Issue - meetings

To provide this Committee with an early opportunity to scrutinise and input into the Council’s annual budget setting process, in particular with regards to the Business Strategy and the approach to the setting of fees and charges for 2025/26.

Members considered the early budget setting review 2025/26 and welcomed the early opportunity to scrutinise and input in the Council’s annual budget setting process. The Head of Finance Services reported that there were a number of significant issues concerning local government finance, that would have a major impact upon the financial impact of inflation on pay and prices, uncertainty on the outcome of financial settlements from central government, and the delayed Fair Funding Review that intends to review the level of Business Rates retention. Members recommended that the lifeline payments be frozen in respect of the winter fuel payments being cut, consider removing the early payment option on Environment Enforcement, if garden waste collections were value for money if returning to collect missed bins, and to check if Environmental Health licence charges were fixed by policy or legislation.