Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval for the 2026/27 budget and the recommended precepts on the constituent bodies.

The Conservators received a report seeking approval for the 2026/27 budget and the recommended precepts on the constituent bodies.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Safety equipment. A Member of the Conservators asked where safety items and equipment, such as eye wash stations, fall under the budget. The Interim Assistant Head of Service & Streetcare Manager explained that safety equipment would fall under the budget line for general office expenses.

b)            Maintenance of the grounds. A Member of the Conservators queried why the maintenance of the grounds budget is being increased significantly. The Interim Assistant Head of Service & Streetcare Manager explained that some of the underspend in fuel was reallocated to grounds maintenance. She also explained that the demand for materials has caused prices to increase so it is a welcome increase for that budget line. The Chief Accountant explained that this was likely due to rounding and ensuring the total figure was a round number.

c)            Local Government Reorganisation. A Member of the Conservators queried how budget setting will be done going forwards, given the changes that will happen due to Local Government Reorganisation. The Chief Executive explained that she has formally put the Conservators arrangement into the LGR workstream, sitting under finance and property. She continued to set out that in terms of the budget for the shadow authority, there has to be a three-year Medium Term Financial Strategy produced for the new organisation, and this will be part of the budget setting process. Therefore, as long as it has been raised that the Conservators need to be considered, that will be picked up as part of the unitary budget. There is not information as to what this will look like yet as it will need to be considered by the legal team as to how the Conservators arrangement will continue going forwards, with fewer Councillors in the Epsom and Ewell area. The Chair informed the Conservators that  any updates will be shared when they are available.

d)            Vending on the Downs. The Chair raised that the vending units have provided some welcome additional funding into the Conservators budget which has enabled some other items to be progressed. He highlighted the new budget line for bins, which is budgeting for roughly 10 new bins, and a new budget line for signage. The Chair informed the Conservators that there will hopefully be an additional vending unit starting in the Top Car Park from the beginning of February. He expressed thanks to officers for their help.

Following consideration, the Conservators unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Note the latest income and expenditure position for 2025/26.

(2)      Approve the 2026/27 budget and the requested precepts, as set out in section 4 and Appendix 1 to this report.