Agenda item

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.