Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Subject: General Fund Budget Planning & Resource Update: 2026-27 to 2029-30
Date of meeting: 22nd September 2025
Report of: Chair of Place Overview & Scrutiny
Contact Officer: Name: Natalie Sacks-Hammond
Email: Natalie.sacks-hammond@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: (All Wards);
Key Decision: No
1.1 This report to Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee is to update members on the current budget position and includes the General Fund Budget Planning & Resource Update 2026-27 to 2029-30 report taken to Cabinet in July 2025.
1.2 This report is to keep members informed and to provide greater understanding of the council’s current budget position ahead of further scrutiny on more detailed budget proposals closer to Budget Council in February 2026.
2.1 That Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee notes the report.
3.1 As part of the Council’s budget setting process members are being updated on the latest financial position of the council to enable them to be up to date and have a greater understanding of the current situation ahead of any proposed budget changes in February 2026.
3.2 The attached appendices that were taken to the July 2025 Cabinet meeting discuss all areas of council spending, including those that are outside of the remit of the Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee.
3.3 The Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee Terms of Reference agreed by Full Council on 16 May 2024 set out the remit of the committee as:
· Corporate services (including legal and democratic services, policy and corporate communications, performance improvement and programmes)
· Finance and procurement
· Human resources
· IT&D
· Housing delivery (including regeneration) and Housing supply
· Culture and leisure services, including arts and creative industries, tourism, leisure, parks & open spaces, seafront
· Transport, including highways, traffic management and parking management and enforcement
· Planning policy, conservation and design
· Waste management and control
· Economic development and regeneration
· Environmental awareness & enforcement, and sustainability
· Safer communities, emergency planning, licensing policy, environmental health and trading standards
· And any other services within the scope of the Corporate Services and City Services directorates that are not included in the Terms of Reference of another Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
3.4 Members are therefore asked to consider these areas specifically, as well as more general areas such as council tax, when reading the attached appendices and asking questions at committee.
3.5 A similar report will be taken to People Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 15 September 2025 to consider areas within their remit.
3.6 The Council’s budget setting process will include an opportunity for members of Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee to scrutinise the proposed council budget for 2026-27 in advance of Budget Council in February 2026.
4.1 None specifically for this scrutiny report however as mentioned in the Cabinet report at appendix 1 the setting of the General Fund budget in February allows all parties to engage in the examination of budget proposals and put forward viable alternative budget and council tax proposals, including amendments, to Budget Council on 26 February 2026. Budget Council has the opportunity to debate the proposals put forward by the Cabinet at the same time as any viable alternative proposals.
5.1 None for this scrutiny report
6.1 The financial implications of the council’s General Fund forecast budget position over the Medium Term Financial Strategy is set out within the main body of the report to Cabinet in July 2025, included within the appendices to this report.
Name of finance officer consulted: Haley Woollard
Date consulted: 03/09/25
7.1 There are no legal implications arising from this scrutiny report.
Name of lawyer consulted: Elizabeth Culbert Date consulted: 03/09/25
8.1 None specifically for this scrutiny report. Any significant budget changes proposed in 2026/27 will require Equality Impact Assessments to be made.
9.1 None specifically for this scrutiny report. The council’s revenue and capital budgets will be developed with sustainability as an important consideration to ensure that, wherever possible, proposals can contribute to reducing environmental impacts and support progress toward a carbon-neutral city.
10. Health and Wellbeing Implications:
10.1 None specifically for this scrutiny report.
11. Procurement implications
11.1 None specifically for this scrutiny report.
12. Crime & disorder implications:
12.1 None specifically for this scrutiny report.
13.1 The appendices set out the General Fund Budget Planning & Resource Update given to Cabinet in July 2025.
13.2 Members are asked to note the report and question the Cabinet Member for Finance and City Regeneration on its contents.
Supporting Documentation
1. General Fund Budget Planning & Resource Update 2026-27 to 2029-30 report to Cabinet July 2025
2. Updated Medium Term Financial Assumptions and Projections