Issue - meetings

To receive an interim report from the Medium Term Financial Plan Task and Finish Group   - to follow

RECOMMENDED

The Executive is recommended to resolve that:

1. All Service managers to prepare options for discretionary Fees and charges for their area of control to maximise income (10% or more) from 1 April 2026 together with the implications. (increases to be greater than the 5% increase assumed in the MTFP).

2. ‘Invest to save’ schemes for Housing are accelerated to reduce the cost of providing temporary accommodation as soon as possible.

3. ‘Invest to save’ schemes in Leisure are supported. There are two options at Dawlish Leisure Centre: a) invest to generate additional income or b) to consider the economic viability of the Centre.

4. Approval of Council tax increases at the maximum allowed in 2026/27 (2.99% in 2025/26) is supported.  At Band D that would equate to an additional £6 per annum (still to be confirmed precisely).

5. The Council removes the 50% Council Tax Discount that applied for a maximum period of 12 months for empty, uninhabitable properties that was agreed in January 2013 and in operation since 2013.

6. To continue to support the valued work across the District delivered through Voluntary sector Service Level Agreements e.g. Citizen’s Advice, freezing all members allowances at the current value to be progressed for consideration by Full Council.

The Chair of the Medium-Term Financial Plan review group Councillor Thorne presented the report and particularly referred to Appendix B which demonstrated that a section 114 Notice could be declared prior to 2028 because the current budget forecast timeline showed the deficit exceeding reserves.

The Committee thanked the review group for their work.  

RECOMMENDED

The Executive is recommended to resolve that:

1. All Service managers to prepare options for discretionary Fees and charges for their area of control to maximise income (10% or more) from 1 April 2026 together with the implications. (increases to be greater than the 5% increase assumed in the MTFP).

2. ‘Invest to save’ schemes for Housing are accelerated to reduce the cost of providing temporary accommodation as soon as possible.

3. ‘Invest to save’ schemes in Leisure are supported. There are two options at Dawlish Leisure Centre: a) invest to generate additional income or b) to consider the economic viability of the Centre.

4. Approval of Council tax increases at the maximum allowed in 2026/27 (2.99% in 2025/26) is supported.  At Band D that would equate to an additional £6 per annum (still to be confirmed precisely).

5. The Council removes the 50% Council Tax Discount that applied for a maximum period of 12 months for empty, uninhabitable properties that was agreed in January 2013 and in operation since 2013.

6. To continue to support the valued work across the District delivered through Voluntary sector Service Level Agreements e.g. Citizen’s Advice, freezing all members allowances at the current value to be progressed for consideration by Full Council.