Agenda item

The following recommendations were made by Cabinet to Full Council at the meeting held on 9^th March:

Recommendation 1:

1.    Cabinet Agenda Item 8: Budget Monitoring Period 10 2025/2026:

Recommends that Full Council

a)      Notes the contents of the report and the current forecast year end position.

b)      Increase the 2025/26 capital budget for Disabled Facilities Grants to £2,317,266. This is to reflect the addition of £118,204 of grant award towards the scheme

c)       Agrees to use the Extended Responsibility Producer grant of £1,312,840, which was previously forecasted to be an in-year contribution to reserves, to offset relevant in year recycling expenditure.

d)      Request the approval for £50,000 of the forecast underspend to be awarded to a domestic oil fuel poverty charity, to support residents across North Norfolk who are experiencing hardship because of current high oil prices

e)      That the resulting underspend of £1,262,840 in the respective recycling revenue budgets be transferred to the General Reserve to mitigate future unfunded new burdens.

Recommendation 2:

2.    Cabinet Agenda Item 9: Treasury Management Q3 Report 2025/2026

Recommends that Full Council receives the Treasury Q3 Report 2025/2026

Recommendation 1:

1. Cabinet Agenda Item 8: Budget Monitoring Period 10 2025/2026:

Cllr L Shires, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Estates & Property Services, introduced this item. She said that the Budget Monitoring P10 report had been to Cabinet and Overview & Scrutiny Committee and she thanked the latter for their robust discussion.

Cllr Shires said that the following additional recommendation was being presented to Full Council. It was coming through at short notice due to the situation in Iran which was impacting on oil prices:

d)    Request the approval for £50,000 of the forecast underspend to be awarded to a domestic oil fuel poverty charity, to support residents across North Norfolk who are experiencing hardship because of current high oil prices

Cllr Shires advised members to look at recommendations c, d, and e collectively. It was proposed that the Extended Responsibility Producer (ERP) grant was released from reserves to then use that against the service as would have been done if it had been budgeted with that in mind for the recycling expenditure and instead of putting the remainder of the money that was re-released from the recycling revenue budget straight into the general reserve (as had been proposed in previous reports) a small amount of this money would be set aside to help struggling households reliant on domestic heating oil. NNDC would be working with Norfolk Food Bank to provide support

Cllr Shires encouraged anyone facing financial hardship to come forward and seek help. Central Government had recently announced some support but it only amounted to £35 per household using heating oil and this wasn’t enough. This was local support that could be put in place quickly.

Cllr Shires proposed the amendment. It was seconded by Cllr A Brown.

Cllr T FitzPatrick commented on the rapid increase in petrol and oil prices and he welcomed the additional recommendation.  He sought assurance that the charity reached the far ends of the district. Cllr Shires said that it was important that every member promoted the fund and encouraged people to apply for help. Cllr Fitzpatrick suggested that a guide was shared with parish councils and local organisations.

Cllr Holliday commended the work of the Financial Inclusion Team and said they were extremely helpful.

Cllr J Toye said that some of the people affected by these issues were not those that would be expected and he reiterated the need to promote the fund to everyone.

Cllr S Butikofer asked how quickly the fund would be up and running. Cllr Shires replied that it would commence the following day.

The Chair asked members to vote on the amendment. It was supported unanimously.

The Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Cllr V Holliday, confirmed that the Committee had supported the recommendations at the meeting on 18^th March.

The Chair then moved to the vote on the recommendations, as amended.

It was RESOLVED unanimously to

a)      Note the contents of the report and the current forecast year end position.

b)      Increase the 2025/26 capital budget for Disabled Facilities Grants to £2,317,266. This is to reflect the addition of £118,204 of grant award towards the scheme

c)       Agree to use the Extended Responsibility Producer grant of £1,312,840, which was previously forecasted to be an in-year contribution to reserves, to offset relevant in year recycling expenditure.

d)      Approve for £50,000 of the forecast underspend to be awarded to a domestic oil fuel poverty charity, to support residents across North Norfolk who are experiencing hardship because of current high oil prices

e)      That the resulting underspend of £1,262,840 in the respective recycling revenue budgets be transferred to the General Reserve to mitigate future unfunded new burdens.

Recommendation 2:

1.    Cabinet Agenda Item 9: Treasury Management Q3 Report 2025/2026

Cllr Shires introduced this item. She said that it had been considered by Governance, Risk & Audit Committee (GRAC) and the recommendations were supported.

It was RESOLVED

That Full Council received the Treasury Q3 Report 2025/2026.