Agenda, decisions and draft minutes
PDF 124 KBVenue: Mandela Room
Contact: Scott Bonner
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Welcome and Fire Evacuation Procedure In the event the fire alarm sounds attendees will be
advised to evacuate the building via the nearest fire exit and assemble at the
Bottle of Notes opposite MIMA. Minutes: The Chair welcomed all those present to the meeting and described the fire evacuation procedure. |
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Declarations of Interest To receive
any declaration of interests. Minutes: There were
no declarations of interest received at this point in the meeting. |
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Minutes - Executive - 3 December 2025 To receive the minutes of the previous meeting. Minutes: The minutes of the Executive meeting held on 3 December 2025 were submitted and approved as a correct record. |
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Announcements from the Mayor To receive any announcements from the Mayor. Minutes: None. |
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Questions from Members of the Public (if any) To receive questions from members of the public. Minutes: None. |
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Questions from elected Members (if any) To receive questions from elected Members. Minutes: None. |
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Matters referred from Scrutiny or Council (if any) To consider reports of Overview and Scrutiny Board
following the Call-In process or Council following the Budget setting process. Minutes: None. |
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Reports from the Overview and Scrutiny Board or a Scrutiny Panel (if any) To receive any reports from the Overview and Scrutiny
Board or Scrutiny Panels. Minutes: None. |
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2026/27 Draft Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan 2026/27 to 2029/30 Report for decision. Additional documents:
Decision: ORDERED that Executive approve the proposed draft budget
and budget proposals for service budget growth and council tax for 2026/27 be presented
for public consultation, commencing on 18 December 2025 and concluding on 11
January 2026. This is prior to confirmation of Government funding and
finalising the proposed budget by Executive on 4 February 2026 for
consideration and approval by Council on 18 February 2026. AGREED that Executive note: ·
That the report was prepared following
initial analysis of the level of Government funding available to Middlesbrough
Council from information contained within the Local Government Finance Policy
Statement published by the Government on 20 November 2025, however this was
before confirmation was received of the Government funding in the Provisional
Local Government Finance Settlement which was scheduled to be published in the
week commencing 15 December 2025. The figures contained within the report and the
budget proposals were therefore subject to further review and change once the
detail of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement was published. ·
The current estimate of the increase in
Government funding for Middlesbrough Council resulting from the Government’s
Fair Funding Review 2.0 totalled £10.653m in 2026/27, £14.485m in 2027/28, and
£12.438m in 2028/29, detailed in Table 1 of the report. However, this was
subject to potential significant change before being finalised as part of the
Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement. ·
The proposed budget for 2026/27 and the
updated Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for the period to 2029/30, detailed
in Table three of the report, and the key budget assumptions that it was based
on detailed in paragraphs 4.38 to 4.41 of the report. ·
That there were forecast service demand
pressures and re-basing of budgets, including for reduced income levels and
legislative requirements, totalling £15.549m for 2026/27 rising to £35.963m in
2029/30, detailed in Appendix one of the report. ·
The proposed removal of savings totalling
£2.458m p.a. from the MTFP which were now found to be unachievable in the
manner originally intended, detailed in paragraph 4.36 of the report. ·
That in light of the
current estimates of increased Government funding forecast to be received by
Middlesbrough Council the Mayor and Executive had proposed the following: o that
there was no requirement currently for the Council to make any additional
further budget savings in 2026/27 other than those already included in the
current MTFP, however work would continue to identify and deliver efficiencies
and savings in the future through robust budget monitoring and the
Transformation Programme, detailed in paragraphs 4.34 and 4.35 of the report. o no
increase in core (general) Council Tax for 2026/27, but an increase in Council
Tax for 2026/27 of 2% relating to the Adult Social Care precept to fund
increased costs of statutory duties in Adult Social Care, detailed in paragraph
4.27 of the report. o proposed total service budget growth of £6.460m from 2026/27 in order to reinvest in some direct services to the community and provide reinvestment in the resilience of enabling services, detailed in Appendix 3 of the ... view the full decision text for item 25/80 Minutes: The Mayor and Executive Member for Finance submitted a report for Executive consideration. The report was a key stage in the budget development process for 2026/27 and the MTFP for the four-year period to 2029/30. It presented budget and council tax proposals that would achieve a legally balanced budget for 2026/27, and a balanced position for 2027/28 to 2028/29 over the period of the Government’s Fair Funding Review 2.0. The draft budget would progress to the consultation phase of the budget development process during the period 18 December 2025 to 11 January 2026. The Council Plan was the Council’s overarching business plan for the medium term and was typically refreshed on an annual basis. It set out the ambitions and priorities of the Elected Mayor of Middlesbrough and the wider priorities that the Council was required to deliver. On 3 December 2025, Executive approved the proposed approach and revisions to refresh the Council Plan as part of its 2026/27 refresh. This included the adoption of an outcome driven approach to the Council Plan and noted that a further report detailing the workplan (including measures and initiatives) would be presented to Executive for approval in February 2026. The proposed service budget growth detailed in Appendix three of the report, and summarised in Table 4 in paragraph 4.48, were linked to the achievement of the proposed outcomes contained within that report. The Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) was a financial interpretation of the Council Plan and incorporated the annual revenue and spending plans which aimed to align and to deliver the Council’s ambitions. The 2025/26 Budget and MTFP report to Council in February 2025, and the quarterly budget monitoring reports to Executive throughout 2025/26, highlighted a significant improvement in the Council’s financial position and financial resilience (including increased levels of reserves in the medium term) from that which existed at 2024/25 budget setting. This had been supported by improved governance existing throughout the Council, as well as budgetary control measures being strengthened and faster, more effective intervention when budgets were overspending (including the requirement for services to produce recovery plans). However, there was still a continuing focus on the Council’s finances in the future. It was therefore essential that the Council developed a robust medium term financial strategy to achieve financial sustainability over the course of its MTFP whilst demonstrating that it was achieving Best Value in its use of resources. It was essential that the 2026/27 budget process achieved the following several key objectives including set and deliver a balanced General Fund budget for 2026/27, continue to ensure the Council’s financial resilience through the achievement of a balanced MTFP and rebuilding of revenue reserves and further develop and establish programmes and projects that deliver improved outcomes at lower cost whilst meeting the Mayor’s priorities within the Council Plan. In terms of Local Government Funding, the report submitted to Executive in September 2025 provided details of a review of Local Government Funding (known as Fair Funding Review 2.0) for which a consultation ran ... view the full minutes text for item 25/80 |
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Any other urgent items which in the opinion of the Chair, may be considered. Minutes: None. The decision(s) will come into force after five working days following the day the decision(s) was/ were published unless the decision(s) become subject to the call in procedures |