Decision

RESOLVED: 
 

A.     To declare a financial
emergency and direct the Chief Executive (in conjunction with the
Council Leader) to instruct all Officers to take emergency action
to reduce all non-essential spending between September and March to
significantly improve the Period 4 forecast of a projected spend
over budget of £35.169m. Such action should predominantly
focus on reducing spend, delivering remaining savings and
significant mitigating actions to control in-year spending
pressures.

B.     Direct the Chief
Executive to work closely with the LGA and the Council Leader to
put in place an independently chaired Improvement Board, as
recommended in the recent LGA Corporate Peer Challenge, as soon as
practicable.

 

C.     To note that Operations
Boards, to ultimately work with the Improvement Board, are in place
from August 2025 to challenge all in-year spending.

 

D.     To note that the Period
4 position (as at the end of July) forecasts indicative savings
delivery of £34.012m (57%).

 

E.     To note the projected
General Fund Balance is now negative (£0.899m), indicating a
potentially illegal financial position by the end of the financial
year if no further action is taken F. Immediately direct the Chief
Executive, working in collaboration with Cabinet, to bring forward
a sustainable corporate plan for the authority to Council in
December, reflected in a medium term financial strategy that sets
out an approach to deliver a sustainable financial position within
a timeframe of no more than three years.