2nd February 2025
– Employment Panel
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Pay Policy Statement
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That the Employment Panel
commend the proposed Pay Policy Statement for 2025-26 for approval
by full Council.
That the Employment Panel agree
the Council’s proposed pay structure for 2025-26 as set out
within the statement and inclusive of revised non-consolidated pay
supplements to retain compliance with the Real Living Wage rate of
pay.
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12th February 2025
– Cabinet
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Annual HRA Budget 2025/26 &
Rent Setting
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Cabinet approved the
following and commend to the Council to:
- Approve the 2025/26
budget for the Housing Revenue Account
- Agree rents to be
increased for 2025/26 by 2.7% which is the Government’s
maximum allowable increase being September CPI (Consumer Price
Index) 1.7% plus 1% with effect from 7th April 2025.
- Shared ownership
rents to be increased by 2.7% in line with the provision which is
set out within shared ownership agreements with effect from 7th
April 2025.
- Approve an increase
in Garage rents by CPI as at September 2023 CPI + 1%
2.7%.
- Approve an increase
in Sheltered Management and Support Charges by CPI + 1%
2.7%.
- Approve an increase
in Service and Amenity Charges by CPI + 1% 2.7%
- Approve an increase
in Support and Heating charges by CPI + 1% 2.7%
- Approve an increase
in Furnished Tenancy charges by CPI+ 1% 2.7%
- Note that where a
social rent property is re-let to a new or transferring tenant the
rent level will be increased to the formula rent (target rent) for
that property. In accordance with the Rent Standard, where an
affordable rent property is re-let to a new or transferring tenant
the rent level be set by reference to 80% of the market rent
(including service charges where applicable) for a similar property
at the time of letting or the formula rent for the property,
whichever is the greater.
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12th February 2025
– Cabinet
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The Council’s 2025/26
Revenue Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for
2026/27 through to 2027/28
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- Approve the
Medium-Term Financial Strategy to 2027/28 and the assumptions
regarding resources and spending requirements.
- Approve the Council
Tax base for Bury Council for 2025/26 of 58,697.86 Band D
equivalent dwellings, this is the basis on which the Council Tax
funding has been calculated (Appendix 1).
- Approve the net
revenue budget of £238.256m for 2025/26. Page 32
- Approve the Council
Tax requirement of £118.296m and the increase in Council Tax
in 2025/26 of 2.99% in terms of General Council Tax and a further
2% for the Adult Social Care precept for 2025/26 (Appendix
1).
·
Approve the budget assumptions of £23.210m in
2025/26. Approve the new revenue budget proposal relating to
residents parking permits pricing structure for consultation and
referred to Council for their consideration.
- Note the remaining
budget gap of £11.571m over the medium-term to
2027/28.
- Approve the use of
£5.858m of reserves from the budget stabilisation reserve for
2025/26.
- Note the forecast
position on reserves over the medium-term to 2027/28.
- Approve the
recommendations set out in the Treasury Management Strategy
(Appendix 2)
- To approve the
Treasury Management Strategy including the associated Prudential
Indicators and Annual Investment Strategy.
- To approve the
Treasury Management Policy Statement.
- To approve the
Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy Statement.
- Approve the Capital
Strategy and the Programme for 2025/26 – 2027/28 (Appendix
3).
- Approve the Dedicated
Schools Grant budget for 2025/26 at £253.097m and approve the
allocations between the four funding blocks as set out in Appendix
4 of this report.
- The Schools and
Academies 20205/26 funding unit values as recommended by Schools
Forum and detailed at Annex 1 to appendix 4.
- Approve the 2025/26
hourly rates for all early year’s providers as
follows:
i.
£5.48 per hour for 3- and
4-year-olds.
ii.
£7.88 per hour for 2-year olds.
iii.
£10.50 per hour for under
2’s.
- Note the Equality
Impact Assessment for the budget report (Appendix 5).
- Note the Chief
Finance Officer (Director of Finance) statement on the robustness
of estimates and adequacy of financial reserves in setting the
budget (Appendix 6).
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12th February 2025
– Cabinet
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Council Tax Support
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Cabinet endorsed to
Council:
- Approve the scheme
continues in its current form for the year 2025/26
- Note the current
disregard of all War Widow’s/Widower’s Pension or War
Disablement Pension is continued
- Note the performance
of the scheme continues to be closely monitored and will be
reviewed and amended as appropriate on an annual basis.
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12th February 2025
– Cabinet
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Revenue and Benefits
Restructure – approval of redundancy costs
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- Supports payment of
the redundancy and capital costs associated with the aforementioned
staff and commends this proposal to Council for their agreement.
The wider, post consultation, proposal for implementation of the
restructure have been subjected to approval by the Cabinet Member
for HR and Corporate Affairs under their delegation.
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