Purpose

Cabinet is asked to:

a)    NOTE the revenue and capital forecast outturn position for 2025-26 as detailed in the report, and accompanying appendices

b)    AGREE the revenue and capital budget adjustments which will be detailed in the report

c)    DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Finance to take required actions as necessary to implement the decision

d)    DELEGATE authority, in consultation with the Deputy Leader, for the management of the Extended Producer Responsibility Grant (held in reserves) to the Corporate Director of Finance in 2025-26 – subject to relevant government guidance or requirements.

Reason for the decision

The capital and revenue forecast outturn position for the Council needs to be noted by Cabinet. 

In line with usual practice at this stage of the year, some revenue budgets have been realigned to reflect a reallocation between Key Services in light of the 2024-25 final spend and activity levels and the latest service transformation plans.  Adjustments to both capital and revenue budgets require approval from Cabinet.

Background – Provide brief additional context

The report on the Council’s latest financial position in 2025-26 will be reported to Cabinet on 25 September 2025.  The report provides detail of our revenue and capital forecast outturn positions.

Options (other options considered but discarded)

-      N/A

How the proposed decision supports the Framing Kent's Future - Our Council Strategy 2022-2026

Framing Kent’s Future (FKF), the KCC Strategic Statement, was approved at County Council in May 2022 and sets out the council’s ambition and strategic priorities until 2026. FKF acknowledged the significant financial and demand pressures the council would be facing over the coming four years, whilst concurrently delivering an ambitious agenda for Kent residents, businesses, and local communities. The Securing Kent's Future plans and this related Finance Monitoring report 2024-25 reflects the need to confirm a re-prioritisation of Council business within the framework of Framing Kent's Future.

How the proposed decision supports Securing Kent’s Future

Securing Kent’s Future (SKF) acknowledges that given the significance of adults and children’s social care within the council’s budget, and that spending growth pressures on the council’s budget overwhelming (but not exclusively) come from social care, that the priority of delivering New Models of Care and Support must take precedence over the other priorities in Framing Kent’s Future.  This creates an expectation that council services across all directorates must collectively prioritise delivering the new models of care and support objective as a collective enterprise.

The forecast outturn report for 2025-26 provides the detail of the financial position and the relevant information on the delivery of savings and monitoring of reserves.

Decision

The Cabinet agree to:

a)    NOTE the revenue and capital forecast outturn position for 2025-26 as detailed in the report, and accompanying appendices

b)    AGREE the revenue and capital budget adjustments detailed in the report

c)    DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Finance to take actions as necessary to implement the decision

d)    DELEGATE authority, in consultation with the Deputy Leader, for the management of the Extended Producer Responsibility Grant (held in reserves) to the Corporate Director of Finance in 2025-26 – subject to relevant government guidance or requirements.