Decision

RESOLVED
– that Cabinet noted:
 

a)   
 the Councils
priorities to deliver our vision to protect, care and invest to
create a better Borough:

 
·
Every child, young person and adult lives well in
their

  
community
·
Everyone feels the benefit from a thriving
economy
·
All neighbourhoods are a great place to
live
·
Our natural environment is protected, and the
Council is taking a

   leading role in
addressing the climate emergency
·
A community focussed innovative Council providing
efficient,

   effective and
quality services.

b)  
Council Tax be increased for 2026/27 by
£1.20 per week for the average Band B home, supporting
investment in social care services, which would continue to see
Telford & Wrekin Council have the lowest Council Tax in the
Midlands for the services it provides, and one of the lowest in the
country.

c)   
the continued strong track record of sound
financial management of the Council including delivery of a
balanced budget for over 17 years.

d)  
that 70 pence in every £1 the Council
spends be allocated to Social Services.

e)   
that a number of the
investments made in the report, such as Nuplace and the Growth
fund, generate a financial benefit, as well as fulfilling their
primary purpose, which was invested in front line services. This
was equivalent to provision of over 585,000 home care hours or over
6million £2 bus fare rides.

f)    
the savings of £195.3m delivered since
2009/10 as a result of reduced
government funding from 2011 whilst the cost and demand for many
Council services have been increasing and in
particular for Adult Social Care.

g)  
the changes to the Local Government Finance
Settlement, which were welcomed by the Council, with the
implementation of the Fair Funding Review 2.0 for 2026/27 including
a multi-year settlement and an updated formula incorporating
updated data for deprivation and population which would better
reflect needs.

h)  
the changes to the Business Rates System
effective from 1st April 2026 which would introduce 3 new
multipliers as well as a reset of the system and a
revaluation.

i)    
National and international economic pressures
which had resulted in a challenging financial outlook with interest
rates and inflation remaining higher than Bank of England
forecasts.

 
 
RESOLVED
– that Cabinet approved:
 

a)   
the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for
2026/27 to 2029/30 and the budget framework for 2026/27 set out in
the suite of reports.

b)  
a Council Tax increase of 4.99% for 2026/27
including the Government’s 2% Adult Social Care precept,
equivalent to £0.72 per week general Council Tax increase for
the average Band B property and £0.48 per week for the ASC
precept, which would be fully invested in the provision of social
care services for the most vulnerable members of our
community.

c)   
the net investment of £15.8m into Adult
Social Care and £2.7m in Children’s Safeguarding in
2026/27.

d)  
the budget savings listed on Appendix 9 with a
total of £19.1m ongoing savings including new savings of
£9.3m in 2025/26 and £11.4m in 2026/27.

e)   
the continuation of work with partner
organisations, including Town & Parish Councils and Voluntary
Sector and Community Groups to seek to identify ways to mitigate
the impact of some of the cuts to services that we can no longer
afford to deliver and to note the availability of the Invest to
Save/Capacity Fund which is available to support partnership
working.

f)    
the base budget in Appendix 7.

g)  
the policy framework for Reserves and Balances
and their planned use outlined in Appendix 5.

h)  
the Strategic Risk Register at Appendix
13.

i)    
the endorsement of the Council Tax Reduction
Scheme a link to which is included within Appendix 15, ready for
implementation from 1 April 2026.

j)    
the continuation of the Council Tax Reduction
Hardship Assistance Policy.

k)   
the revenue implications of the medium-term
capital programme for the period 2026/27 – 2029/30 set out in
the Capital Strategy and Programme.

l)    
delegated authority be granted to the Director
Finance, People & IDT after consultation with the Cabinet
Member for Finance, Governance and Customer Services to action any
virements required following the final allocation of the Dedicated
Schools Grant and other Grants and following the completion of the
NNDR1 and final estimates of Business Rates income.

m) 
delegated authority be granted to the Director
Adult Social Care after consultation with the Cabinet Member for
Adult Social Care and Health Integration and Transformation, to
enter into appropriate Section 256 and Section 75 Agreements under
the NHS Act 2006 (as amended).

n)  
the authorisation of Director Policy &
Governance to execute all necessary contract documentation
including affixing of the common seal of the Council as appropriate
to enable the Council to enter into appropriate Section 256 and
Section 75 Agreements under the NHS Act 2006 (as
amended).

o)  
the suite of MTFS reports as the Council’s
Efficiency Strategy for 2026/27, including the documentation at
Appendix 12, to enable new capital receipts to be used to fund the
revenue costs of transformation and efficiency projects as assumed
throughout these reports.

p)  
delegated authority be granted to the Director
Finance, People & IDT after consultation with the Cabinet
Member for Finance, Governance & Customer Services to amend the
use of the contingency in 2026/27 and to make any other associated
adjustments to accommodate any difference in funding between that
currently assumed and final grant allocations when
received.

q)  
delegation authority be granted to the Director
Finance, People & IDT after consultation with the Cabinet
Member for Finance, Governance & Customer Services to make
changes to the Medium-Term Financial Strategy with immediate effect
to reflect all grants received from Government with authority to
incur associated spend.

r)   
the Pay Policy for 2026/27. 

s)   
the additional recommendations contained in the
other reports included in the suite of Medium-Term Financial
Strategy.