Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: January 30, 2026

Purpose:

Content: RESOLVED that Cabinet –   a)       approves the updated financial forecast, as set out in Appendix A to report A.2, along with savings, cost pressures for 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28, and the proposed transfers to / from the Corporate Investment Fund(s), as set out in Appendices B, C and D respectively that form the firm proposals for the 2026/27 budget and recommends to Council a Band D Council Tax for district services of £205.48 for 2026/27 (a 2.99% increase), along with the associated council tax requirement of £11.244m.   b)       authorises the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance, to agree the ‘technical’ appendices and resolutions associated with the budget proposals for recommending to Full Council on 17 February 2026;   c)       authorises the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance, to report directly to Council in respect of the formal resolutions necessary to implement the Executive’s budget proposals including any further amendments emerging from additional information becoming available and/or notifications received from the Government; d)       authorises the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance, to agree / adopt any necessary local business rate relief schemes for 2026/27, including where changes to reliefs may be necessary to reflect further Government decisions / announcements;   e)       notes the revocation of the Essex Business Rates Pool in 2026/27, due to the significant risks introduced by the Government’s Business Rates ‘Reset’ and decision-making timescales associated with the Local Government Finance Settlement;    f)         in respect of the cost pressure of £0.300m in 2026/27 relating to the Investment in Assets (General R&R Priority Items), as set out within Appendix C, authorises the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance to allocate this funding across the various associated schemes;   g)       in respect of the existing budget in 2025/26 that was identified to support the delivery of highlight priorities, agrees that £0.450m be set aside to provide the necessary additional resources to support the successful delivery of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) activities and objectives, whilst safeguarding continuity of the Business as Usual (BAU) operations of the Council;   h)       in respect of g) above, agrees that the allocation of this funding be delegated to the Chief Executive to enable any associated recruitment / procurement activities to be undertaken; and   i)         acknowledges this Council’s and its Statutory Officers’ obligations to a successor Unitary Council as part of the current LGR proposals, including those that are expected to emerge within legislation / associated structural orders along with the Council’s proposed in-principle response as set out within the main body of the report (A.2).