Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director – Corporate Services and Commercial

Further to Minute No. 110 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 13 February 2025, the Council considered the report of the Executive Director – Corporate Services and Commercial that set out:

 

·       An assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2025/26 Budget Plan and preparation for the additional two-year budget period 2026/27 to 2027/28.

·       An update on the Government’s announcement of resources that were available to the Council for 2025/26.

·       The Council’s current financial position and the assumptions built into the Medium-Term Financial Plan.

·       The proposed Budget for 2025/26; and,

·       The proposed Capital Programme for 2025/26 to 2027/28.

 

The report also set out the financial strategy of the Council and the national and local financial context within which it was operating. The Council had a statutory requirement to remain financially sustainable and to balance its budget every year.

 

The following appendices were attached to the report:

 

·       Individual School Budgets 2025/26

·       Budget Saving Proposals / Mitigations 2025/26 – 2027/28

·       Draft Council Budget Summary 2025/26

·       Capital Programme 2025/26 – 2027/28

 

The Council also considered supplementary notes on the final charges set by levying bodies and the final demands set by all precepting authorities (including parishes); an updated Draft Council Budget Summary 2025/26; and a copy of the draft Council Tax resolution for 2025/26, which had been published prior to the Council meeting.

 

It was moved by Councillor Atkinson, seconded by Councillor Moncur:

 

That:

 

Budget 2025/26 and Medium-Term Financial Plan from 2026/27 to 2027/28

 

(1)      the update of the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the period 2025/26 to 2027/28 be noted;

 

(2)      the Revenue Budget for 2025/26 be approved and officers be authorised to undertake all of the necessary actions to implement the budget changes and proposals as detailed within the report;

 

(3)      the commencement of all appropriate activity required to implement the budget savings proposals as detailed in the report, be approved, including for example, consultation with employees and engagement with partners and contractual changes as the programme develops;

 

(4)      it be noted that officers will comply with agreed HR policies and procedures, including relevant consultation with Trade Unions and reports to the Cabinet Member - Corporate Services, as required;

 

(5)      the Schools’ Forum decisions on the Dedicated Schools Grant and Individual School Budgets, as set out at section 12 of the report, be noted;

 

(6)      the allocation of specific grants as detailed in the report, as set out at section 13, be approved;

 

(7)      subject to the recommendations above, the overall Council Tax resolution for 2025/26 including Police, Fire, Mayoral and Parish Precepts, be approved;

 

Capital Programme 2025/26 to 2027/28

 

(8)      the full list of projects in Appendix D to the report be approved for inclusion within the Capital Programme;

 

(9)      a supplementary capital estimate of £1.500m for the demolition of Vine House funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved;

 

(10)    a supplementary capital estimate of £0.500m for Food Waste Management funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved;

 

(11)    a supplementary capital estimate of £0.219m for Hawthorne Road Wash Bay and Additional Works funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved;

 

(12)    a supplementary capital estimate of £4.277m for the Fleet Renewal Programme funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved;

 

(13)    a supplementary capital estimate of £1.000m for Temporary Accommodation funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved; and

 

(14)    a supplementary capital estimate of £4.200m for Disabled Facilities Grants funded by an external grant from the Better Care Fund, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved.

 

Councillors Prendergast, Pugh and Atkinson each gave a statement expressing the views of their political groups on the content of the report and the budget proposals.

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Prendergast, seconded by Councillor Brough:

 

That the budget proposals set out in the report be amended by the addition of the following words:

 

SOUTHPORT PIER REFURBISHMENT

 

Council, on 15^th September 2022, approved a Supplementary Capital Estimate of £3m, funded through Prudential Borrowing, for a scheme to replace the decking of Southport Pier. Approximately £2.3m of this funding remains.

 

The estimated total cost for this project is now expected to require a further funding of approximately £15m in addition to that previously approved.

 

Southport Pier is a critical visitor attraction that holds significant importance to Sefton’s economy and brand. It is also a Grade-II listed structure. The Pier has now been closed since December 2022.

 

It is proposed that the Council approves a Supplementary Capital Estimate of £0.500m to be added to the Southport Pier Replacement Decking Scheme. This will be funded by Capital Receipts from the net proceeds from the sale of The Sands (estimated to be in the region of £500,000). Should the net proceeds from the sale not meet the estimated value then the Supplementary Capital Estimate will be reduced accordingly.

 

In addition, a sum of £0.172m per annum is to be allocated towards the revenue budget for maintaining the Pier once funds are obtained and to facilitate applications for grant funding.

 

This will be funded by:

 

1)    Scrapping the 2 EDI posts currently maintained by the Council (£0.106m saving)

 

2)    The following currently vacant posts being deleted from the Council’s staffing establishment (£0.066m saving):

 

Service	Section	Post	Role
Communities	Communities Management	Development Officer	This role delivers the Active Sefton programmes to support mental health and wellbeing in both the community and in schools.
Operational In-House Services	Green Sefton	Information & Technical Assistant	This role is an office administration role that responds to complaints and queries, processing invoices and Fixed Penalty Notices.

 

Following debate and in accordance with Rule 98 of Chapter 4 in the Constitution, the voting on the amendment was recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:

 

FOR THE AMENDMENT: Councillors Brough, Dodd, Keith, Morris, Prendergast, Pugh, Sammon, Shaw, and Sir Ron Watson.

 

AGAINST THE AMENDMENT: Councillors Atkinson, Bradshaw, Danny Burns, Byrom, Carlin, Carragher, Cavanagh, Conalty, Desmond, Doolin, Dowd, Doyle, Duerden, Garner, Grace, Hansen, Hardman, Hart, Harvey, Hinde, Howard, Johnson, John Kelly, Sonya Kelly, Killen, Lappin, Lunn-Bates, Maher, McGinnity, McKee, McNabb, Moncur, Murphy, Neary, Catie Page, Christopher Page, Parker, Porter, Richards, Roche, Roscoe, Spring, Thomas, Veidman, Webster, Williams and the Mayor.

 

ABSTENTIONS: Councillors Evans, Lloyd Johnson and Thompson.

 

The Mayor declared that the amendment was lost by 9 votes for to 47 against with 3 abstentions.

 

In accordance with Rule 98 of Chapter 4 in the Constitution, the voting on the Motion was recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:

 

FOR THE MOTION: Councillors Atkinson, Bradshaw, Danny Burns, Byrom, Carlin, Carragher, Cavanagh, Conalty, Desmond, Dowd, Doyle, Duerden, Garner, Grace, Hansen, Hardman, Hart, Harvey, Hinde, Howard, Johnson, John Kelly, Sonya Kelly, Killen, Lappin, Lunn-Bates, Maher, McGinnity, McKee, McNabb, Moncur, Murphy, Neary, Catie Page, Christopher Page, Parker, Porter, Richards, Roche, Roscoe, Spring, Thomas, Veidman, Webster, Williams and the Mayor.

 

AGAINST THE MOTION: Councillors Brough, Dodd, Doolin, Evans, Keith, Lloyd-Johnson, Morris, Prendergast, Pugh, Sammon, Shaw, Thompson and Sir Ron Watson.

 

The Mayor declared that the Motion was carried by 46 votes for to 13 against and it was

 

RESOLVED: That:

 

That:

 

Budget 2025/26 and Medium-Term Financial Plan from 2026/27 to 2027/28

 

(1)      the update of the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the period 2025/26 to 2027/28 be noted;

 

(2)      the Revenue Budget for 2025/26 be approved and officers be authorised to undertake all of the necessary actions to implement the budget changes and proposals as detailed within the report;

 

(3)      the commencement of all appropriate activity required to implement the budget savings proposals as detailed in the report, be approved, including for example, consultation with employees and engagement with partners and contractual changes as the programme develops;

 

(4)      it be noted that officers will comply with agreed HR policies and procedures, including relevant consultation with Trade Unions and reports to the Cabinet Member - Corporate Services, as required;

 

(5)      the Schools’ Forum decisions on the Dedicated Schools Grant and Individual School Budgets, as set out at section 12 of the report, be noted;

 

(6)      the allocation of specific grants as detailed in the report, as set out at section 13, be approved;

 

(7)      subject to the recommendations above, the overall Council Tax resolution for 2025/26 including Police, Fire, Mayoral and Parish Precepts, be approved;

 

(8)      it be noted that at its meeting on 16 January 2025, the Council calculated the following amounts for the year 2025/2026 in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 1992 (as amended):

(a)	87,367.70	Band D equivalent properties, for the whole area [item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended]; and
(b)	for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates as shown in the table below:

 

Parish	Council Tax Base
	(Band D Equivalent Properties)
Aintree Village	2,089.30
Formby	9,277.50
Hightown	870.00
Ince Blundell	171.70
Little Altcar	480.50
Lydiate	2,137.00
Maghull	7,066.50
Melling	1,129.60
Sefton	335.70
Thornton	800.40

 

(9)      the Council Tax requirement for the Council's own purposes for 2025/2026 (excluding Parish Precepts) is £178,539,390;

 

(10)    the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2025/2026 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

 

(a)	£771,042,132	Being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils.
(b)	-£590,916,395	Being the aggregate amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.
(c)	£180,125,737	Being the amount by which the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year (item R in the formula in Section 31B of the Act).
(d)	£2,061.70	Being the amount at 3(c) above (item R), divided by the amount at 1(a) above (item T), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish Precepts).
(e)	£1,586,347	Being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish Precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act.
(f)	£2,043.54	Being the amount at 3(d) above, less the amount given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by the amount at 1(a) above (item T), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special item relates.
(g)	The amounts below, being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 3(f) above the amounts of thespecial items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council's area mentioned above divided in eachcase by the amount at 1(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 34(3) of the Actas basic amounts of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which specialitems relate.
	Parish Aintree Village Formby Hightown Ince Blundell Little Altcar Lydiate Maghull Melling Sefton Thornton		£  2,131.12  2,057.08  2,075.15  2,066.84  2,057.08  2,154.44  2,174.83  2,082.16  2,089.33  2,063.53
(h)	The amounts below being the amounts given by multiplying the amounts at 3(f) and 3(g) above by thenumber which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in aparticular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listedin valuation Band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as theamounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in differentvaluation bands.
	Property Valuation Band Proportion of Band D A 6/9 B 7/9 C 8/9 D 9/9 E 11/9 F 13/9 G 15/9 H 18/9   £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Parish                                   Aintree Village 1,420.75 1,657.54 1,894.33 2,131.12 2,604.70 3,078.28 3,551.87 4,262.24                   Formby 1,371.39 1,599.95 1,828.52 2,057.08 2,514.21 2,971.34 3,428.47 4,114.16                   Hightown 1,383.43 1,614.01 1,844.58 2,075.15 2,536.29 2,997.44 3,458.58 4,150.30                   Ince Blundell 1,377.89 1,607.54 1,837.19 2,066.84 2,526.14 2,985.44 3,444.73 4,133.68                   Little Altcar 1,371.39 1,599.95 1,828.52 2,057.08 2,514.21 2,971.34 3,428.47 4,114.16                   Lydiate 1,436.29 1,675.68 1,915.06 2,154.44 2,633.20 3,111.97 3,590.73 4,308.88                   Maghull 1,449.89 1,691.53 1,933.18 2,174.83 2,658.13 3,141.42 3,624.72 4,349.66                   Melling 1,388.11 1,619.46 1,850.81 2,082.16 2,544.86 3,007.56 3,470.27 4,164.32                   Sefton 1,392.89 1,625.03 1,857.18 2,089.33 2,553.63 3,017.92 3,482.22 4,178.66                   Thornton 1,375.69 1,604.97 1,834.25 2,063.53 2,522.09 2,980.65 3,439.22 4,127.06                   All Other Parts of the Council's Area 1,362.36 1,589.42 1,816.48 2,043.54 2,497.66 2,951.78 3,405.90 4,087.08

 

(11)    it be noted that for the year 2025/2026 the major precepting authorities have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

 

			Property Valuation Band
Proportion of	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
Band D	6/9	7/9	8/9	9/9	11/9	13/9	15/9	18/9
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Precepting Authority
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Authority	64.17	74.86	85.56	96.25	117.64	139.03	160.42	192.50
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner	185.98	216.98	247.97	278.97	340.96	402.96	464.95	557.94
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority	16.00	18.67	21.33	24.00	29.33	34.67	40.00	48.00

 

(12)    the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the table below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2025/2026 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings:

 

			Property Valuation Band
Proportion of	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
Band D	6/9	7/9	8/9	9/9	11/9	13/9	15/9	18/9
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Parish
Aintree Village	1,686.90	1,968.05	2,249.19	2,530.34	3,092.63	3,654.94	4,217.24	5,060.68
Formby	1,637.54	1,910.46	2,183.38	2,456.30	3,002.14	3,548.00	4,093.84	4,912.60
Hightown	1,649.58	1,924.52	2,199.44	2,474.37	3,024.22	3,574.10	4,123.95	4,948.74
Ince Blundell	1,644.04	1,918.05	2,192.05	2,466.06	3,014.07	3,562.10	4,110.10	4,932.12
Little Altcar	1,637.54	1,910.46	2,183.38	2,456.30	3,002.14	3,548.00	4,093.84	4,912.60
Lydiate	1,702.44	1,986.19	2,269.92	2,553.66	3,121.13	3,688.63	4,256.10	5,107.32
Maghull	1,716.04	2,002.04	2,288.04	2,574.05	3,146.06	3,718.08	4,290.09	5,148.10
Melling	1,654.26	1,929.97	2,205.67	2,481.38	3,032.79	3,584.22	4,135.64	4,962.76
Sefton	1,659.04	1,935.54	2,212.04	2,488.55	3,041.56	3,594.58	4,147.59	4,977.10
Thornton	1,641.84	1,915.48	2,189.11	2,462.75	3,010.02	3,557.31	4,104.59	4,925.50
All Other Parts of the Council's Area	1,628.51	1,899.93	2,171.34	2,442.76	2,985.59	3,528.44	4,071.27	4,885.52

 

(13)    the Council's basic amount of Council Tax for 2025/2026 is not deemed to be excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992;

 

Capital Programme 2025/26 to 2027/28

 

(14)    the full list of projects in Appendix D to the report be approved for inclusion within the Capital Programme;

 

(15)    a supplementary capital estimate of £1.500m for the demolition of Vine House funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved;

 

(16)    a supplementary capital estimate of £0.500m for Food Waste Management funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved;

 

(17)    a supplementary capital estimate of £0.219m for Hawthorne Road Wash Bay and Additional Works funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved;

 

(18)    a supplementary capital estimate of £4.277m for the Fleet Renewal Programme funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved;

 

(19)    a supplementary capital estimate of £1.000m for Temporary Accommodation funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved; and

 

(20)    a supplementary capital estimate of £4.200m for Disabled Facilities Grants funded by an external grant from the Better Care Fund, as set out at section 17 of the report, be approved.