Issue - meetings

1.    To note the General Fund financial forecast variance at Month 2 (Table 1 and Appendix 1).

2.    To note progress on delivering the 2025/26 agreed budget savings (Appendix 3).

3.    To note the HRA forecast (paragraph section 11 to 13 and Appendix 2).

4.    To note and approve the budget movements (virements) (Appendix 4).

Councillor Rowan Ree (Cabinet Member for Finance and Reform) introduced the report which presented the revenue monitoring position for 2025/26 at Month 2 (May 2025).

Councillor Adronie Alford raised concerns about higher numbers of people, particularly children, in Bed and Breakfast accommodation. Councillor Rowan Ree said there was a transformation programme in the Housing Solutions team to address this and the housing company mentioned in the previous report gave the Council more flexibility to build housing capacity. The Leader added that it was a political problem caused by a lack of affordable and social housing. He said children growing up in unstable housing and having to move frequently was a serious problem which the Renters’ Rights legislation should help, but ultimately more housing was needed to solve the root of the problem.

RESOLVED

1. To note the General Fund financial forecast variance at Month 2 (Table 1 and Appendix 1).

2. To note progress on delivering the 2025/26 agreed budget savings (Appendix 3).

3. To note the HRA forecast (paragraph section 11 to 13 and Appendix 2).

4. To note and approve the budget movements (virements) (Appendix 4).