Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets

Statements by group leaders

On behalf of the Green Party, Councillor Joy acknowledged that continued economic uncertainty makes it particularly hard to pitch the budget at this time.  They welcomed the budget, and had no amendments on this occasion, making the following comments:

-       as a member of the dynamic and inquisitive Budget Scrutiny Working Group, it has been good and useful to examine issues as they come in and submit ideas throughout the budget process;

-       a number of elements of the budget are particularly welcome, including extension of the working-age council tax support scheme that extends the income band levels for families of more than two children which aligns with the removal of the two-child benefit cap, commitment to Net Zero by 2030, and providing for highly-valued officers and staff members;

-       given current circumstances around local government reorganisation, it is good to hear that the Leader is campaigning for funding towards that.

They confirmed Green Party support for the budget.

At the invitation of the Mayor, the PAB councillor also thanked officers and Cabinet Members for their hard work, and welcomed a fair and improving budget.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets formally proposed the budget proposals for 2026-27.

Debate

Members made the following comments:

-       investment in the green space team is welcomed and money well spent, with tree-planting and work on the town’s green spaces very much supporting the council’s Net Zero objectives; Members are encouraged to read the annual review of its work and to get involved.  The team acts as enablers, project managers, and experts, helping the 20 or so volunteer groups who provide labour and work all year round to improve our parks and green space; conservative estimates puts the impact of this on the town at 15 times more than it actually costs the council, as well as improving the health and well-being of all those involved.  There are plans to further expand the number of groups to areas of the town not currently served by them;

-       investment in green spaces is not only very much appreciated by residents who value the town’s green spaces highly, but through consideration of biodiversity and nature recovery is also highly important in contributing to cleaner air, reducing urban heat, and absorbing CO2, thus addressing health inequalities.  This all makes an important contribution to the thriving local economy, making Cheltenham a good place to live, work and visit;

-       the additional money for planned maintenance of Cheltenham’s amazing buildings is  welcomed, as is the £134k investment in allotments - so important to the town and with a long waiting list – and enhancements to play areas and improvements to Sandford Park toilets;

-       Golden Valley accounts for a large percentage of the budget, but will provide thousands of good-quality jobs over the years, encouraging young people to settle here rather than move away, as well as providing a high number of affordable homes.  It will generate revenue for the town going forward, and the finance team must be congratulated for finding growth bids – a sign of well-managed finances;

-       investment in marketing is also welcome – Fran Inman and BID do a great job together with the in-house marketing team, led by Helen Mole, which works tirelessly to encourage inward investment: the marketing growth bid is important, helping to create incredible events for the town and to attract people into Cheltenham;

-       local government is at the front line, needing to provide critical services with less funding; although the three-year settlement is helpful, the labour government has not been particularly supportive, and our officers and Cabinet have done well to provide a robust budget for Cheltenham under such difficult circumstances; 

-       the support of the opposition groups is very welcome; Members working together to agree something so important and officers stepping up in such difficult circumstances are evidence that CBC is a kind organisation that works in harmony to address problems;

-       the budget always attracts a lot of attention and should be publicly audited; Members must engage with residents and communities off line to help them understand how the council works;

-       thanks to the Cabinet and to council staff across the board for all their work getting the budget here today, and for everything they deliver throughout the year – we owe them a huge debt of gratitude.  We don’t have a huge amount of money, and the contribution of volunteer and community groups help to make it go further.

In seconding the budget, the Leader said it had been a breath of fresh air to listen to such positive contributions from Members.  What the council is actually delivering on this budget on such limited finances is remarkable, and something of which we can all be proud. She thanked Cabinet colleagues, in particular the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets for leading the budget process, backed by the entire finance team. The council is very lucky to have appointed Adele Taylor as interim S151; she is a highly qualified and experienced officer across many councils since 1998.  Sincere thanks are due to her, who together with Jon Whitlock and Jason Vaughan, has done a remarkable job.

She is happy to support the budget.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets said it was heart-warming to hear such positive comments about the town, and he welcomed the support of the Green Party and PAB.  He also thanked the finance team for stepping up, and the key committees – Budget Scrutiny Working Group, Audit, Compliance and Governance Committee, and Asset Management Working Group - who work to make the budget better. 

RESOLVEDTHAT:

1.    the revised budget for 2025/26 which is reported as part of the budget monitoring process in Section 6 and Appendix 15, is approved;

2.    the budget assessment by the Section 151 Officer at Appendix 2 is considered when agreeing the following recommendations;

3.    the final budget proposals including a proposed council tax for the services provided by Cheltenham Borough Council of £252.11 for the year 2026/27 based on a Band D property (an increase of 2.99%) are approved;

4.    the budget strategy for the delivery of savings / additional income totalling £1,053,750 at Appendix 4 is approved;

5.    the revenue growth items totalling £159,334 at Appendix 5 are approved;

6.    the capital programme at Appendix 6 is approved;

7.    setting the minimum level of General Fund Balances at £1.5m is approved;

8.    the use of reserves and general balances is approved, and the projected level of reserves, as detailed at Appendix 7, are noted;

9.    the programmed maintenance programme at Appendix 8 is approved;

10. the Local Council Tax Support Scheme for working age customers in Appendix 9 is approved;

11. the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) detailed in Appendix 10 is approved;

12.the Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26, including the continued payment of a living wage supplement at Appendix 11, is approved;

13.the proposed fees and charges schedule for 2026/27 at Appendix 12 is approved, subject to appropriate consultation where required;

14.the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy 2025/26 at Appendix 13 is approved.