Purpose

To provide an update on the Council’s
revenue budget position for the 2025/26 financial year in advance
of the receipt of the Welsh Local Government Provisional Settlement
on 11 December.

Content

(a)       That the revised
additional budget requirement for the 2025/26 financial year be
noted and received;
 

(b)       That the progress
made to identify solutions to bridge the budget gap be noted, and
the remaining options available to set a legal and balanced budget
once the provisional settlement was confirmed also be
noted;

 

(c)        That the
uplift set out in the Provisional Local Government Finance
Settlement be noted and welcomed; and

 

(d)       That a letter be
sent to the Welsh and UK Governments setting out the
Council’s concern that a resolution to the Local Government
Employers National Insurance contribution issue cannot be left
until the spring and must be resolved before Local Authority
budgets in Wales are set.