The Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee of Manchester Council is scheduled to discuss several key financial and operational matters. The meeting's agenda includes updates on the council's development agreements, the revenue budget process for 2027/28, and the ongoing People and Money programme for a new finance and HR system.

Development Agreements

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the Council's framework for development agreements and overages related to new developments on council land and assets. The report will outline the governance arrangements for these agreements, detailing how they are negotiated, managed, and monitored. It will also provide examples of recent development agreements that have facilitated investment in housing and employment across Manchester, such as those at Hinchley Road, Church Street, and Barnhill Street. These agreements are designed to control the delivery and use of land to align with the Council's strategic and economic objectives.

Revenue Budget Process and Medium Term Financial Strategy

An update on the current position of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and the planned approach to the 2027/28 to 2029/30 budget process is scheduled for discussion. The report highlights the national context of local government funding, including the redistribution of funds through the Fair Funding reforms and the indicative allocations for the next three years. It also addresses the challenges of increasing costs in social care and the potential impact of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit. The proposed budget approach includes working with a five-year model, maximising government grants, identifying efficiency improvements, and maintaining a robust position on reserves.

Our New Finance & HR System - People and Money Programme

The committee will receive an update on the progress of the People and Money Programme, which aims to replace the council's finance and HR systems. The report details the implementation timeline for Success Factors (HR/Payroll) and S/4HANA (Finance), with a revised go-live date of November 2026. It outlines the work undertaken on system integrations, data cleansing and migration, and the testing phases. The report also covers the Human Resources and Organisational Development (HROD) workstream, the finance workstream, and the use of Concur for expenses and card payments. The programme faces risks related to timeline adherence, resource availability, and system complexities, which are being managed through ongoing reviews and mitigation strategies.

Overview Report

This report provides the committee with details of key decisions that fall within its remit and an update on actions resulting from the committee's previous recommendations. It also includes the committee's work programme, which members are asked to consider amending and agreeing. The report lists key decisions due to be made, such as contract awards for electricity and gas supply, cleaning materials, and business rates collection services, as well as various land disposals and lease renewals.

Other Scheduled Discussions

The agenda also includes items on Urgent Business, Appeals, and Interests, which are standard procedural matters for council meetings. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 2 July 2026 are scheduled for review. Additionally, there is an item regarding the Exclusion of Press and Public, indicating that some discussions may involve exempt information.