Agenda item

To receive a report from the Cabinet (copy attached – Annex 4) which recommends the approval of the General Fund Budget for 2025/26 and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025/26 to 2028/29. Cllr Gareth Williams, Leader of the Council, will introduce this item.

Cllr Gareth Williams introduced the Report of the Cabinet meeting held on 11th February, 2025, which recommended the approval of the General Fund Budget 2025/26 and Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) up to 2028/29. The Report was seconded by Cllr A.H. Crawford.

During debate, it was MOVED by Cllr G.B. Lyon and SECONDED by Cllr P.J. Cullum that Recommendation 1 be amended to insert the following words (text in bold):

1. The Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and the strategy set out in the report to resolve the MTFS deficit “subject to the savings identified in para 2.15 (£179k) be used to cancel the parking charge increases noted at paragraph 3.7 (c£120k) with the balance of £59k allocated to enhance street cleaning.”

In a recorded vote, there voted FOR: Cllrs Ade Adeola, Sue Carter, P.J. Cullum, A. Gani, Peace Essien Igodifo, G.B. Lyon, M.D. Smith, P.G. Taylor and Jacqui Vosper (9); AGAINST: Cllrs Abe Allen, A.H. Crawford, Jules Crossley, Thomas Day, Keith Dibble, C.P. Grattan, Lisa Greenway, Christine Guinness, Rhian Jones, Halleh Koohestani, Bill O’Donovan, Sophie Porter, M.J. Roberts, Dhan Sarki, Sarah Spall, Ivan Whitmee, Becky Williams and Gareth Williams (18); ABSTAIN: Cllrs C.W. Card, Leola Card, T.W. Mitchell, the Deputy Mayor (Cllr Calum Stewart) and the Mayor (Cllr Mara Makunura) (5) and the Amendment was DECLARED LOST.

It was MOVED by Cllr Gareth Williams; SECONDED by Cllr A.H. Crawford – That

(i)            approval be given to the following recommendations as detailed in Annex 4

(a)  the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and the strategy set out in the report to resolve the MTFS deficit,

(b)  the General Fund Budget Estimates Summary 2025/26 as set out in Appendix 1 of the Council Report,

(c)  the Council Tax requirement of £8,008,514 for this Council,

(d)  the Council Tax Level for Rushmoor Borough Council’s purposes of £239.70 for a Band D property in 2025/26 (an increase of £6.96)

(e)  the Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 6 of the Council Report,

(f)   the Strategy for the flexible use of Capital Receipts as per paragraph 3.29 in Annex 4 of the Council Report, and

(g)  the UKSPF funding allocation as set out at Appendix 7 of the Council Report

Following debate, the Recommendations at (i) (a)-(g) above were put to the meeting. In a recorded vote, there voted FOR: Cllrs Abe Allen, A.H. Crawford, Jules Crossley, Thomas Day, K. Dibble, C.P. Grattan, Lisa Greenway, Christine Guinness, Rhian Jones, Halleh Koohestani, Bill O’Donovan, Sophie Porter, M.J. Roberts, Dhan Sarki, Sarah Spall, Ivan Whitmee, Becky Williams, Gareth Williams (18); AGAINST: (0); and ABSTAINED: Cllrs A. Adeola, C.W. Card, Leola Card, Sue Carter, P.J. Cullum, A. Gani, Peace Essien Igodifo, G.B. Lyon, T.W. Mitchell, M.D. Smith, P.G. Taylor, Jacqui Vosper, the Deputy Mayor (Cllr Calum Stewart) and the Mayor (Cllr  Mara Makunura) (14); and the Recommendations were DECLARED CARRIED.