The Executive of Islington Council met on Thursday 12 February 2026 to discuss a range of significant financial and service-related matters. Key topics included the final budget proposals for 2026/27 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy, alongside arrangements for school admissions in 2027-28. The meeting also covered the renewal of the joint cemetery service agreement with Camden Council and a contract extension for security services for public buildings.

Final Budget Proposals 2026/27 and Medium Term Financial Strategy

A substantial portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Final Budget Proposals for 2026/27 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). The report detailed the proposed net revenue budget by directorate, outlining changes from the previous year, including inter-directorate adjustments, growth in budgets due to inflation and demand, other budget adjustments, and proposed savings. The report also covered the General Fund Contingency and Reserves, providing a forecast of movements to and from these funds.

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy were also presented, including proposed savings, rents, service charges, and other fees and charges. The Capital Investment and Treasury and Investment Management sections outlined the proposed capital programme for 2026/27 to 2030/31 and an indicative programme for 2031/32 to 2035/36.

Furthermore, the report addressed Council Tax and Retained National Non-Domestic Rates, including the council tax requirement and the level of council tax for 2026/27. It also included details on the council's estimated retained business rates funding. A section on Matters to Consider in Setting the Budget covered the Section 151 Officer's report on the robustness of estimates and adequacy of reserves, comments from the Monitoring Officer, environmental implications and contribution to achieving a Net Zero Carbon Islington by 2030, and an Equality Impact Assessment. Finally, the report summarised the budget consultation responses and proposed relief schemes for supporting small businesses and pubs and live music venues, as well as the Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27.

Islington Community School Admission Arrangements 2027-28

The Executive was asked to agree the co-ordinated schemes and timetables for admission to Islington primary and secondary schools, and Highbury Fields Sixth Form for 2027-28. This included agreeing the policy and oversubscription criteria for admission to community primary and secondary schools, as well as the admission numbers for these schools and Highbury Fields Sixth Form. Local protocols for in-year admissions for 2027-28 were also presented for agreement.

Islington and Camden Joint Cemetery Service Agreement

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the renewal of the shared partnership arrangement between Islington Council and Camden Council for the continued joint delivery of cemetery and cremation services through the Islington & Camden Cemetery Service (ICCS). The report sought agreement on the Heads of Terms for the renewed ICCS Shared Partnership Agreement, which would establish the core operating, financial, and governance principles for the full agreement. It was noted that the renewed agreement would maintain the core operational principles of the existing arrangement.

Contract Extension for Security, Static Guarding, and Key Holding Services for Public Buildings

The Executive was asked to approve a 24-month extension of the contract with Mitie Security Limited for front-of-house security, static guarding, and key holding services across the Council's public buildings. The report highlighted that the cumulative expenditure and proposed extension would result in the total contract value exceeding the £7 million ceiling approved under the original procurement strategy, with the revised total estimated at approximately £8.4 million. The report also noted that the option of insourcing the service would be reviewed again during the extension period.

Other Matters

The agenda also included formal matters such as apologies for absence and declarations of interest, as well as the minutes of the previous meeting.