Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations made.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2024 be approved as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the Forward Plan be noted.

The purpose of the report was to inform members of the Council’s overall performance and financial position for the period ended 31^st December 2024 (“Third Quarter 2024/25”). The report was considered by the Corporate Select Committee on 3 February 2025.

Options considered:

Detailed Analysis was contained within the appendices to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the Third Quarter 2024/25 financial, procurement and performance position detailed in Appendices A, B and C and summarised at 3.3 of the covering report be noted.

The purpose of the report was to present the proposed Budget for 2025/26, updated Medium-Term Financial Plan 2025/26 to 2028/29, Capital Strategy 2025/26, proposed Fees and Charges for 2025/26, and Procurement Forward Plan 2025/26.  The report was considered by the Corprate Select Committee on 4 February 2025.

Options considered:

This report recommended a Council Tax level and associated budget, Medium Term Financial Plan, Capital Strategy (and future capital programme) and Fees & Charges for 2025/26 designed to best deliver the Council’s corporate priorities within a balanced budget. Other options were feasible, but any alternatives would need to identify the service and financial implications robustly in order to satisfy the Council’s Section 151 Officer (under the Local Government Finance Act 1988, section 114) of the need to deliver a balanced budget.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive make the following recommendations to Council:

1.     Approves the General Fund Budget for 2025/26 as detailed in Appendix A (section 9).

2.     Approves the revised Medium-Term Financial Plan (2025/26 to 2028/29) as detailed in Appendix A, including the revised Capital Programmes (attached at Annex A).

3.     Approves the Capital Strategy 2025/26 as set out in Appendix B.

4.     Approves the proposed Fees and Charges for 2025/26 as detailed in Appendix C.

5.     Approves the proposed Procurement Forward Plan for 2025/26, providing the Authority to procure based on procurement activity detailed in Appendix D.

6.     Approves a Band D Council Tax of £224.19 for 2025/26 (an increase of £6.51 or 2.99% from 2024/25).

7.     HRA charges as follows:

• All dwellings rents to increase by 2.7%, increasing the average rent from £82.84 to £86.91 per week (average rent takes into account new tenancies let over the previous year where the higher formula rent was charged. This gives an arithmetical increase of 4.68%)
• Garage rents to be increased by 5% from £8.68 to £9.11 average per week.
• Other Charges including service charges to increase by a maximum of 5%.
• Fuel charges at individual blocks have been reviewed and the 2025/26 charge is based on the previous year’s usage and estimated costs, charged on an individual scheme basis.

8.     Notes the Chief Finance Officer's view that the level of reserves are adequate for the Council, based on this budget and the circumstances in place at the time of preparing it (Appendix A Annex C).

It was reported that the above agenda item would be addressed shortly via an Individual Executive decision.

The purpose of the report was to update the above existing policies with changes made by Government, and to confirm that there will be no changes made to the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for the financial year 2025/26.

Options considered:

None. The Council must adhere to legislative requirements.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive recommend to Full Council that the updated policies are approved.

The Executive considered and agreed a revised Local Development Scheme that established the timetable for the High Peak Local Plan and other planning policy documents.

Options considered:

The Council must publish an updated Local Development Scheme to meet Government requirements. The timescales proposed for the Local Plan were considered to be the most expedient possible having regard to the requirements in the regulations and the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement and the level of resource available to support plan making.

RESOLVED:

1.     That the content of the proposed Local Development Scheme be noted.

2.     That the Local Development Scheme be approved so that it shall take effect from 28^th February 2025 (subject to call in).

3.     That officers be authorised to send a copy of the revised Local Development Scheme to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government by the 6^th March 2025.

4.     That it be noted that the ‘Housing Needs in the High Peak’ Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (2007) has been superseded by the Developer Contributions SPD (2023) and will no longer be applied. 

It was reported that the above agenda item would be addressed shortly via an Individual Executive decision.

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as there may be disclosures of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:

That the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2024 be approved as a correct record.

The Executive approved a report that sought approval to write off balances which were deemed non recoverable.