The Audit, Finance & Performance Committee of Hillingdon Council was scheduled to review the council's financial monitoring report for May 2026, alongside the forward plan and work programme. The meeting's agenda also included standard procedural items and a review of the minutes from the previous meeting.

Period 2 (May) 2026 Financial Monitoring Report 2026/27

The committee was scheduled to review the council's financial performance for the period ending May 2026. This report, which had previously been presented to the Cabinet on 23 July 2026, detailed the forecast financial performance against revenue and capital budgets for both the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

The General Fund was forecasting a net £584,000 potential overspend for the year, with additional net risks and opportunities amounting to £2,759,000. This position was to be offset by the £10,000,000 allocated from the Risk and Contingency Provision for 2026/27. The report indicated that 61% of planned savings, both new and rolled-forward from the previous financial year, were on track for delivery.

Key areas of financial monitoring included:

• Revenue Monitoring: The forecast revenue positions for the General Fund (£584,000 adverse) and the Housing Revenue Account (net nil) for 2026/27 were to be noted. Progress in delivering General Fund savings was also to be reviewed. The report highlighted a forecast £646,000 deficit in the Council Tax Collection Fund for the year, which was expected to impact in 2027/28 rather than the current financial year, with a lower taxbase potentially affecting Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) assumptions for the following year.
• Fees and Charges / Enforcement Policies: Proposed in-year changes to charges for filming in the borough were to be approved, aiming to align fees with market rates. Amendments to fines for specific environmental offences were also proposed, with the aim of increasing deterrence and generating income to support enforcement costs. Authority was to be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Community, Environment and Enforcement to approve a new policy for civil penalties under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and other housing legislation.
• Acceptance of Grant Funding and Contributions: The committee was to consider the acceptance of £2,580,470 in additional grant funding from the Department for Education (DfE) to support preventative services for children and families. Additionally, £449,000 in Planning Gift Funding was proposed for acceptance to support the Planning Department's work. The acceptance of £2,805,603 of ringfenced grant funding from the DfE to support the implementation of the Experts at Hand model as part of Hillingdon's SEND reform programme was also on the agenda.
• Capital Roll-Forward Requests and Monitoring: Further capital roll-forward requests totalling £15.6 million, representing underspends from 2025/26 capital budgets, were recommended for approval to fund existing committed expenditure or meet council priorities. The report noted that £6.974 million of a previously approved roll-forward relating to the Hillingdon Water Sports Facility was no longer required. The General Fund Capital Programme was forecast to be £9.093 million overspent without the recommended roll-forwards, but £7.0 million underspent if they were approved. The HRA Capital Programme was forecasting spend to budget at that stage.

The report also detailed the financial performance by directorate, including specific pressures and savings within Children's & Young People's Services, Adult Services & Health, Residents' Services, Chief Operating Officer, Finance, Chief Executive's Office, and Corporate Budgets. A summary of the General Fund revenue monitoring position and forecast was provided, alongside a detailed savings tracker.

Forward Plan

The committee was scheduled to review the Cabinet's Forward Plan, which outlines key decisions and other decisions to be taken by the Cabinet and individual Cabinet Members over the coming year. This review was part of the committee's overview and scrutiny remit, allowing it to comment on items within its purview before decisions were made.

Work Programme

The committee was also set to review its multi-year work programme and agree any necessary amendments. This included noting forthcoming meeting dates and the planned agenda items for future sessions.

The Audit, Finance & Performance Committee's Terms of Reference outline its role in carrying out the Council's independent audit and assurance function, as well as an overview and scrutiny function in relation to the Council's finance, performance, and corporate services. The committee is responsible for monitoring council services, budgets, and ensuring value for money.