Agenda item

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the committee scrutinise and comment on the proposals within the attached draft cabinet report, ref CAB3514 which is to be considered by cabinet at its meeting on the 10 September 2025.

NOTE

This report contains an exempt appendix (appendix 7), if members wish to discuss any part of this exempt appendix, then the procedure under agenda item 7a (below) applies.

Councillor Neil Cutler, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation introduced the report, General Fund Outturn 2024/2025 ref CAB3514, which provided a summary of the statement of accounts for the General Fund and Capital Programme outturn for 2024/2025. The introduction included the following points.

1. The report detailed the variances from the budget across service areas, which showed a positive outturn of £2.4 million.
2. This surplus had allowed for a transfer of just over £1.7 million to reserves and £0.7 million to the General Fund reserve.
3. As a result of these transfers and additional in-year funding, a revision of the capital programme, including new budgets, was necessary.
4. The report also sought approval for the write-off of five uncollectible non-domestic rates debts, with details provided in an exempt appendix.

The committee was asked to scrutinise and comment on the proposals within the attached draft cabinet report, ref CAB3514, which was to be considered by cabinet at its meeting on 10 September 2025. The committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the report. In summary, the following matters were raised.

1. A question was asked regarding the likelihood of the council receiving a multi-year government settlement.
2. A question was asked whether funds from the original budget that were transferred to reserves were ringfenced for their original purpose or could be moved to a general reserve.
3. A query was raised as to whether the favourable variance in car parking receipts indicated that the success of the revised parking strategy had been underestimated.
4. A question was asked about how the council's write-off of non-domestic rates compared with other similar councils.
5. Further details were requested regarding the purpose and use of the Asylum Dispersal grant.
6. A question was raised on how the spending of the £13.4m in Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds could be accelerated and the allocation of interest.
7. Clarification was sought regarding who would have decision-making responsibilities for CIL funds following Local Government Reorganisation.

These points were responded to by Councillor Neil Cutler, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation, Councillor Jackie Porter, Cabinet Member for Place and Local Plan, Liz Keys, Director (Finance), Simon Hendey, Strategic Director, and Laura Taylor, Chief Executive, accordingly.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    That the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance consider the allocation of interest earned from Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds, with the outcome to be shared with the committee.

3.    That the Cabinet Member for Place and Local Plan consider a member discussion with the aim of encouraging applications and schemes for future CIL funding.

4.    That cabinet considers the committee’s comments raised during the discussion of the item.