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