Purpose

To set out the Revenue outturn position for 25/26 and make any required adjustments

Decision

This report set out the Revenue and Capital provisional outturn position for Buckinghamshire Council for the financial year 2025/26. The overall position was a surplus of £4.4m in the revenue budgets. This was a significant success, given the financial challenges experienced by the Council during the year and reflected an unusually high number of positive one-off financial items alongside the strong actions that had been successfully implemented across Cabinet Portfolios to control expenditure.

The position reflected the prudence the Council had shown in managing its budgets, particularly in Adult Social Care, Home to School Transport and Temporary Accommodation. In addition, early delivery of savings and the Council’s track record of effective service reviews had helped deliver a positive position in relation to staffing.However, with the growth in demand continuing to be seen, the volatility in the world, and closer to home, along with inflation pressures impacting the economy, next year would be even more challenging. The 2027/28 Medium Term Financial Plan process would review where the Council had been successful in delivering an underspend in 2025/26 for any ongoing benefit.

RESOLVED that

1)      the report and the success in achieving a £4.4m revenue surplus in 2025/26 be noted.

2)      the transfers to reserves as set out in paragraph 2.6 of the Cabinet report be approved.

3)      the overall capital outturn position of £155.8m of investment in the Council’s priorities be noted.

4)      the carry-forward of capital budgets as detailed in section 4 of the Cabinet report be approved.

5)      authority be delegated to the S151 Officer in consultation with the Leader to make any amendments required to finalise the outturn position.

6)      the confidential appendix relating to the Energy from Waste legal case which is exempt under the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, Paragraph 3 (financial affairs) be noted.