Here is a summary of the scheduled discussions at the upcoming Corporate and Resources Committee meeting. The agenda includes reports on the council's financial performance, progress against the Council Plan, and motions concerning social media use and national insurance increases. Also to be noted is an urgent decision regarding Google Workspace licences.

Revenue and Capital Outturn 2024/25

The committee will be presented with the revenue and capital outturn positions for 2024/25. This includes the schools budget and earmarked reserves, and how this may affect the delivery of the Medium Term Financial Plan.

Key points that may be raised:

• The General Fund position shows a £1.95m overspend, which was covered by drawing from earmarked reserves.
• Of the £8.23m in planned savings, £7.23m (87%) were delivered, with £0.44m expected in 2025/26. Alternative plans are needed for the remaining £0.6m in savings.
• The General Fund balance remains at £19.63m as of 31 March 2025.
• The General Fund capital programme saw an underspend of £22.68m against a budget of £86.09m. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme had an underspend of £20.85m against a budget of £60.74m, resulting in a total capital underspend of £43.53m.
• The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is underspent by £2.65m, increasing the HRA balance to £15.72m as of 31 March 2025.
• There is a £7.54m overspend on the Schools Budget, leading to a cumulative Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit of £8.26m.
• The Collection Fund has a surplus of £8.01m, with the council's share being £3.86m.
• The report notes that the improvement in central items was factored into setting the budget for 2025/26, with one-off assumptions helping to balance the budget.

The report also provides a directorate-level breakdown of budget variances:

• Adult Social Care & Health: £2.66m overspend
• Residents & Communities: £0.57m underspend
• Place: £5.59m overspend
• Children's Services: £3.07m overspend
• Corporate Services: £0.32m overspend
• Chief Executives: £0.18m underspend

The report also notes specific pressures in Children's Services, particularly in Children Looked After (CLA), with higher demand and placement costs. The average cost of a residential placement has increased by 42% from £4,103 in 2023/24 to £5,835 in 2024/25.

The report also details capital programme underspends and rephasing requests, including a request to rephase £31.84m into the 2025/26 financial year.

Two additional capital bids are also scheduled for discussion:

• A capital budget in 2025/26 of £0.80m for the Local Implementation Plan¹
• A capital budget for 2025/26 of £4.27m for Burlington School contract variation

Council Plan - End of Year Report 2024/25

The committee will receive a summary of progress against the council's priorities as outlined in the Council Plan (2023-27). This includes the end-of-year position for actions in the Council Delivery Plan (2024/25) and performance indicators.

Key points from the report:

• 71 of the 87 actions are either fully completed (48) or have the majority of milestones met (23).
• 15 actions are delayed, and one action is not completed.
• The end-of-year Red/Amber/Green (RAG) ratings for the Council Plan service performance indicators are: Red: 4, Amber: 11, Green: 33, Tracker: 14.

The report also includes progress against performance indicators for each of the outcomes in the Council Plan.

Motions Referred to Committee by Council

The committee will consider two motions referred from the council meeting on 1 April 2025:

Social Media Use

Proposed by Councillor Yvonne Tracey and seconded by Councillor Jamal Chohan, this motion highlights the importance of honesty in politics and the role of social media in public discourse. It also recognises the potential for misinformation, harassment, and abuse online.

The council is asked to consider the following points:

• Councillors and social media companies should prevent the spread of misinformation and protect users from abuse.
• Social media content posted by councillors should be free from defamatory or discriminatory language.
• All councillors should lead by example in their social media use.
• The use of social media to target other councillors or elected officials is condemned.
• Sharing posts from anonymous online accounts is also condemned.

The council is asked to resolve to:

• Advocate for greater accountability from social media companies.
• Adhere to the highest professional standards when using social media.
• Avoid promoting anonymous social media accounts.
• Avoid sharing content that undermines the local political climate.
• Uphold the Local Government Association's social media guidance for councillors and provide additional training.

National Insurance Increases Will Damage Local Businesses and Vital Services

Proposed by Councillor Rowena Bass and seconded by Councillor Ian George, this motion expresses disappointment regarding the increase in National Insurance contributions and its potential impact on businesses and services in Kingston.

The council is asked to consider the following points:

• The Labour government inherited a strong economy but has increased National Insurance contributions for employers.
• The Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) has stated that these policy changes will lead to lower earnings growth as employers pass on the costs.
• Businesses have criticised the plans, predicting job losses and price hikes.
• Vital services, such as nurseries and care homes, will be affected.
• Kingston Council has recognised a £3.5 million risk in its 2026/26 budget due to potential cost increases for third-party providers.

The council is asked to resolve to:

• Place on record its disappointment regarding the National Insurance increases.
• Request that 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 will be informed of an urgent decision taken by the Executive Director Corporate Services and Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Chief Executive and the Co-Chairs of Corporate and Resources Committee, to approve the direct award of a contract for Google Workspace licences and associated professional services to XMA Limited. The contract is valued at £4.5m with a provision for non-committal spend of up to £800k on behalf of RBK and partners, and is for a term of 60 months commencing 1 June 2025.

The report notes that the decision was made under urgency procedures due to complexities and delays in the renewal process, including changes to Google licensing and pricing, complex negotiations, and the need to secure the best value offer.