Agenda item

The following recommendations have been made by Cabinet to Full Council:

Cabinet 3^rd November 2025:

1.    Cabinet Agenda Item 8 – Budget Monitoring P6 2025 -2026

Recommendation to Full Council:

To increase the 2025/26 capital budget for the Holt Country Park Eco Learning Space to £140,000. This is to reflect the apportionment of £40,000 from external S106 contribution towards the scheme

2.    Cabinet Agenda item 9: Net Zero Strategy Review & Related Climate Reports

Recommendations to Full Council:

a)    To adopt the revisions to the Environmental Charter

b)    To adopt the Decarbonisation Strategy and associated action plan.

Please note that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered the above recommendations at the meeting held on 12^th November. The Chair will provide an oral update on the Committee’s recommendations to Full Council on these matters at the meeting.

Cabinet 3^rd November 2025:

1. Cabinet Agenda Item 8 – Budget Monitoring P6 2025 -2026

The Chair invited Cllr L Shires, Portfolio Holder for Finances, Estates & Assets, to introduce this item.

Cllr Shires began by thanking the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for their full discussion at their meeting.

She then provided a brief update on the current budget position. When the outturn report was presented to Council last year, the surplus was put into the General Reserve for future unseen deficits. This year, there was a surplus predicted at Period 6 and in line with this, the additional income from second homes council tax would be put into a reserve to assist with any overspends in the housing and temporary accommodation budget. All of this was to prepare for the next round of Government funding and it was hoped that the settlement announcement would be favourable but it was possible that it would be similar to last year which had proved to be disappointing and very challenging to deal with. She said that the recent publication of the deprivation indexes, which indicated areas of deprivation in the district would influence the Government this time. He second unknown related to Business Rates. To date there had been no indication from central government regarding this, adding to the uncertainty. Finally, there was additional uncertainty around food waste costs and the funding package that would come with it. She asked Cllr Ringer to provide an update on this.

Cllr Ringer said that in March 2025, when Full Council had considered the funding for waste vehicles and caddies, it was apparent that the costs had been underestimated by about a third. New burdens funding was anticipated for the actual operation of the service but there was a good chance that the Government would undervalue this too.

The Chair invited members to speak:

Cllr C Cushing referred to the Fair Funding Review and said that concerns had been raised that central government would take money away from rural areas and give it to metropolitan areas, and he asked if Cllr Shires had any idea of the settlement that the Council was hoping to get and, if was not forthcoming, what contingency plans were there to make up the shortfall.  Cllr Shires replied that it was a real concern across Norfolk and she said that she was hopeful of enough funding to achieve the ambitions of the Council but did not feel comfortable putting a figure on it at this time. She hoped that the Government had heard the concerns of district councils and would act accordingly. She went onto say that there were concerns about contingency plans if the funding was not sufficient. Difficult decisions were taken last year to ensure that a balanced budget was set and some of the reserves that had been established had not been fully utilised and would need to be reviewed, alongside wider savings. She was hoping that there would be some money to set aside this time but her biggest concern at the moment was the costs relating to food waste collection and  this could lead to an unstable financial situation.

The Chair moved to the vote and it was

RESOLVED

To increase the 2025/26 capital budget for the Holt Country Park Eco Learning Space to £140,000. This is to reflect the apportionment of £40,000 from external S106 contribution towards the scheme

One member abstained.

1.     Cabinet Agenda item 9: Net Zero Strategy Review & Related Climate Reports

The Chair invited Cllr A Varley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change & Net Zero, introduced this item. He outlined the proposals and provided details of the supporting documents, saying that they had been developed following workshops with staff and members. He added that Cabinet and Overview & Scrutiny Committee had considered the report in depth and were supportive of the recommendations.

Cllr V Holliday said that she had asked about the carbon footprint of tourism at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting and she sought clarification as to whether the transport component included private travel to Norfolk as well as within Norfolk of the 9 million visitors a year. Cllr Varley said that he would provide a written response.

Cllr J Toye said that he wanted to ask members to think about the cost of not supporting these proposals.  

The Chair put the proposals to the vote and it was

RESOLVED

a)    To adopt the revisions to the Environmental Charter

b)    To adopt the Decarbonisation Strategy and associated action plan.

Seven members abstained.