The Budget Planning Committee of Cherwell District Council was scheduled to meet on 16 September 2025 to discuss the council's financial performance, the budget process for the upcoming year, and the committee's work plan. The meeting was set to include a review of the financial position at the end of Quarter 1 of 2025-2026, and an update on the proposed approach to the 2026/27 Budget Process.

Here's a breakdown of the key items from the agenda:

Quarter 1 Finance Monthly Performance Report 2025-2026

The committee was expected to review the council's financial performance as of 30 June 2025. The report, prepared by Michael Furness, Assistant Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer), was intended to provide a forecast of the year-end position.

The report highlighted concerns about significant forecast overspends in some directorates, for which mitigations have not been identified or proposed . It noted that service delivery cannot be maintained at the expense of budget management and that services with significant forecast overspends would be subject to further discussion with the Budget Oversight Group.

The report included a dashboard summarising the financial position of each service area. Some of the notable figures included:

• A £0.115m overspend in Finance, attributed to Universal Credit and fewer court summons.
• A £1.343m overspend in Property.
• A £0.769m overspend in Environmental services, due to gate fees and agency costs.
• A £1.159m underspend in Executive Matters.

The report also included a mitigation table, detailing potential measures to address the forecast overspends.

Several capital projects were scheduled to be re-profiled beyond 2025/26, including:

• Installation of Photovoltaic at CDC Property
• Kidlington Leisure New Electrical Main
• Development of New Land Bicester Depot
• Spiceball Sports Centre - Solar PV Car Ports
• Kidlington Sports Centre - Solar PV Car Ports
• North Oxfordshire Academy - Solar Panels
• Community Centre Solar Panels
• Thorpe Lane - Solar Panels
• Thorpe Lane Heater Replacement
• Council Website & Digital Service
• Digital Futures Programme (Business Cases Required)
• East West Railways
• Street Scene Furniture and Fencing project
• Depot Fuel System Renewal
• Burnehyll - Bicester Country Park
• Net Zero Capital Projects (Business Cases Required)
• Landscape Software Upgrade
• Upgrade of Street Cleansing IT System
• Bicester Leisure Centre Extension
• Longford Park Art
• S106 - Ambrosden Community Facility Project
• S106 - Ambrosden Indoor Sport Project
• S106 - Ambrosden Outdoor Sports
• S106 - Ardley & Fewcott Play Area Project
• S106 - Bicester Leisure Centre Extension
• S106 - Graven Hill Outdoor Sport Project
• S106 - Kidlington & Gosford Leisure Centre
• S106 - Milton Road Community Facility & Sports Pitch
• S106 - Spiceball Leisure Centre Improvements
• S106 - The Hill Improvements Project
• Local Authority Housing Fund R2
• Spiceball Leisure Centre Structural Beams
• S106 - Kingsmere Public Art

Budget Process 2026/27

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the proposed approach to the 2026/27 Budget Process. The report provided context and background information on the existing Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and information on latest government announcements relevant to the Strategy.

The report noted that the Corporate Plan would set out the council's vision and strategic priorities, aims and activities over a five-year period. It also noted that the MTFS to 2029/30, agreed by Council in February 2025, identified savings of £4.997m to be delivered in 2026/27.

The report set out the assumptions on which the existing MTFS was based, including assumptions around additional spending and savings, and funding. It noted that there remained much uncertainty regarding the position over the medium term with the expected funding reforms.

The report also provided an update on the Fair Funding Review, with the government consulting on proposed changes in local government funding. It noted that there were two types of damping within the Fair Funding Review 2.0 proposals: phasing in changes over 3 years, and a 0% (cash flat) funding floor.

The report stated that a public consultation would be published at the end of November on the 'substance' of the budget, to give the wider population and stakeholders the opportunity to feedback on the council's 'formed' budget proposals.

Review of Committee Work Plan

The committee was also scheduled to review its work plan. The work programme included items such as the 2026/2027 Budget Proposals, Finance Monitoring Reports, and the Draft 2026/27 Capital and Investment Strategy.