Decision Maker:

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: February 27, 2025

Purpose:

Content: Council:   ·                agreed that the Waltham Forest basic amount of council tax, including the levying bodies, will be increased by 2.99% in 2025/26; ·                agreed that the 2% permitted increase for Adult Social Care will be applied bringing the total increase to 4.99% and resulting in a council tax of £1,787.27 per Band D property in 2025/26; ·                noted that the element of council tax charged by the Greater London Authority will be £490.38 per Band D property in 2025/26 which reflects an increase of £18.98 (4.03%); ·                agreed that the overall council tax to be set for 2025/26 will be £2,277.65 per Band D property, which represents an overall increase of 4.78%; ·                agreed that the projected budget (as set out in Appendix 1) for 2025/26 of £523,858 million is approved; ·                considered and noted the whole of the Strategic Director of Resources report made under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 as set out in Appendix 2 and, in particular, their determination in the Financial Implications of this report on “the robustness of the estimates made for the purposes of the calculations, and the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves”; ·                noted the amount of 82,783 (an increase of 1,461 over the previous year), as the Council Tax Base for the Council for 2025/26, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 made under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended); ·                agreed that the following amounts to be approved for 2025/26 in accordance with sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Act 1992, as amended (the Act); 2.1..1    Gross Expenditure£1,032.395 million – being the aggregate of the amounts which the council estimates for the items in Sections 31A (2) of the Act; 2.1..2    Gross Income£884.439 million – being the aggregate of the amounts which the council estimates for the items in Sections 31A (3) of the Act; 2.1..3    Net Expenditure£147.956 million – being the amounts by which the aggregate at 2.1.8.1, exceeds the aggregate ate 2.1.8.2 above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A (4) pf the Act as its council tax requirement for the year. 2.1..4    LBWF Basic Amount of Council Tax including the Adult Social Care Precept£1,787.27 – being the amount at 2.1.8.3 above, divided by 82,783 (the Council Tax Base), calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year and includes the Adult Social Care Precept of £280.05. 2.1..5    Valuation Bands Band A B C D E F G H Basic £ 1,004.81 1,172.28 1,339.76 1,507.22 1,842.16 2,177.09 2,512.03 3,014.44 Social Care £ 186.70 217.82 248.93 280.05 342.28 404.52 466.75 560.10 Total LBWF £ 1,191.51 1,390.10 1,588.69 1,787.27 2,184.44 2,581.61 2,978.78 3,574.54   Being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at 2.1.8.4 above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the 1992 Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band, divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in Valuation Band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the 1992 Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands;   2.1..6    Noted that for 2025/26 the Greater London Assembly (GLA) has stated that (with formal ratification on 25 February 2025) that the following amounts in precepts be issued to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Act 1992 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below; Band       A     B     C     D     E     F     G     H Total £ 326.92 381.41 435.89 490.38 599.35 708.33 817.30 980.76                       2.1..7    agreed, that, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 2.1.8.5 and 2.1.8.6 above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 sets the following amounts of council tax for 2025/26 for each of the categories of dwellings shown: Band A B C D E F G H Total £ 1,518.43 1,771.51 2,024.58 2,277.65 2,783.79 3,289.94 3,796.08 4,555.30   2.1..8    noted that the relevant basic amount of council tax for a Band D property (excluding precepts but now including levies) for the financial year 2025/26 be £1,787.27, which reflects a 2.99% increase, plus 2% Adult Social Care precept permitted increase for 2025/26 and therefore does not require a referendum; ·                noted that the Strategic Director of Resources and the officers nominated by him be authorised to finalise the necessary publicity as required by Section 38 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and to promote the first day of the month instalment dates, and the six date options within each month for Direct Debit payers, as previously agreed; ·                noted that in order to ensure the required period of notice is given, council taxpayers will be requested to pay their instalments on the first of each month commencing on 1 April 2025; ·                agreedin accordance with the Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Act 2018 to continue to maintain the maximum percentage allowed by current legislation for the empty home’s premium from 1 April 2025; ·                agreed in accordance with the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Clause 76) to maintain a premium of 100% on dwellings that have been empty for one year from 1 April 2025; ·                agreed in accordance with the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Clause 77) to charge a premium of 100% on dwellings which are “substantially furnished” but have no “resident” (e.g., second homes) from 1 April 2025; ·                agreed for the purposes of calculating entitlement to Housing Benefit, any war disablement pension, war widow’s or war widower’s pension which would otherwise be treated as income for the purposes of calculating entitlement to housing benefit should be disregarded in its entirety. ·                agreed the amended fees and charges for 2025/26 as shown in Appendix 6; ·                agreed the Capital Programme for 2024/25 to 2034/35 as set out in Appendix 10; ·                agreed the reserves strategy at Appendix 7 and note that the Strategic Director of Resources has delegated responsibility for the use of reserves throughout the year; ·                noted the continuation of the eight Borough Business rates pool for 2025/26.