Decision

The Scrutiny Committee Corporate and Strategic considered the General Fund Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report, noted the outturn position and RESOLVED to support the recommendations for the Executive, that the Executive:

a) Note the Council’s final revenue service position of a £1.645m overspend, and the total underspend of £4.163m.

b) Agree that mitigating actions were identified and implemented by the relevant Executive and Service Director to address overspends at outturn and to support the authority’s long-term financial sustainability.

c) Note the in-year Outturn overspend on the Dedicated Schools Grant of

£43.497m, against the current budgeted funding of £163.403m (paragraph 24)  and total forecast year-end deficit of £105.489m as set out in Appendix C.

d) Agree an additional transfer of £2.549m from the 2025/26 non-service

underspend to the Dedicated Schools Grant Deficit Reserve, in addition of the £8.000m transfer agreed at the end of Quarter 3, bringing the total local

contribution amount to £10.549m. 

e) Note the collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates as set out in

(paragraphs 47, and 48).

f) Note the outturn update on the prudential indicators detailed in Appendix L.

g) Note the outstanding debt position as detailed in Chart 2 within Appendix K.

h) Approve that the £4.163m revenue outturn underspend is transferred to General Reserves.

i) Note that if recommendations H is approved, General Reserves will be

£67.363m, which is £6.889m (9%) lower than the risk-based assessment

minimum of 10% of the net revenue budget (£74.252m) for 2026/27.

j) Note the Capital Programme forecast outturn for 2025/26 is £183.780m, against a budget of £228.357m (see Table 7).

k) Approve additions of £21.137m and the returns of £0.511m to the capital

budget as detailed in Table 8.

l) Approve the change to the Capital MTFP from £579.163m to £583.770 as

detailed in paragraph 61 below and in Appendix P.

m) That authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Lead Member for Finance, Procurement and Performance, to determine the funding and accounting treatment of any subsequent changes arising from the finalisation of Business Rates or other year?end adjustments, with outcomes reported to a future meeting of the Executive.