Agenda item

This report fulfils the statutory requirement to agree a budget for 2025/26, comprising both revenue and capital expenditure plans, and to set a council tax for the year.

The Council Tax recommendation as supported by Financial Strategy Advisory Group is for an increase of £6.75 per annum (Band D property), an equivalent increase of 2.98%.

The Council gave consideration to its 2025/26 budget, comprising both revenue and capital expenditure plans and Council Tax amounts for each band of dwelling.  The report took account of the recommendations of the Community & Wellbeing, Environment, Licensing and Planning Policy and Strategy & Resources Committees (appertaining to fees and charges, the revenue budget and capital programme).

In moving the recommendations of the report, the Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee, Councillor Neil Dallen, made a statement to the Council on the budget for 2025/26 to which Councillors Alison Kelly, Kate Chinn and Bernie Muir responded.

Upon being put the motion to agree the recommendations of the report was CARRIED, there being 23 members in favour and 11 against  as detailed below.

Accordingly, it was resolved:

(1)          That the following estimates recommended by the policy committees be approved:-

a.    The revenue estimates for 2025/26 (as included in Section 5 and Appendix 2 of the report)

b.    The capital programme for 2025/26 and the provisional programme for 2026/27 to 2029/30, as summarised in the capital strategy statement (as included in Section 8 and Appendix 10 of the report).

(2)          That the fees and charges recommended by the policy committees be approved for 2025/26 as attached in Section 5 and Appendix 4 of the report.

(3)          That it be noted that, under delegated powers, the Chief Finance Officer calculated the amount of the Council Tax Base as 33,846.93 (Band ‘D’ equivalent properties) for the year 2025/26, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”). (as attached at Appendix 5 of the report)

(4)          That the Council Tax Requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2025/26 is £7,883,627 as attached in Section 12 and Appendix 5 of the report.

(5)          That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2025/26 in accordance with sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

a.    £59,065,553 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(2) of the Act.

b.    £51,181,926 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(3) of the Act.

c.    £7,883,627 being the amount by which the aggregate at 8(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 8(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31A(4) of the Act, as its council tax requirement for the year.

d.    £232.92 being the amount at 8(c) above divided by the amount at 1. above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31(B) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year.

(6)          To note that Surrey County Council and Surrey Police Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table below:-

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL

SURREY POLICE AUTHORITY - PROVISIONAL

(7)          That the Council, in accordance with Section 30 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below as the amounts of council tax for 2025/26 for each of the categories of dwellings.

EPSOM AND EWELL BOROUGH COUNCIL

AGGREGATE OF COUNCIL TAX REQUIREMENTS (FINAL BILL)

(8)          That members note the delay in receiving the final precept information from Surrey Police, expected at the end of February, and delegate authority to finalise the Budget Book  and to make any amendments to the Council Tax demands as might prove necessary as the result of changes to the estimated demands issued by preceptors on the Council’s Collection Fund to the Director of Corporate Services (Section 151 officer), once this information has been received.

(9)          That the Council agrees the Treasury Management Strategy and prudential indicators and authorised limits for 2025/26 as set out in Appendix 11 of the report including:-

a.    Affordability prudential indicators;

b.    The actual and estimated Capital Financing Requirement;

c.    The estimated levels of borrowing and investment;

d.    The authorised and operational limits for external debt;

e.    The liability benchmark;

f.     The treasury management prudential indicators.

(10)       That the Council receives the budget risk assessment at Appendix 12 of the report and notes the conclusion of the Chief Finance Officer in Appendix 13 of the report that these budget proposals are robust and sustainable as concluded in this report.

(11)       That the Council receives the Chief Finance Officer Statement on the Reserves as attached at Appendix 13 of the report.

(12)       That members note that decisions on how to fund any particular projects that relate to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Surrey may require the exercise of the urgent decision procedure in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 of Appendix 2 to the Council’s Constitution.