Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor S. Baxter.

Cabinet was informed that Councillor P. Whittaker was late for the meeting however, he would be in attendance.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

Prior to consideration of the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 10^th September 2025, the Leader announced that there was a typographical error contained within the minutes. The fourth recommendation in respect of the Expansion of the Commercial Waste report had been omitted in the published minutes. However, it was confirmed that the vote was taken on all four of the recommendations included in the report as follows:

RECOMMENDED that

1)    Capital Funding of £489,760 be added to the Capital Programme for 2026/27 to purchase two Refuse Collection Vehicles (RCV’s).

2)    The Council allocates Capital funding of £35,000 annually in the Medium-Term Financial Plan from the 2025/26 financial year to fund wheeled bins for Commercial Services.

3)    The Council allocate £334,342 Revenue Funding in the Medium-Term Financial Plan to fund operational costs of providing the expanded service from 2025/26.

4)    The Council allocate £100,000 Revenue Funding in the Medium-Term Financial Plan across 2025/26 and 2026/27 for interim vehicle hire.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 10^th September 2025 be approved and signed as a true and accurate record.

(a)      To receive and note the minutes

(b)      To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

There was one recommendation made by the Overview and Scrutiny Board at the meeting held on 9^th September 2025 in respect of Planning Enforcement.

There were no other recommendations arising from the Overview and Scrutiny Board meetings on 2^nd October and 28^th October 2025.

Members considered the contents of the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Board meetings held on 9^th September, 2^nd October and 28^th October 2025.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board highlighted there was only one recommendation contained within the minutes submitted, from the meeting held on 9^th September 2025. This was in respect of Planning Enforcement, as follows:

RECOMMENDED that

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) be introduced to measure Worcestershire Regulatory Services’ (WRS) planning enforcement performance in Bromsgrove and that the KPIs be incorporated into monthly reporting to Members together with enhanced information on live enforcement cases data.

Cabinet was informed that during the discussions at this meeting the Board expressed that in terms of enforcement the Planning team and Officers from Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) seemed to be working in isolation and more needed to be done in order to work in a more efficient and joined-up way.

The Leader thanked the Board for considering this matter and explained that currently there was a Planning Advisory Service (PAS) review underway at the Council, and this could be raised as part of this review and the recommendation revisited at a later date once the review had taken place and outcomes received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Board meetings held on 9^th September, 2^nd October and 28^th October 2025 be noted

[Councillor P. Whittaker arrived at the meeting prior to the consideration of this item at 12.10pm].

The Environmental Services Manager – Bereavement Services presented the Bereavement Services - Burial Strategy report for Members’ consideration. In doing so, it was highlighted that in 2014 a proposal had been prepared to expand the Council’s burial provision at Catshill Cemetery into the adjoining land. This would have resulted in the extension of burial space in Bromsgrove for an additional sixty-five years. However, this proposal had not been implemented and currently the land was identified as a potential site for housing. Presently there was only five years of future burial provision within Bromsgrove and therefore it was necessary to produce this Strategy identifying the plan for the District going forward in terms of burial provision. 

It was noted that this was an important Strategy which ensured respectful, inclusive, and sustainable burial provision for the future in order to prevent any distress at a later date in terms of lack of burial plots. The Strategy aimed to accommodate diverse religious and cultural practices and ensured compliance with burial and public health legislation.

The overarching vision for the Strategy was to provide dignified burial options for all residents in order to avoid their loved ones having to be buried outside the area.

Several key themes were identified during consideration of this report. These included remaining capacity, reclaiming rights, fees and charges, grounds maintenance, memorial safety and new ICT systems.

Following the presentation of the report, the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Community Safety welcomed such a comprehensive Strategy. It was noted that as burial provision was a statutory function for the Council it was important for this Strategy be approved and implemented.

Officers reported that an options appraisal report would be submitted for Members’ consideration as soon as possible in 2026.

RESOLVED that

1)    The Bromsgrove District Council Burial Strategy be approved.

RESOLVED to note that

2)    A further report would be prepared for Cabinet’s consideration in due to course in respect of burial provision in Bromsgrove.

Prior to the consideration of this report the Leader announced that this report was no longer due to be considered at this meeting.

The Assistant Director of Finance and Customer Services explained that, based on guidance received from the Council’s advisers, LG Futures, that following the business rates reset there was now no financial reason to pool Business Rates.  It was noted that the risk of being below baseline was the same as being above the baseline.  Even if a Local Authority was above baseline, with a ten per cent levy applying to all Councils for one hundred per cent of baseline need growth, no Local Authority would exceed this.

Therefore, the report was withdrawn.

The Assistant Director of Finance and Customer Services presented the Medium-Term Financial Plan Budget Update and Consultation Report 2026/2027 to 2028/29 for the consideration of Cabinet. In doing so the following was highlighted:

·       As in previous years, the budget-setting process was split into two stages as follows:

o   Stage 1: Based on known data up to December 2025.

o   Stage 2: To be finalised in January 2026 and approved by full Council in February 2026, following the Local Government Finance Settlement.

·       A public consultation in respect of the 2026/27 budget was due to take place from 20^th November 2025 to 2^nd January 2026, with results informing Stage 2 of the budget process.

·       Currently a £1.030 million deficit was forecast for 2026-2027 and a £399,000 deficit forecast for 2027-2028. It was noted that these figures reflected inflationary pressures, pay awards, and anticipated reductions in grant funding and pressures from previous years.

·       Several Budget assumptions had been made in preparing this report. These included:

1)    Council Tax – it was assumed that the full 2.99 per cent allowable increase in 2026/27 and 1.99 per cent increases in subsequent years would be included. In addition, it was assumed that there would be no growth in the number of properties. Any increase in Council Tax was expected to be offset by a reduction in grant funding, maintaining flat Core Spending Power.

2)    Business Rates – it was assumed that there would be no growth in the base due to the anticipated business rates reset. The Fairer Funding Review may reduce retained business rates by an estimated £620,000, with assumed dampening over three years.

3)    Government Grants - New Homes Bonus and other grants expected to be abolished or merged into the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) under Fairer Funding. Therefore, no increase could be assumed. Any increase in local income (Council Tax or Business Rates) was expected to be offset by grant reductions.

4)    Pay Awards and Staffing Costs - The 2025/26 pay award exceeded the budgeted 3 per cent by 0.2 per cent adding £28,000 to future costs. A 2 per cent pay award was assumed for 2026/27, costing £389,000. It was noted that an additional 1 per cent cost-of-living uplift was assumed, costing £195,000.

5)    Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) - Councillors were expected to be permitted to rejoin the LGPS. This would result in an additional cost pressure with no additional funding provided. It was noted that at this time no further information was available on this matter.

Information in respect of savings targets for the Council was outlined for Members’ consideration. These were as follows:

1)    The Council had a £1.213 million savings target for 2025/26, comprising of the following:

·       £250,000 in departmental efficiencies.

·       £511,000 in staff turnover savings (which amounted to 5 per cent of staffing budgets).

·       £400,000 in ongoing savings pressure.

It was noted that £319,000 of this target remained to be delivered.

Members were informed there were currently no changes to the Capital Programme at this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50/25

The Strategic Housing Officer presented the Homelessness Prevention Grant and Domestic Abuse Grant report for Members’ consideration. In doing so it was highlighted the grant funding allocation was different from previous years. The Government planned to consolidate several existing grants into a single Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Grant.

The Government’s recent consultation made changes to the provision of Homelessness Prevention Grant in relation to its use towards temporary accommodation. It was proposed that a proportion of Homelessness Prevention Grant would be transferred to the Revenue Support Grant from 2026–27. This funding would be allocated using the new Settlement Funding Assessment (SFA), which included a dedicated Temporary Accommodation formula.

The percentage of Homelessness Prevention Grant allocation, removed for temporary accommodation was anticipated to be approximately 51 per cent and at least 49 per cent of the new grant must be spent on prevention and relief activities and staffing.

The projects due to receive funding were included within the report along with details of services and activities they covered.

Members thanked the Officers for all the hard work they provided in this important area. It was noted that this report had been pre-scrutinised at the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting the previous evening, no further recommendations had been made.

RECOMMENDEDthat

1)    Subject to the final decision by central Government, that the proposed element of the Revenue Support Grant 2026/27 attributed to Temporary Accommodation is ring fenced to the Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Grant.

RESOLVEDthat (subject to agreement of recommendation 1 above)

2)    the initiatives in the table below be approved to receive the Homelessness Prevention Grant and Domestic Abuse Grant allocations of funding for 2026/27.

The Strategic Housing Manager presented the Housing Allocations Policy Consultation and System Update for the consideration of Cabinet.

It was reported that the Home Choice Plus Partnership was coming to an end in March 2026. The reasons for this were an ageing IT system which required an expensive upgrade for it to be secure and the current Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

As a result of this change, it would be necessary for the Council to procure its own IT system to manage the allocations going forward. It was hoped that these changes to the Allocations Policy would result in a more targeted service for local residents.

Members raised whether there would be any difficulties in implementing such a change to the Allocations Policy. It was noted that there would need to be additional training undertaken by Council Officers in respect of the legislation for Section 21 evictions. In terms of working with landlords there was likely to be additional work needed in order to ensure they were acting lawfully in respect of their tenants and to hold them to account if necessary. It may also result in a reduction in the number of landlords with smaller numbers of rental properties due to the increase in legislation in this area.

RESOLVED that

1)              To consult on the draft Housing Allocations Policy for a period of seven weeks commencing 27^th November 2025.

2)              the Council’s Housing Register be referred to as ‘Bromsgrove Home Choice’.

3)              authority be delegated to the Assistant Director for Community and Housing Services and the Assistant Director for Legal, Democratic and Procurement Services to agree final changes and make any future amendments to the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy that are deemed to be necessary to comply with Government guidance and which do not trigger the statutory obligation to consult the persons affected by the changes pursuant to section 168(3) of the Housing Act 1996.

The Asssistant Director for Finance and Customer Services explained that alongside the preparation of the Quarter Two 2025/26 Finance and Performance Monitoring Report (including Financial Savings and Half Yearly Treasury Management Report) work was undertaken on the Quarter One 2025/26 Finance and Performance Monitoring Report following the request for it to be reconsidered at the Council meeting held on 8^th October 2025. 

This would ensure that the information at Quarter Two was up to date and accurate. Information on the Quarter One report was as follows:

• The Full Year Variance of £173,361 on the Totals Line remained the same.

• The Full Year Projected Forecast had been amended from £587,360 to £173,361 on the Totals Line.

•  The Narrative within the report had been reviewed and improved, with a view to ensuring that full explanations were given for all variances.

• There were two areas where the narrative had been materially adjusted:

• Rent revenue relating to Nailers Yard - Several enquiries for office space and two enquiries for the food and beverage unit had been received and the service charge schedules prepared for the commercial building by GJS Dillon. Heads of terms were due to be issued to an incoming tenant who wished to let one and a half floors of the building. The next stage was to instruct Bruton Knowles to undertake the property management role of the commercial building.

The information included in the preamble above was provided to Members to reassure them the current status at Quarter Two was accurate following the queries made in respect of Quarter One previously. This information would be reported to full Council at its meeting that evening.

In considering the Quarter 2 2025/26 Finance and Performance Monitoring Report (including Financial Savings and Half Yearly Treasury Management Report) it was reported that there were two minor discrepancies highlighted to Members as follows:

• The Communities, Housing and General Fund narrative explanations added up to £145,000 rather than £149,000.  Other net variations had been amended from £31,000 to £27,000.
• The Planning and Leisure narrative added up to £46,000 rather than £49,000.  Therefore, further comments had been included to state that there were other net variations of £3,000.

At the end of Quarter Two, the Council was forecasting a £336,000 revenue overspend for the full financial year. This was primarily driven by:

·       Increased costs in Waste Management, due to the ageing fleet and agency staffing.

·       Additional costs in Finance, including agency  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53/25

There was no Urgent Business on this occasion.

The Assistant Director for Regeneration and Property Services presented the Windsor Street Site report for the consideration of Cabinet.

It was reported that the Windsor Street site had been vacant since 2014 and purchased by Bromsgrove District Council following a successful application for Levelling Up Funding.

Members were advised that Phase One of the remediation works had been completed. The Council was awaiting feedback from the Environment Agency on PFAS levels prior to the commencement of Phase Two works. As a result of the delay in receiving the feedback from the Environment Agency there would be a delay in completion of the Phase Two remediation works. The completion date was reported as May 2026. It was reported that this would not impact on the delivery of housing on the site as the Council needed to secure Outline Planning Permission prior to any building taking place.

It was reported that the Overview and Scrutiny Board had pre-scrutinised this report prior to its consideration at this Cabinet meeting and had suggested that the wording for the recommendations contained within the report be amended to provide more clarity in respect of the delegations. This had been undertaken by Officers and a copy of the updated recommendations tabled at this meeting.

Members raised whether the affordable housing allocation was in line with Planning Policy. It was confirmed that this was the case. The affordable housing allocation would be tailored specifically in order to meet the shortages of local housing needs. It was also noted that the Conservation Officer at the Council had been consulted, as the site was located within the Town Centre Conservation Area.  Members were informed that the site design included in the report as an appendix was an indicative layout and subject to change.

In terms of identifying the Registered Social Landlord (RSL) to work in partnership with the Council, Members were advised that a procurement exercise would be undertaken and an RSL appointed through the appropriate framework.

RESOLVED that

1)    The Windsor Street site be redeveloped for residential use.

2)    The preferred option is to work in partnership with a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) to develop the site.

3)    The Assistant Director for Regeneration and Property and the Assistant Director for Legal, Democratic and Procurement Services be given delegated authority to explore this option further and to report back to Cabinet on the outcomes at a later date.