The Wiltshire Council Cabinet met on 11 November 2025 and approved an increase to the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allocation for the Chippenham Avon Project, as well as the quarterly revenue and capital budget monitoring reports, and the Treasury Management Strategy report. The Cabinet heard announcements from the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Members, and responded to questions from members of the public.

Chippenham Avon Project

The Cabinet agreed to increase the CIL allocation for the Chippenham Avon Project to £1.8 million, to ensure that essential flood risk alleviation works can proceed, subject to funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Cllr Helen Belcher OBE, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Regeneration and Assets, explained that the Chippenham Avon Project is a key part of the One Plan for Chippenham, produced by the Chippenham Town Centre Partnership Board. The project aims to reduce flood risk in the town centre and enhance the River Avon as a central feature of the town's revitalisation. The Environment Agency has identified that the existing radial sluice gate needs replacing, as it is nearing the end of its life and poses an increasing flood risk to Chippenham town centre.

The total budget for the scheme is £24 million, with £18 million needed for the essential flood risk reduction element. Defra is expected to fund 90% of the essential flood risk elements, leaving 10%, or £1.8 million, for the council to fund. The Cabinet had previously agreed to allocate £1 million CIL funding to the project on 8 October 2024, and this decision increases the allocation to £1.8 million to ensure the essential works can take place. The Chippenham Avon Project is running alongside works to develop the Emery Gate shopping centre, but these are separate projects.

Cabinet members expressed their commitment to the project, but raised concerns about the increased CIL funding allocation. Cllr Belcher clarified that any amount over £1.8 million would require further Cabinet approval, and that any underspends of the CIL allocation would be recovered.

Cllr Dr Nick Murry, Chairman of the Environment Select Committee, raised concerns about the local choice element, the lack of flood risk mitigation components, the replacement of existing valuable habitat on the flood plain at Monkton Meadow, and the lack of transport infrastructure along the river corridor.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Conservative Group Leader, supported the proposals but noted that the removal of the radial gate would manage the amount of flooding rather than stop flooding completely.

Financial Year 2025/26 - Quarter Two Revenue Budget Monitoring

The Cabinet reviewed the Revenue Budget Monitoring position for quarter 2 of 2025/26 (ending 30 September 2025). The report, presented by Cllr Gavin Grant, Cabinet Member for Finance, highlighted a forecast net overspend of £6.658 million, mainly in Adult Services, due to higher inflation.

The Cabinet approved the following:

• A £0.120 million drawdown from the Supporting Families Reserve to fund costs associated with the Wiltshire Community Foundation Youth Partnership and the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council website.
• The creation of a new Children's Social Care Prevention Grant reserve, with a transfer of £0.360 million to cover costs of the Family First Partnership in future financial years.
• Drawdowns from reserves to support the Adult Care position:
  • £0.084 million from the Latent Demand Reserve to fund fixed term posts.
  • £0.090 million from the Streamlining Adult Social Care Grant Reserve to support grant-related activity.
  • £0.400 million from the Public Health Grant Reserve to support prevention activities in Adult Social Care.

The Cabinet noted the following:

• A £0.075 million drawdown from the Transformation Reserve to fund costs associated with the Football Foundation.
• The net operating deficit on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) of £0.496 million and its impact on the HRA reserve.
• A £0.119 million transfer from the Business Plan Priority Reserve to fund council-wide enforcement activity.
• A £0.153 million transfer from the Rural Play Area Reserve to fund grants paid.
• A £0.060 million transfer from the Covid 19 Grant Workstreams Reserve to fund activity in the Economy & Regeneration service.
• The overspend against Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budgets of £12.892 million, with a total deficit forecast of £49.404 million and the impact on the cumulative DSG deficit.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Chair of the Finance and Procurement Select Committee, reported that the committee had raised detailed questions during their meeting on 6 November 2025, including requests for more detailed reports, further details of the Commissioning underspend, and information on waste transformation and budget saving mitigation measures.

Cllr Clewer also raised concerns about the in-year spending of reserves, the increase in overspend from quarter 1 to quarter 2, the need for a breakdown of detailed mitigations, the trajectory of reserves reducing over time, the increase in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) home to school transport budgets, and the challenge of the High Needs Block¹.

Financial Year 2025/26 - Quarter Two Capital Budget Monitoring

The Cabinet reviewed the Capital Programme for the financial year 2025/26, with Cllr Gavin Grant, Cabinet Member for Finance, presenting the report.

The Cabinet approved the following:

• A £0.250 million virement² from the Facilities Management Operational Estate capital scheme line to a new capital scheme line for Facilities Management Non-Operational Assets.
• A £0.272 million virement from the Integrated Transport capital scheme line to a new capital scheme line for Active Travel.
• The grant income applied for and/or received as set out in Appendix C and Appendix D of the report.

The Cabinet noted the following:

• Additional budgets funded by grants, developer contributions, other contributions, and earmarked reserves revenue contribution to capital, adding £1.243 million to the programme.
• The removal of £0.320 million from the 2025/26 budget due to project completion or return for grant.
• The removal of £1.603 million from future years due to project completion or to reduce the impact of borrowing.
• Budgets brought forward from future years into the 2025/26 programme, totalling £0.935 million, to support the delivery of accelerated projects.
• Budgets reprogrammed from 2025/26 into future years, totalling £32.632 million, to align with forecast delivery.
• The revised 2025/26 Capital Programme forecast as at quarter two of £214.743 million.
• The capital spend as of 30 June 2025 of £80.527 million.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Chair of the Finance & Procurement Select Committee, reported that the committee had requested that future reports include reasons for slippages in the programme.

Report on Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26 Half Year ended 30 September 2025

The Cabinet considered the Treasury Management Strategy Mid-Year Update Report 2025/26, covering the period from 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025. Cllr Gavin Grant, Cabinet Member for Finance, presented the report, highlighting that the council adopted the Treasury Management Strategy for 2025/26 at its meeting on 25 February 2025.

The Cabinet noted that the contents of the report are in line with the Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26, and the performance of the council's investments and borrowings against the parameters set out in the approved strategy.

The Cabinet noted that the council has not taken out any new long-term borrowing (loans) during 2025/26, but some may be taken towards the end of the financial year to unwind some of the council's under-borrowed position. During the first half of the financial year, the council has taken out some new short-term borrowing (loans) to fund short-term deficits in the council's cashflow. The council has not exceeded any of its prudential indicators for the half year 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Chair of the Finance & Procurement Select Committee, reported that the committee considered the report on 6 November 2025 and raised the following matters:

• Cash flow issues due to the repayments of the High Needs Block.
• Noted that the figures for capital receipts and capital grants in the table at paragraph 20 had been listed in the wrong rows.
• Noted that the CCLA investment is a longer-term investment and there was a degree of concern from the Select Committee. They would continue to monitor this.

Other Matters

• Cllr Mel Jacob, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Communities, Engagement, and Corporate Services, reaffirmed the council's commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
• Cllr Clare Cape, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Co-ordination with the NHS, reported that from 25 November 2025 there would be 16 days of wellbeing action focusing on domestic abuse.
• Cllr Paul Sample JP, Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate and Waste, thanked Cllr Belcher for helping to open the retro fit build zone at the National Self Build and Renovation Centre on 7 November 2025. He also announced that the council's Dog Warden Service was nationally recognised with the platinum stray dogs award in the annual RSPCA Paw Prints Award 2025.
• Cllr Adrian Foster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, and Housing, reported that any planning applications submitted to the council will have to include detail about social rental houses rather than affordable rental houses in the description of the application going forward.
• The Cabinet responded to questions from members of the public on topics such as the 'vision zero' approach to road safety, and cross-boundary cooperation with Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&ANES).
• Statements were received from members of the public on topics such as the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down Stonehenge Tunnel Scheme³ and active travel proposals.