The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Boston Borough Council was scheduled to discuss the council's draft budget for the upcoming five years, as well as review its ongoing work programme and forward plan. The meeting's agenda focused on financial planning and the committee's operational direction.

Budget Overview 2026/27 - 2030/31

The committee was scheduled to review the council's draft budget proposals for the period 2026/27 to 2030/31. This report, prepared by Russell Stone, Director of Finance (S151 Officer), aimed to provide members with an overview of the key components of the draft budget, the statutory framework governing its setting, and the wider financial context. The report highlighted that the budget development was taking place against a backdrop of significant financial pressure and unprecedented changes to the Local Government finance system.

Key elements of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2026/27 were to be discussed, including a multi-year settlement for the first time in a decade. The report detailed changes such as the Fair Funding Assessment, a two-tier funding floor system, and the continuation of the Recovery Grant. It also noted that the Council Tax referendum limit for 2026/27 would be the higher of 3% or £5 for shire district councils.

The report outlined the financial implications of the settlement, indicating a small increase in overall Core Spending Power, but cautioned that this included assumed increases in Council Tax and that without this assumption, grant funding would reduce year on year. The settlement was described as presenting a real-terms cut to funding due to high inflation.

The Journey to Date section of the report detailed the process undertaken to develop the budget, including budget manager reviews, Star Chamber meetings, and service reviews. Specific items included within the draft budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) were to be examined, such as savings from the Pension Triennial Review, assumptions for Internal Drainage Board funding, inflation, and proposed increases to fees and charges. The report also detailed planned expenditure for the Boston Leisure Project and the new Leisure Facility Contract, as well as contributions to and from reserves.

Major variations from the 2025/26 budget to the draft 2026/27 budget were to be highlighted, including adjustments to HB Subsidy/Rent Allowances due to Universal Credit transition, and changes in Investment Income. The report also noted increases in costs for the Local Plan and the Boston Leisure Project, and a reduction in Supplies & Services expenditure.

The report concluded by stating that while the Local Government Finance Settlement had not been brilliant for local government as a whole, significant progress had been made in developing the draft budget for Boston Borough Council. The committee was asked to review the report and provide feedback to the Cabinet.

Work Programme and Forward Plan

The committee was also scheduled to consider its current Work Programme and the Council's Forward Plan. The Work Programme was set to run until May 2026 and was designed to be flexible for additional scrutiny items. Officers were expected to emphasise the importance of aligning scrutiny activity with performance reporting and encourage members to use quarterly performance data to identify topics for deeper investigation.

The Forward Plan, which provides visibility of key policy decisions scheduled for Cabinet consideration, was to be reviewed. Items such as the Destination Management Plan, Housing Standards Policies, and the Tree & Hedgerow Strategy Action Plan were noted as significant matters. The committee was invited to suggest items for pre-decision scrutiny. Updates were also expected on the Town Centre Task and Finish Group, which was anticipated to report early in the new year.

Members were expected to note the value of quarterly performance reports as a strategic tool for identifying emerging issues and shaping future scrutiny topics. Areas highlighted for potential scrutiny included homelessness performance, recycling targets, and industrial unit occupancy, reflecting concerns raised during the consideration of the Quarter 2 Performance Report. The importance of maintaining flexibility to respond to emerging issues, particularly in light of forthcoming legislative changes and partnership priorities, was also to be discussed. Members were to request that the Work Programme include updates on the Community Governance Review, Local Government Reorganisation implications, and progress on the Boston Town Centre Strategy. Officers were to confirm that the Forward Plan would continue to be reviewed regularly and that members should notify Democratic Services of any items they believed warranted scrutiny. The committee was to agree that the Work Programme and Forward Plan provided a clear framework for future scrutiny activity.