Issue - meetings

To consider any recommendations referred to the Cabinet by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for consideration by the Cabinet in accordance within the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

Please note that the meeting of Overview & Scrutiny Committee took place immediately prior to the Cabinet agenda being issued. The Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee will advise Cabinet of any recommendaitons at the meeting.

Treasury Management Strategy Report 2025/26

1. Full Council approve the Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26; and

2. The Leader of North Norfolk District Council engages with other district council leaders to agree a collective approach to central government seeking its advice and guidance on the impact of devolution and local government reorganisation on the financial stability of the county of Norfolk.

Capital Strategy 2025-2026

1. recommend that Full Council approves the 2025/26 Capital Strategy and

2. undertake with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Estates & Property Services a joint review of the capital bids process to look at how it can effectively engage in this process from 2026/27.

Draft Revenue Budget for 2025-26

1. Cabinet considers the list of proposed savings and agree on which ones should be taken so that a balanced budget can be recommended to full Council.

2. an alternative option for balancing the budget should be agreed to replace savings not taken if there are any.

3. Cabinet agree that any additional funding announced as part of the final Local Government Settlement announcement be transferred to reserves.

4. Cabinet decides which proposed new capital bids should be recommended to full Council for inclusion in the Capital Programme.

The Chairman invited Cllr N Dixon, Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee to introduce this item. Cllr Dixon said that the Committee had considered the items in detail.

Regarding the Treasury Management Strategy, he said that the second recommendation was for the Leader to engage with the Leaders of neighbouring district councils to agree a collective approach to central Government and its advice and guidance on the impact of devolution and local government reorganisation on the financial stability of councils in Norfolk. He added that there was a significant element of concern that the inevitable transition period required full engagement with central government and a clear understanding of the ‘rules of engagement’ for the Council’s own financial systems and the wider systems of the county.

Capital Strategy 2025 – 2026, the second recommendation, proposed that the Committee, together with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Estates & Property Services, undertake a review of the capital bids process to consider how the committee could effectively engage with the process for 2026 – 2027.  The Portfolio Holder added that the recommendation came about because the committee did not understand the process which Cabinet undertook when agreeing the capital bids. She said that she would like to link this into a wider piece of work that was being undertaken about ensuring a clear understanding of which of the Council’s services were discretionary and which were statutory. Cllr Dixon replied that in his view, the recommendation had two aspects to it, firstly to ensure that the committee understood the process and secondly how it could engage in a meaningful and proactive way that would add value.

Finally, regarding the draft revenue budget 2025/2026, Cllr Dixon set out the following four recommendations:

1. Cabinet considers the list of proposed savings and agree on which ones should be taken so that a balanced budget can be recommended to full Council.

2. an alternative option for balancing the budget should be agreed to replace savings not taken if there are any.

3. Cabinet agree that any additional funding announced as part of the final Local Government Settlement announcement be transferred to reserves.

4. Cabinet decides which proposed new capital bids should be recommended to full Council for inclusion in the Capital Programme.

The Portfolio Holder clarified that the second recommendation would only come into effect if Cabinet did not agree to support the list of proposed savings as set out in the budget report.

The Chairman added that regarding the impact of devolution on local authorities, he was pleased to confirm that there were ongoing discussions with his counterparts across Norfolk and Suffolk and there had recently been representations to Government seeking clarity on various issues.

The Chairman proposed that the recommendations from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee were accepted. Cllr Shires seconded the proposal.