The Health and Adult Social Care Policy and Accountability Committee and the Children and Education Policy and Accountability Committee will hold a joint meeting to discuss the council's revenue budget and medium-term financial strategy for 2026/27. The meeting will also cover budget proposals for both health and adult social care, and children and education services.

2026/27 Revenue Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)

A significant portion of the meeting is scheduled to be dedicated to the 2026/27 revenue budget and the council's Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). The report pack indicates that this discussion will provide an update on the preparation and proposals for the upcoming financial year's budget, alongside an assessment of financial risks and resilience. The proposals will encompass both Health and Adult Social Care services, as well as Children and Education services.

The report highlights that the council is facing a challenging financial environment, with eased inflationary pressures but ongoing demand-led pressures in Adult Social Care and Children's Services. The implementation of the Fair Funding Review 2.0 and the reset of the Business Rates Retention System from April 2026 are also noted as significant factors impacting the council's finances. The council's strategy for balancing the budget includes driving forward service transformation programmes to improve efficiency and outcomes, alongside a balanced approach to in-house provision and external service providers.

The report details proposed savings for 2026/27, with a total of £9.5 million in service savings and £8.4 million in collection fund savings. Specific savings proposals within the People's Directorate, which covers Adult Social Care and Children's Services, are outlined. For Adult Social Care, these include efficiencies in redesigning provision and transforming practice to enable greater choice and control for residents, as well as optimising the use of Direct Payments. In Children's Services, savings are anticipated through service efficiencies linked to greater integration and joint working.

The council's approach to fees and charges for 2026/27 is also scheduled for discussion. For Adult Social Care, it is recommended that fees for services such as the Meals and a Chat service and Careline alarms remain frozen. The report also details proposed variations for other non-commercial and non-parking fees, with a standard uplift of 3.8% in line with September CPI.

The report also includes Equalities Impact Assessments (EQIAs) for each budget proposal, ensuring that budget decisions do not disproportionately affect protected groups. These assessments are provided in Appendix 3 of the report pack.

The meeting will also note the dates of future meetings, with the next scheduled for 22 April 2026.