The Corporate and Resources Committee of Kingston upon Thames Council met on Thursday 26 June 2025, approving recommendations on the revenue and capital outturn for 2024/25, noting the council plan's end-of-year report, and unanimously carrying two motions regarding social media use and the impact of national insurance increases.

Revenue and Capital Outturn 2024/25

The committee approved the recommendations regarding the revenue and capital outturn for the 2024/25 financial year. This included noting the General Fund position, which resulted in an overspend of £1.95 million, met by a drawdown from the Economic Risk Reserve. The General Fund balance at 31 March 2025 stood at £19.63 million. Earmarked Reserves totalled £53.28 million. A surplus of £8.01 million was noted on the Collection Fund, with the council's share being £3.86 million. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) reported an underspend of £2.65 million, increasing its balance to £15.72 million. However, the Schools Budget reported an overspend of £7.54 million, resulting in a cumulative Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit of £8.26 million. The capital outturn showed an underspend of £43.53 million. The committee also approved capital rephasing requests and approved a capital budget of £0.80 million for the Local Implementation Plan and £4.27 million for Burlington School contract variation for 2025/26.

Council Plan - End of Year Report 2024/25

The committee noted the End of Year Report for 2024/25, which summarised progress against the council's priorities outlined in the Council Plan (2023-27) and the actions within the 2024/25 Council Delivery Plan. Of the 87 actions in the delivery plan, 48 were fully completed, 23 had the majority of milestones met, 15 were delayed with new timelines, and one action was not completed. The report also detailed progress against performance indicators for each of the council plan's outcomes, categorised as Fairer, Safer, Greener, Together, and Future Council.

Motion referred to Committee by Council: Social Media Use

The committee unanimously carried a motion regarding social media use. The motion, proposed by Councillor Yvonne Tracey and seconded by Councillor Jamal Chohan, highlighted the importance of honesty in politics and the role of social media in public discourse. It condemned the use of social media by councillors or candidates to target others, and the sharing of posts from anonymous accounts. The council resolved to advocate for greater accountability from social media companies, uphold professional standards in social media use, avoid promoting anonymous accounts, refrain from sharing content that toxifies the local political climate, and adhere to the Local Government Association's 'Social Media Guidance for Councillors'. The council's existing social media policy and moderation practices were noted, with a zero-tolerance approach to abusive or threatening content.

Motion Referred to Committee by Council: National Insurance Increases Will Damage Local Businesses and Vital Services

The committee unanimously carried a motion expressing disappointment regarding the increase in National Insurance contributions for employers. Proposed by Councillor Rowena Bass and seconded by Councillor Ian George, the motion argued that the increase would damage local businesses and vital services. It highlighted that the increase in employer National Insurance contributions from 13.8% to 15% and the reduction in the threshold for contributions would lead to job losses, price hikes, and reduced wage increases, as suggested by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The motion also noted that vital services such as nurseries, care homes, and charities would be affected, and that Kingston Council itself recognised an additional £3.5 million risk in its 2026/26 Budget Report due to potential third-party provider cost increases. The council resolved to place on record its disappointment and requested the Leader of the Council write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to reconsider the proposed changes.

Urgent Decision Taken under Procedure Rule 30 - Google Workspace Licences and Associated Professional Services

The committee noted an urgent decision taken under Procedure Rule 30 regarding the renewal of Google Workspace licences and associated professional services. Due to complexities in licensing changes, negotiations, and the need to secure preferential pricing, the renewal date of 1 June 2025 necessitated an urgent decision. The Executive Director Corporate Services and S151 Officer, in consultation with the Chief Executive and Co-Chairs of the Corporate and Resources Committee, approved the direct award of a contract for Google Workspace licences and professional services for 60 months, commencing 1 June 2025, via the Health Trust Europe Complete ICT 3 Framework to supplier XMA Limited. The committed contract value is £4.5 million, with a provision for non-committal spend of up to £800,000. This decision ensures the continuity of essential collaboration, communication, and productivity tools for the council and its partner organisations.

The meeting also included a review of the council's performance against its Delivery Plan for 2024/25 across the themes of Fairer, Safer, Greener, Together, and Future Council. Detailed service and borough outcome indicators were presented, highlighting areas of success and areas requiring further attention. The Revenue and Capital Outturn report provided a comprehensive overview of the council's financial position for the past year, detailing underspends and overspends across various directorates and service areas. The committee also received updates on the progress of key capital projects, including the Local Implementation Plan and the Burlington School contract variation.

The committee also noted the Motion referred to Committee by Council: Social Media Use and the Motion Referred to Committee by Council : National Insurance Increases Will Damage Local Businesses and Vital Services . Both motions were carried unanimously.

The Urgent Decision Taken under Procedure Rule 30 - Google Workspace Licences and Associated Professional Services was also reported for information.