The Cabinet of Croydon Council met on Wednesday 29 July 2026 to discuss a range of important financial and operational matters. Key decisions included the approval of the council's financial strategy for 2027-30, aimed at achieving financial sustainability, and the consolidation of several key customer-facing services into a single 'Front Door' reception at Cavendish House. The Cabinet also agreed to approve responses to scrutiny recommendations and to proceed with the re-ballot process for the Croydon Business Improvement District (BID).

Scrutiny Stage 2 Responses to Recommendations

The Cabinet approved responses and action plans to recommendations arising from various sub-committees and the Scrutiny & Overview Committee. These responses, detailed in Appendices 1 through 11 of the public reports pack¹, outline the council's agreed actions, progress on existing initiatives, or reasons for rejecting recommendations. Authority was delegated to relevant officers to report back on the implementation of these action plans to the relevant scrutiny committees.

Croydon Business Improvement District (BID) - 2026-2031 Re-Ballot

The Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Place, in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulatory Services, to assess the Croydon BID's proposal for renewal. This delegation includes the power to determine if the proposal complies with the Business Improvement Districts (England) Regulations 2004², consider any conflicts with council policy, exercise the power of veto if necessary, and decide whether the Council should support the proposal and vote in the BID ballot. The Cabinet also noted the council's responsibility to arrange the BID ballot and authorised the recovery of ballot costs from the BID proposer. Should the ballot result in a 'yes' vote, the Corporate Director of Place will be authorised to agree and finalise terms of an operating agreement with the BID proposer.

Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy

The Cabinet approved a new Housing Enforcement Policy, designed to strengthen the council's enforcement approach and ensure compliance with new statutory duties under the Renters' Rights Act 2025³. The policy combines existing private sector housing enforcement measures with the requirements of the new Act, outlining the council's commitment to upholding standards in the private rented sector and taking action against landlords and property owners who fail to comply. The use of New Burdens grant funding to resource the implementation of this new policy was also noted, and authority was granted to the Corporate Director of Housing to approve minor variations to the policy.

Consolidation of Front Door Services

A key decision was made to approve the consolidation of several customer-facing services into a single 'Front Door' Service reception at Cavendish House⁴, located at 51–55 South End, Croydon, CR0 1BF. This move is part of the wider Town Hall Campus Programme and aims to improve resident experience and integrate service delivery. The services to be consolidated include Housing Needs and Homelessness, Youth Justice Service and Young Croydon, Children Looked After – Care experienced children, Children's Early Help Triage, Adult Social Care Triage, and Parking Services. The Cabinet noted that there would be no adverse changes or reduction in current service provision, and that Cavendish House would offer enhanced interview and assessment facilities, as well as better family-friendly spaces. Cavendish House will be retained for operational use, and removed from the Council's Tranche Two Disposal Programme. Authority was delegated to the Corporate Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer to implement this decision.

2025-26 Provisional Outturn Financial Performance Report

The Cabinet noted the provisional outturn financial performance for 2025-26. The General Fund revenue budget showed an underspend of £27.3m, meeting the target set by the Stabilisation Plan⁵. This underspend will reduce the required level of capitalisation directions⁶ from £136.0m to £108.7m. The General Fund capital programme also showed a provisional underspend of £38.6m. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) reported a provisional underspend of £1.6m, with its capital programme showing an underspend of £13.5m. However, the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) reported a provisional overspend of £32.7m. The report highlighted ongoing national and local government cost pressures and noted that the significant savings planned for 2026-27 include reductions in budgets that contributed to the 2025-26 underspends, meaning these underspends are not expected to be recurrent.

Financial Strategy 2027-30

The Cabinet agreed to the council's financial strategy for the period 2027-30, which aims to return Croydon to financial sustainability and enable the setting of budgets without the need for Exceptional Financial Support (EFS)⁷. The strategy acknowledges Croydon's position as one of London's most financially stressed local authorities, with significant 'overhanging' debt. To achieve sustainability, the strategy proposes confronting difficult decisions regarding service levels and charges, and shifting the focus of transformation and efficiency programmes towards high-cost areas such as social care, housing, and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The strategy includes plans to manage demand and costs in these services more effectively. The report also noted the proposed budget setting timetable and agreed inter-directorate budget movements for 2026/27, along with risks associated with the Transformation programme.