The Croydon Council Cabinet met on Wednesday 23 September 2026 to discuss several key issues, approving strategies for youth justice, temporary accommodation, and the Crisis Resilience Fund. The Cabinet also agreed to consult on potential changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme for working-age claimants and reviewed the council's financial performance for the 2026-27 period.

Croydon Youth Justice Plan 2026/27

The Cabinet agreed to recommend the Croydon Youth Justice Plan 2026/27 for approval by Full Council. This statutory plan, required by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, outlines the council's strategic and operational objectives for the year ahead, building on previous successes in reducing re-offending rates, which are currently below both London and national averages. The plan also addresses issues of disproportionality, aiming to challenge the over-representation of minority groups within the youth justice system.

Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan

A key decision was made to approve the Temporary Accommodation Strategy 2026-2030 and its accompanying Action Plan. This strategy aims to address the significant financial pressures and resident wellbeing impacts caused by increasing homelessness and the demand for temporary accommodation. The plan outlines a comprehensive framework to reduce demand for homelessness support, increase housing supply, accelerate move-on into settled housing, and transform the temporary accommodation portfolio. Successful implementation is forecast to contribute approximately £10 million in savings between 2027 and 2030.

Crisis Resilience Fund

The Cabinet agreed to accept an allocation of up to £19.7 million from the Department for Work and Pensions for the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) for the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029. This fund replaces the Household Support Fund and aims to provide both immediate crisis support and longer-term preventative interventions. The approved Year 1 programme includes funding for direct crisis payments, housing support, resilience-building initiatives such as debt advice and employment support, and community coordination. The strategy adopts a phased approach, with Years 2 and 3 focusing on expanding preventative and partnership-based interventions.

Review of Council Tax Support Scheme 2027-28

The Cabinet agreed to initiate a statutory consultation on potential changes to the Council Tax Reduction (Support) Scheme for working-age claimants, to take effect from 1 April 2027. Croydon, being one of London's most financially stressed councils, is reviewing its scheme to ensure it is financially sustainable and fair to taxpayers. The potential changes to be consulted on include reductions in maximum percentage awards for various groups, including disabled residents, lone parents with young children, and those not in protected groups, as well as adjustments to earnings disregards, band caps, capital limits, and the potential disregard of war disablement pensions. Transitional arrangements and an increase to the Council Tax Hardship Scheme will also be considered.

2026-27 Period 3 Financial Performance Report

The Cabinet noted the financial performance report for the period ending June 2026. The General Fund revenue budget is forecast to overspend by £2.3 million, an improvement of £0.8 million since the previous period. Service directorates are expected to implement further expenditure reductions or mitigations to balance the budget. The report also highlighted significant pressures within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), forecasting an overspend of £3.9 million, and a substantial overspend of £45.0 million on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). The General Fund capital programme is forecast to underspend by £13.7 million, while the HRA capital programme is forecast to underspend by £14.6 million. The report also noted the Council's historic borrowing and debt burden as a critical factor in the non-sustainability of the revenue budget.

Review of the Borough's Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) - Approval of Charging Schedule

The Cabinet agreed to recommend to Full Council the adoption of a revised Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule. This revision is necessary as the current schedule, adopted in 2013 based on 2011 viability assessments, is outdated. The revised schedule aims to better support growth outlined in the Local Plan by enabling increased CIL income without threatening development viability. The independent examiner's report confirmed that, with minor amendments, the revised schedule is appropriate for collecting the levy. The proposed changes include introducing CIL charges for residential development in the Croydon Metropolitan Centre and adjusting rates for industrial and warehousing development.

The Cabinet also noted measures for implementing the CIL Charging Schedule, delegating authority to officers for setting the implementation date. They also noted the potential use of Exceptional Circumstances Relief and Infrastructure in Kind approaches, and supported further investigation into Bespoke Infrastructure Reinvestment Agreements.