The Doncaster Council Cabinet met to discuss updates to the Medium-term Financial Strategy and proposed changes to the Secure Tenancy Agreement. The Cabinet noted the report on the Medium-term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and approved the proposed changes to the Secure Tenancy Agreement, including recommendations regarding successions following the death of a tenant. These changes aim to update the agreement with new legislation, increase emphasis on enforcement, and simplify the agreement for tenants.

Medium-term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2026/27 to 2028/29

The Cabinet noted the report on updates to the Medium-term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2026/27 to 2028/29. The report provided a review of the MTFS approved in February and updates on the potential impact of the government's Fair Funding 2.0 proposals, estimated further price rises, and emerging cost pressures.

Mayor Ros Jones presented the updates, highlighting that Doncaster has seen its Core Spending Power (CSP) reduced by 20% in real terms since 2010, compared to an average of 15% for England, which equates to a £294 reduction per resident. The report noted that the MTFS is a three-year financial plan that sets out the council's commitment to provide value for money services to deliver the council's mission for Thriving People, Places and Planet within the resources available to it.

Dedicated work will be undertaken to assess the estimated budget pressures and project the impact on the MTFS. The review will include any changes resulting from the funding consultation and provisional settlement figures, which will be received from the government before Christmas. The review would also consider feedback from the 'Big Neighbourhoods Conversation' to help deliver improvements that matter to the people of Doncaster.

A Radical Efficiency and Innovation Programme (REIP) will be introduced to respond to financial pressures, develop efficiencies in service delivery, and create better conditions for good outcomes. The programme will focus on improving outcomes for people, encouraging healthier living, and supporting people to stay in their own homes rather than going into care.

The Fair Funding Review 2.0 (FFR) was launched on 20 June 2025, with an eight-week consultation running until 15 August 2025, on the government's proposed approach to local authority funding reform through the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS) from 2026/27. The FFR aims to introduce a fairer funding system that targets money where it is most needed, using the best available evidence to account for the different needs and costs faced by local authorities in urban and rural areas, and the ability of individual local authorities to raise council tax. The FFR will be introduced alongside a full reset to business rates income.

The government proposes to reduce the number of Relative Needs Formulae (RNF) used in the assessment of councils' relative needs from 15 down to 9. Doncaster's overall relative weighted need share is 0.59%. Doncaster gains in the Adult Social Care RNF and the Children and Young People's Services RNF but loses out in the Foundation Formula.

A key element of the FFR is the proposal to redistribute resources through 100% council tax equalisation. Doncaster has a relatively low tax base, with around 87% below Band D, and therefore the ability to raise resources locally is limited in comparison to many councils across England, particularly those in London and the South-East. The consultation assumes maximum council tax increases of 4.99% for all local authorities with social care responsibilities (including 2% for the Social Care Precept¹).

Cabinet members welcomed the report and were delighted to see that the MTFS remains focused and well-balanced, ensuring the City of Doncaster Council will continue to deliver efficient services for the people of Doncaster.

Secure Tenancy Agreement Review 2025

The Cabinet approved the proposed changes to the Secure Tenancy Agreement, as detailed in Appendix 3 - Notice of Variation, to ensure legal timescales are met for the changes to take effect from 1 January 2026. They also approved the recommendation regarding successions following the death of a tenant as part of the wider changes to the tenancy agreement.

Deputy Mayor Councillor Glyn Jones, Cabinet Member for Environment, Housing and Safer Communities, introduced the Secure Tenancy Agreement Review 2025 report. The Secure Tenancy Agreement is a legal contract between City of Doncaster Council (CDC) and the tenants of Housing Revenue Account housing stock managed by St Leger Homes of Doncaster (SLHD). The agreement allows SLHD to effectively manage tenancies in a way that contributes to community cohesion in Doncaster and helps deliver the objectives of the council.

The agreement was last reviewed in 2016, with a variation implemented in 2017. Since that time, there have been legislative changes relevant to the Secure Tenancy Agreement and changes to data protection requirements.

Councillor Jones summarised the changes made to the tenancy agreements as follows:

• Updating with new legislation such as the Domestic Abuse Act and General Data Protection Act
• Increased emphasis on enforcement, particularly regarding no access and abuse towards staff
• Increased emphasis on recharges to tenants
• Successions spouse only as per the Localism Act unless the remaining family member can prove 5-year continuous residency
• Moving from any day terminations to fixed day terminations in line with legislation
• Simplifying and shortening the agreement to make it easier for tenants to understand

The proposed changes to the tenancy agreement will provide an effective and strengthened agreement that is fit for purpose and clearer for tenants to understand their obligations and rights.

The amended criteria for succession rights of family members other than a spouse or partner will affect a low number of tenants but will provide much better use of stock and help with meeting wider housing need across the City.

Succession of Tenancies

Succession of Tenancies is set down in the Housing Act 1985. The Localism Act 2011 in England significantly changed succession rights for Secure council tenancies created after 1 April 2012. Specifically, it limited statutory succession to the spouse or civil partner of the deceased tenant (or they lived with the tenant as if they were their spouse or civil partner) and removed rights for other family members in these newer tenancies. However, councils were given the power to amend their tenancy agreements to extend the category of persons who could qualify to succeed to secure tenancies. Doncaster Council elected to use that power to vary its tenancy agreement and continue to allow the tenant's wider family members to potentially qualify to succeed to the tenancy.

The new Doncaster Tenancy Strategy clarifies that the council and other social housing providers may review their approach to Successions. This review proposes a change to the express clause due to increased demand for council housing, to make best use of the council's housing stock and provide the right homes for the right people.

The current arrangement allows for any family member living in the property for 12 months prior to the death of the tenant to automatically succeed to the tenancy as long as there has been no previous succession and there is no spouse or civil partner residing at the property. This does currently create problems whereby family members succeed to properties that they would not be eligible for under the CDC Housing Allocations Policy and reduces the supply of homes becoming available for those who are eligible. There is also evidence that family members have also moved in with tenants with the intention of succeeding to the tenancy. Further issues arising from this option are that successors inherit the Right to Buy rights and discount accrued by the previous tenant.

The proposed and recommended change is to continue with the current arrangement but change the 12 months qualification for other family members to 5 years. This will still allow family members other than a spouse or civil partner to automatically succeed to the tenancy as long as there has been no previous succession and there is no spouse or civil partner residing at the property. However, by extending the qualifying criteria for other family members from 12 months to 5 years it will reduce the risk of family members moving in for the sole purpose of succeeding.

Any family member left in occupation of a property who does not meet the above criteria will be assessed by SLHD Housing Assessment Panel against the CDC Housing Allocations Policy and taking into account other circumstances with regards vulnerability, personal circumstances and other housing need. HAP may make the decision, if appropriate to award the family member with a new introductory tenancy.

Consultation

The tenancy agreement consultation initially commenced in 2024. However, it was temporarily paused to allow for the review of the Tenancy Strategy, ensuring alignment between both documents. The consultation process was subsequently resumed in 2025, following progress on the strategy review.

Consultation has been undertaken widely and robustly to meet legislative requirements and ensure inclusivity and listening to tenants. Consultation has taken place in three stages, and the analysis and outcomes of consultation is detailed in Appendix 2 – Summary of Consultation and Proposals.

In conclusion, Councillor Jones added that extensive consultation had taken place regarding the proposed changes to the tenancy agreements and that the changes would be implemented from 1 January 2026, with a robust plan to ensure tenants understand their tenancy conditions and rights.

Members of Cabinet were pleased to see the positive changes contained within the Secure Tenancy Agreements and commended the work of officers.