Decision

It is recommended that Cabinet recommends
Council to:
 
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND
 
General Fund Revenue Estimate
 

Set a Dacorum Borough Council General Fund Council
Tax requirement of £14.738m and a provisional amount of
£16.186m for the combined Borough Council and Parish
Councils’ requirement for 2026/27.

Approve a Band D Council Tax increase of £7.06
(2.99%) for Dacorum Borough Council.

Approve the Council Tax base estimates for 2026/27,
as shown in Appendix A1.

Approve the continuation of the current Council Tax
Support Scheme for 2026/27.

Approve the forecast balances of Revenue Reserves as
shown in Appendix J1, J2, and J3, and approve section 9 of this
report as the updated Reserves Strategy.

Note proposed Fees and Charges for 2026/27 have
already been approved by cabinet/council.
https://democracy.dacorum.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=157&MId=4139

Approve and adopt the Treasury Management Strategy
for 2026/27, as detailed in Appendix K.

Approve and adopt the Capital Strategy for 2026/27,
as detailed in Appendix L.

Note that this budget paper, if approved by Council,
will form part of the ongoing Medium-Term Financial
Strategy.

 
Capital Programme
 

Approve the Capital Programme for 2026/27 to
2029/30, as detailed in Appendix H.

Approve the financing proposals in Appendix H
subject to an annual review of the financing options by the Chief
Finance Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for
Corporate and Commercial, during the preparation of the Statement
of Accounts.

 
Housing Revenue Account (HRA)
 

Set dwelling rents according to DLUHC guidance,
which provides for a rent increase of CPI plus 1% which equates to
4.8%. The average dwelling rent is proposed to be £150.77 per
week in 2026/27 (based on 52 weeks).

Approve the HRA budget for 2026/27 as shown in
Appendix F.

 
Employer Terms and Conditions

Note that the hourly rate of all Council employees
continues to exceed the rate proposed by the rates of the Living
Wage Foundation, for 2026/27. (To be reviewed annually
thereafter).

 
Statement by Chief Finance Officer
Approve the statement by the
Chief Finance Officer regarding the robustness of the budget
estimates and level of reserves as set out in Appendix
M.