This meeting is scheduled to cover a wide range of financial matters, including the Council's budget for 2025-26, the rates at which it will charge fees for its services, its plans to invest in new buildings and infrastructure and the pay of its employees. The meeting is also scheduled to include the appointment of Paul Calaminus to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

It is important to note that this article is based on the documents provided to Councillors ahead of the meeting. It does not necessarily reflect what will actually be discussed or decided at the meeting.

Budget and Council Tax

The most significant item scheduled to be discussed is the Council's budget for the 2025-26 financial year¹, which begins on 1 April 2025.

The report pack includes a draft budget for 2025-26 and outlines the Council's financial strategy for the following three years. It shows the Council's income from sources such as council tax, business rates and fees and charges. It also shows how the Council is planning to spend this money on things like services for residents, investment in the borough and paying off debts.

The draft budget also sets out how much the Council is proposing to charge residents in council tax². This is one of the ways the Council raises the money it needs to provide services.

The council is proposing an increase to the core element of council tax of 2.99%, which equates to £50.90 a year for a Band D property.

A further 2% increase is proposed to fund Adult Social Care, which is ring-fenced to fund services for older and disabled people. This will bring the total council tax to be paid by a band D household to £1,787.27.

The Greater London Authority precept will be £490.38, bringing the total council tax for a Band D household in Waltham Forest to £2,277.65. This is an overall increase of 4.78%.

The report notes the challenges the council faces, including the rising cost of living and unprecedented levels of demand on services like temporary accommodation and SEND provision. It states that:

Without the reform of Local Government funding and the delivery of the Council’s transformation and savings programmes to the required levels then it will be less than 24 months before we require ESF ourselves.

ESF stands for 'Exceptional Finance Support'. The report states that, in the last year, nineteen councils across England have required over £2.5 billion of government support through this scheme.

Fees and Charges

The report pack also includes a proposed list of fees and charges for the 2025-26 financial year. These are the amounts the council charges for services like parking, planning permission and hiring out its buildings.

The proposed schedule of fees and charges for 2025-26 is anticipated to generate an additional £1.658 million. It includes increases to parking permits, skip permits and other services.

Pay Policy

The report pack contains a proposed pay policy for Council employees, including senior staff. It sets out how the Council plans to determine the pay of its employees. It includes a number of appendices detailing proposed pay scales.

The policy sets out the Council's commitment to paying all employees at least the London Living Wage³, which is currently £13.85 an hour.

It also outlines plans to recruit, attract and retain employees, including those within statutory roles to protect and empower care leavers. It also mentions plans to reduce the gender and ethnicity pay gaps.

Treasury Management and Minimum Revenue Provision

The Council is required to produce a plan for how it manages its finances, including how it borrows and invests money. The document titled '2025-26 Treasury Management Strategy, Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy' sets out the Council's plans for the 2025-26 financial year.

It explains how the Council plans to manage the risks involved in borrowing and investing money, stating that:

The Council’s investment priorities will be security first, portfolio liquidity second and then yield, (return)

The document also includes the Council's Minimum Revenue Provision Policy. This is a requirement to set aside money to repay the debts it takes on to invest in capital projects like new buildings. The document explains that:

The Authority is required to calculate a prudent provision of MRP which ensures that the outstanding debt liability is repaid over a period that is reasonably commensurate with that over which the capital expenditure provides benefits.

Calculation of Political Balance and Arrangements for Committees

Councillor Tom Connor has left the Labour Group to become an ungrouped independent councillor. As a result, the Council is required to review the number of places allocated to each political group on its committees.

The report outlines the rules the Council is required to follow when deciding the political balance of its committees and shows how the change in political balance will impact each committee. It also clarifies which committees are not subject to these rules, including the Cabinet, the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Committee and the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Draft Meetings Programme 2025/26

The Council is required to agree a timetable for its meetings. The document titled 'Draft Meetings Programme 2025/26' sets out a list of proposed dates for meetings of the Council, Cabinet, and committees between May 2025 and May 2026. The final decision on this schedule of meetings is to be made at the Annual Council Meeting on 22 May 2025.

The timetable lists six meetings for the Coordinating Scrutiny Committee, twelve meetings for the Planning Committee and five meetings each for the following Scrutiny Committees:

• Budget
• Children and Families
• Climate
• Communities and Public Protection

It also lists six meetings for the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee and the Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee.

No meetings have yet been scheduled for the Licensing (General) Committee or the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Committee.

Minutes of the Meeting Held on 12 December 2024

This document contains the minutes of the previous meeting of the Council, which was held on 12 December 2024. They set out the decisions that were made at the previous meeting, including the decision to adopt an 'income banded Council Tax Support Scheme' and a decision to extend the amount of time available to debate on-street parking controls.