations, specifically the removal of the Airwave grant and a significant decrease in the Pension Grant. The report also details capital forecasts, with a projected £5.869m to be carried forward into 2026-27, mainly for property projects.

Members' Scheme of Allowances 2026/27

The committee will consider the proposed Scheme of Allowances for 2026/27. This scheme is based on the principle of indexation with the preceding year's Grey Book pay award⁴. The proposed budget reflects a 3.2% increase, raising the budget for Members' Allowances to £80,259. The report notes that the Authority is required to adopt a Scheme of Members' Allowances before 1 April each year and must have regard to the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panels of the constituent authorities⁵.

Performance Management – Q3 2025/26

The committee will receive a report on performance management for the third quarter of 2025/26. This report details the Service's performance against 56 specific measures defined in the 2025-2030 Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), covering objectives related to risk reduction, protection, emergency response, workforce, finances, and technology. At the end of Q3, 15 measures were rated 'Blue' (better than expected), 24 'Green' (as expected), 9 'Amber' (worse than expected), and 7 'Red' (considerably worse than expected). Highlighted measures include positive trends in Home Fire Safety Visits completed and Fire Safety Audits, as well as data on Over The Border mobilisations into BFRS grounds, which demonstrate collaboration with neighbouring services.

Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting of the Executive Committee will be noted as Wednesday, 18 March 2026, at 10 am.