That Cabinet recommend to Council;

1.    that for 2025/26 a net revenue expenditure of £147.5m, resulting in a Council Tax requirement of £96.2m (a 4.75% increase in Council Tax, of which 2% is for Adult Social Care) be approved (as outlined in Appendix 1 to the submitted);

2.    that the proposed Fees and Charges for 2025/26 be approved as set out in Appendix 4 to the submitted report;

3.    that in accordance with the requirement of the Local Government Act 2003, the advice given by the Chief Finance Officer with respect to the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of the Council’s Reserves, (as set out in the Reserves Statement published in November 2024), be noted;

4.    that it be noted that the Brixham Town Council precept for 2025/26 of £531,935 will be included as part of the Torbay Council budget for Council Tax setting purposes;

5.    that the Director of Public Health be instructed to prepare proposals for the increased allocation of the Public Health Grant, which meet the specified grant criteria, for consideration by the Council as part of the budget setting for 2025/26;

6.    that the Revenue Reserves Statement 2025/26, Capital Strategy 2025/26 and Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26 be approved as published for Cabinet on 26 November 2024; and

7.    that any technical adjustments to the Revenue and Capital Budget be delegated to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Finance.

1. that the budget proposals for 2025/26 are launched for consultation running until midnight on 12 January 2025 and that the Overview and Scrutiny Board be asked to provide feedback as part of that consultation.

2. that the Chief Finance Officer be given authority to amend these budget proposals for any technical adjustments necessary between services and within the overall envelope of funding in agreement with the Leader of the Council;

3.  should the Local Government Finance Settlement due to be announced in December 2024 materially affect the proposed budget proposals, the Director of Finance be requested to present an update report to the Overview and Scrutiny Board and Cabinet in January 2025; and

4. that the Chief Finance Officer report to the meeting of the Cabinet on 18 February 2025 on the implications for 2025/2026 as a result of these proposals currently being considered and the consultation results, in light of the final settlement which is expected by early February 2025.