Agenda item

7.25pm – The report and recommendations were moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

In accordance with Council convention, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan, and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, were given unlimited time to speak on the Budget report.

The Council adjourned for a short break from 8.41pm to 8.54pm.

Speeches on the report were also made by Councillors Lydia Paynter, Callum Nimmo (who made their maiden speeches), and Rowan Ree (for the Administration) – and Councillors Adronie Alford, Adrian Pascu-Tulbure, and Amanda Lloyd-Harris (for the Opposition).

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan, then made a speech winding up the debate.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote and a roll call was undertaken, in accordance with Council convention when voting on the budget:

FOR                        32

AGAINST                9

NOT VOTING         1

The recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9.41pm – RESOLVED:

That Full Council agrees, for the reasons set out in this report and appendices:

1.    To approve a balanced budget for 2025/26 as set out in the report, including the underlying principles and assumptions.

2.    To approve £12.3m of new investment on key services for residents.

3.    To increase the Hammersmith & Fulham element of Council Tax by 2.99% as modelled by the Government in its spending power calculations for local government.

4.    To apply the Adult Social Care precept levy of 2% as modelled by the Government in its spending power calculations for local government.

5.    To approve fees and charges, as set out in Appendix E, including freezing charges in adult social care, children’s services, and General Fund housing.

6.    To approve the Medium-Term Financial Strategy and to note the proposed funding reforms from 2026/27 onwards and budget projections to 2028/29 made by the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services in consultation with the Strategic Leadership Team. (Appendix B)

7.    To note the statement of the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services, under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, regarding the adequacy of reserves and robustness of estimates (paragraph 66).

8.    To approve the reserves strategy and forecast as set out in Appendix H.

9.    To require all Directors to report on their projected financial position compared to their revenue estimates in accordance with the Corporate Revenue Monitoring Report timetable.

10.To authorise Directors to implement their service spending plans for 2025/26 in accordance with the recommendations within this report, the council’s Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, relevant Schemes of Delegation and undertake any further consultation required regarding the Equalities Impact Assessment.

11.Set the council’s element of Council Tax for 2025/26 for each category of dwelling, as outlined in the table below and in full in Appendix A and calculated in accordance with Sections 31A to 49B of the Localism Act 2011.

12.To note, based on the Mayor of London’s draft consolidated budget, the element of Council Tax to be charged by the Greater London Authority in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each of the categories of dwellings as shown in the table below.

13.That the overall Council Tax to be set at £1,451.42 per Band D property as follows:

14.To authorise the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services to collect and recover National Non-Domestic Rate and Council Tax in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (as amended), the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the Council’s Scheme of Delegation.

15.To note the Council’s estimated position on the Collection Fund (as set out in paragraph 60).

16.To note the performance on the management of arrears across the Council on all debts due (as set out from paragraph 71).