Corporate Policy and Resources Committee
Decisions taken at the meeting held on Tuesday, 11 November 2025.
Meeting Time:
7.00 pm
Meeting Venue:
Council Chamber, Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 1XB
PRESENT: Councillor Joanne Sexton (Chair), Councillor Chris Bateson (Vice-Chair), Councillor Malcolm Beecher, Councillor John Boughtflower, Councillor Jon Button, Councillor Darren Clarke, Councillor Sue Doran, Councillor Rebecca Geach, Councillor Michele Gibson, Councillor Kathy Grant, Councillor Matthew Lee, Councillor Sinead Mooney, Councillor Lawrence Nichols and Councillor Howard Williams
|
2. Minutes |
|
|
|
The minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2025 were agreed as a correct record. |
|
4. Questions from members of the Public |
|
|
|
The Committee were advised that no questions had been received from members of the public. |
|
5. Forward Plan |
|
|
|
The Committee resolved to note the contents of the Forward Plan. |
|
6. Revised Policy Statement on Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) for 2025/26* |
|
|
|
The Committee resolved to:
1. Consider and agree the proposed new MRP Policy Statement for 2025/26; and
2. Recommend that Council approve the proposed new MRP Policy Statement for 2025/26 as set out in Appendix A of the report.
|
|
7. Debt Rescheduling proposals 2025/26* |
|
|
|
The Committee resolved to:
1. Consider and agree the proposed new Debt Rescheduling proposal for implementation during 2025/26 subject to the Chairs of the Business Infrastructure and Growth Committee, the Commercial Assets sub-Committee and the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee being consulted and approving before a re-financing transaction is initiated if PWLB rates movements result in the discount benefit to the Council falling below £320m; and
2. Recommend that Council approve the Debt Rescheduling proposal for implementation during 2025/26 subject to the Chairs of the Business Infrastructure and Growth Committee, the Commercial Assets sub-Committee and the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee being consulted and approving before a re-financing transaction is initiated if PWLB rates movements result in the discount benefit to the Council falling below £320m.
|
|
8. Asset Rationalisation to underpin the revised Medium-Term Financial Strategy* |
|
|
|
The Committee resolved to:
1. Consider and agree the principle of Asset Rationalisation as set out in the report and to recommend this to Council,
2. Approve the commencement of the procurement of a specialist advisor through an appropriate framework,
3. Delegate authority to the Section 151 Officer and Group Head of Assets, in consultation with the Leader and the Deputy Leader, the Chairs of the Commercial Assets Sub-Committee and the Business, Infrastructure and Growth Committee, to appoint the preferred bidder from the above procurement to assist in the implementation of an Asset Rationalisation Strategy; and
4. Delegate authority to the Group Head Corporate Governance to enter into a contract with the proposed advisors.
|
|
9. Reserves Strategy 2026-27 |
|
|
|
The Committee resolved to:
1. Recommend to Council that it is informed and assured by the Draft Reserves Strategy noting that the forward projected figures will change when a detailed Budget Report is brought to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee in January 2026; and
2. Acknowledge the proposed repurposing of the earmarked Sinking Fund reserves as a revenue budget equalisation reserve.
|
|
10. Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2026-27 |
|
|
|
The Committee resolved to:
1. Be informed and assured by the Draft Medium Term Financial Strategy set out in the report and that an updated strategy (reflecting the impact of actual debt discount and refinancing rates achieved, and the outcome of the Fair Funding Review), as part of a Detailed Budget Report will come to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee in January 2026 for consideration and approval; and
2. Approve the proposed Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy.
|
|
11. Treasury Management Annual Outturn Report 2024/25* |
|
|
|
The Committee resolved to approve the Treasury Management Outturn position for 2025/25. |
|
12. Treasury Management Half Yearly Report |
|
|
|
The Committee resolved to note the performance of the Treasury Management Team during the first six months of 2025/26.
|
|
13. Urgent Actions |
|
|
|
The Committee were advised that no urgent actions had been taken since the last meeting. |
NOTES:-
(1) Members are reminded that the “call-in” procedure as set out in Part 4b of the Constitution, shall not apply to the following matters:
(a) Urgent decisions as defined in Paragraph 9. of the Call-in Scrutiny Procedure Rules;
(b) Decisions to award a contract following a lawful procurement process;
(c) Those decisions:
i. reserved to full Council
ii. on regulatory matters
iii. on member conduct issues.
(2) Those matters to which Note (1) applies, if any, are identified with an asterisk [*] in the above Minutes.
(3) Within three working days of the date on which this decision is published, not less than three members from two or more political groups by submission of the standard call-in pro-forma, may ask for that decision to be referred to a meeting of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee for review (call-in). The completed pro-forma must be received by the Proper Officer by 5pm three working days after publication of the decision.
(4) The members exercising the right of call-in must not be members of the Committee which considered the matter.
(5) When calling in a decision for review the members doing so must demonstrate the following exceptional circumstances:
a. Evidence which suggests that the decision maker, did not take the decision in accordance with the principles set out in Article 11 (Decision Making); or
b. Evidence that the decision fails to support one or more of the Council’s Corporate Plan priorities to the detriment of the majority of the Borough’s residents; or
c. Evidence that explicit Council Policy or legal requirements were disregarded.
(6) Once the request for ‘call-in’ has been deemed valid by the Monitoring Officer the matter will be suspended until the call-in procedure has been exhausted.
(7) The Chief Executive, in consultation with the relevant officer, will determine if the interests of the Council or Borough would be prejudiced by a delay in implementing a decision such that the call-in cannot wait until the next ordinary meeting of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee.
(8) Where the call-in cannot wait until the next ordinary meeting, the Monitoring Officer will arrange an extraordinary meeting of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee to review the decision subject to call-in at the earliest possible opportunity.
(9) In exceptional cases, where there is clear evidence that a delay to the implementation of a decision would lead to a specific and significant financial or reputational harm to the Council, a call-in request may be refused by the Chief Executive following consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of Corporate Policy and Resources Committee.
(10) In reviewing a matter referred to it under the call-in scrutiny procedure rules, the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee shall follow the procedure for dealing with call-in scrutiny at its meetings as set out in Part 4b of the Constitution.
(11) The deadline of three working days for "call in" in relation to the above decisions by the Committee is the close of business on 17 November 2025..