Issue - meetings

Committee is asked to:

1.    Consider the statutory Section 25 and Section 26 report of the Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer) in Appendix J in determining:

a)    The proposed budget for 2026/27,

b)    The medium-term financial plans for 2026/27 to 2028/29; and

c)    The robustness of estimates and reserves projections,

2.    Note the level of projected reserves at 31 March 2026 is £32.2m and available earmarked reserves forecast to be available are £27.7m as set out in Appendix E,

3.    Recommend that the Council approve:

3.1  The General Fund Revenue Budget for 2026/27 including:

a)    The General Fund Budget Requirement of £19.318m for 2026/27 (See Appendix A for full details),

b)    Growth and pressures of £1.252m for 2026/27 (See Table 2, paragraph 2.28 for full details); and

c)    Proposed savings of £5.752m for 2026/27 (See Appendix D for full details)

3.2  An increase in the Council’s element of the Council Tx for a Band D property by £6.64 per annum for 2026/27 (2.90%) giving a Band D Council Tax of £235.50 per year, excluding the precepts from Surrey County Council and the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner,

3.3  Notes the following Council Tax increases and precepts as detailed in Appendix I:

a)    Surrey County Council has increased Council Tax for a Bad D property to £1,938.42 per annum, a 4.99% increase on 2025/26, resulting in a precept of £80,014,295,

b)    The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey has increased Council Tax for a Band D property to £352.57 per annum, a £15 or 4.45 increase on 2025/26, resulting in a precept of £14,553.420,

c)    This results in an overall Band D Council Tax of £2,526.49 for Spelthorne residents, an increase of £113.71, 4.5%,

d)    The Spelthorne Council element of the Council Tax is 9.3% of the total bill for Spelthorne residents,

3.4  The calculations for determining the Council Tax requirement for the year 2026/27 in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as set out in the Council Tax Resolution in Appendix I,

3.5  The Fees and Charges for 2026/27 as set out in Appendix H; and

3.6  Continuing the complete disregard of war pension/armed forces pension income from benefit calculations as set out in paragraph 2.22 of this report.   

The Committee resolved to:

Agree that it had considered the Statutory Section 25 and Section 26 Report of the Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer) in Appendix J in determining:

A)   The proposed budget for 2026/27,

B)   The medium-term financial plans for 2026/27 to 2028/29 and

C)   The robustness of estimates and reserves projections; and

noted the level of earmarked reserves as at 31 March 2026 was £32.2m and available earmarked reserves forecast to be available were £27.1m as set out in Appendix F,

2. make a recommendation to Council to approve the following:

1. the General Fund Revenue Budget for 2026/27 including:

i)             The General Fund Budget Requirement of £19.318m for 2026/27,

ii)            Growth and pressures of £1.252m for 2026/27

iii)           Proposed savings of £5.752m for 2026/27

2. An increase in the Council’s element of the Council Tax for a band D property by £6.64 per annum for 2026/27 (2.90%), giving a band D Council Tax of £235.50 per year, excluding the precepts from Surrey County Council and the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner.

3. Note the following Council Tax increases and precepts as detailed in Appendix I:

a)    Surrey County Council had increased Council Tax for a Band D property to £1,938.42 per annum, a 4.99% increase on 2025/26, resulting in a precept of £80,014,295.

b)    The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey had increased Council Tax for a Band D property to £352.57 per annum, a £15 or 4.4% increase on 2025/26, resulting in a precept of £14,553.420.

c)    This resulted in an overall Band D Council Tax of £2,526.49 for Spelthorne residents, an increase of £113.71 (4.5%) per annum.

d)    The Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax was 9.3% of the total bill for Spelthorne residents

4.    The calculations for determining the Council Tax requirement for the year 2026/27 in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as set out in the Council Tax Resolution in Appendix I,

5.    The Fees and Charges for 2026/27 as set out in Appendix H; and

6.    The continuation of the complete disregard of war pension/armed forces pension income from benefit calculations as set out in paragraph 2.22 of this report

The Committee considered a report that asked for Recommendations 1 and 2 to be noted and a recommendation to be made to Council to approve 3.1 to 3.6.

During the debate the Committee asked that the report be amended before being presented to Council. Officers were asked to standardise the references to the Council reserves to make it clearer to members.

The Committee asked how much of the Better Neighbourhood Grant fund  remained unspent and were advised that members would be advised in writing.

The Chair split the recommendations into 2 separate parts for the Committee to vote on.

Councillor Clarke requested a recorded vote on both parts of the recommendations.

Part 1:

Does the Committee agree that it has considered the Statutory Section 25 and Section 26 Report of the Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer) in Appendix J in determining:

A)   The proposed budget for 2026/27,

B)   The medium-term financial plans for 2026/27 to 2028/29 and

C)   The robustness of estimates and reserves projections

And

Does the Committee note the level of earmarked reserves as at 31 March 2026 is £32.2m and available earmarked reserves forecast to be available are £27.1m as set out in Appendix F

Part 2:

Does the Committee agree to make a recommendation to Council that it approves the following:

1.    The General Fund Revenue Budget for 2026/27 including:

a)    The General Fund Budget Requirement of £19.318m for 2026/27

b)    Growth and pressures of £1.252m for 2026/27

c)    Proposed savings of £5.752m for 2026/27

2.    An increase in the Council’s element of the Council Tax for a band D property by £6.64 per annum for 2026/27 (2.90%), giving a Band D Council Tax of £235.50 per year, excluding the precepts from Surrey County Council and the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner.

3.    Notes the following Council Tax increases and precepts as detailed in Appendix I:

a)    Surrey County Council had increased Council Tax for a Band D property to £1,938.42 per annum, a 4.99% increase on 2025/26, resulting in a precept of £80,014,295.

b)    The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey had increased Council Tax for a Band D property to £352.57 per annum, a £15 or 4.4% increase on 2025/26, resulting in a precept of £14,553.420.

c)    This resulted in an overall Band D Council Tax of £2,526.49 for Spelthorne residents, an increase of £113.71 (4.5%) per annum.

d)    The Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax was 9.3% of the total bill for Spelthorne residents

4.    The calculations for determining the Council Tax requirement for the year 2026/27 in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as set out in the Council Tax Resolution in Appendix I,

5.    The Fees and Charges for 2026/27 as set out in Appendix H; and

6.    The continuation of the complete disregard of war  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25