Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Councillor Peter Butlin apologised for an error he made in disclosing exempt financial information at the Cabinet meeting which took place on 28 January 2025.   Councillors Sarah Feeney, Jerry Roodhouse, Jonathan Chilvers and Judy Falp spoke in response to accept the apology and urged for improvements in the management of highways projects.

Councillors Richard Baxter-Payne, Brett Beetham, Pete Gilbert, and Sarah Millar.

Councillor Sarah Feeney declared an interest in item 2 on the agenda, ‘2025/26 Budget and 2025/30 Medium Term Financial Strategy’, as the parent of a child in receipt of SEND services from the Council.

The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 17 December 2024 were agreed as an accurate record for signing by the Chair.

Former County Councillor Ron Cockings.

The Chairman announced his sad duty to inform Council of the recent passing of former County Councillor Ron Cockings. Ron, who had been elected to the Council in 2001 as a Liberal Democrat but joined the Conservative Group in 2010, served as a Warwickshire County Councillor for Stratford upon Avon West and latterly Stratford South between 2001 and 2013.  The Chairman extended the Council’s condolences to his family and friends.

Councillor Kate Rolfe spoke in tribute to a good and loyal friend and her extended condolences.  Councillor Sarah Feeney recognised the loss of a valued colleague who had served his community and Councillor Peter Butlin noted the good work he had undertaken in his division.

Engagements

The Chair informed Council that he had been invited to the Holocaust Memorial Day event in Warwick which had been very moving and he applauded the children who had given speeches.

To note any requests to speak on any item on the agenda in accordance with the Council’s Public Speaking Scheme (see note at end of the agenda).

None.

That Council agrees the 2025/26 Budget and authorises work to continue on ensuring the 2025-30 Medium Term Financial Strategy is aligned with and supports the delivery of the Council’s ambitions as set out in the Council Plan.

Councillor Peter Butlin (Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property) introduced the item by thanking the finance team for their assistance and hard work in developing the budget.  He drew attention to the challenges of local government finance and media reports of Councils in financial difficulty who had been granted permission to increase their Council Tax above 4.99%, with the highest request being an increase of 25%, and offered assurance that Warwickshire County Council was not in this number.  He noted the Council was in a relatively good financial position, performing well on CIPFA’s Independent Financial Resilience Index, and the external auditors’ annual Value for Money report had highlighted continued strong performance.   However, this was another year when the Council had had to balance driving its strategic priorities with a response to events outside its control.  A financial recovery strategy and spending controls had been implemented earlier in the financial year in order to address emerging concerns in the financial forecast due to the rising cost and demand for services.  This early intervention had resulted in successfully bringing the in-year financial position back under control with the overspend now within the 2% tolerance allowed.  He thanked all departments across the Council for their efforts in this regard.  He then proceeded to set out the Conservative Group’s budget proposals as contained in the appendix to the published report. In doing so he emphasised the following points:

• Continued uncertain political and economic environment, including increased national living wage and employers' national insurance contributions, the continuation of higher interest rates, the impact of ongoing internal conflict, a new government and new policy environment that was still emerging and taking shape.
• The uncertain timing and impacts of key national policy choices around special education needs and disabilities (SEND) and the government's solution to the dedicated schools grant (DSG) deficit, adult social care reform, the broken children's social care market, home to school transport, climate change legislation and local government funding reforms, including the reset of business rates.
• Continuing demand for services as a result of a growing population of older people, increasing numbers of children and families needing support, and communities under pressure from the rising cost of living. 
• This budget was recommended in the wake of a significant headwind from both pressures and demand which the Council had been able to navigate successfully because of financial resilience and long-term decision-making.  However, considerable uncertainty, risk and opportunity remained in terms of the changes likely to flow from devolution, funding reform and policy changes in areas such as adult social care and SEND.  The Government had chosen to delay adult social care reform until the Commission on Adult Social Care Reform reported in 2028, and with no guarantee they would act on the recommendations of that report.  With regard to SEND, the Government were promising to put in place new legislation and address the financial override, however, he was not optimistic for the way in which this would be resolved. 
• In such an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

1.     The Treasury Management Strategy for 2025/26 (Appendix 2 to the report) be approved with effect from 1 April 2025;

2.     The Investment Strategy for Non Treasury Investments for 2025/26 (Appendix 3 to the report) be approved with effect from 1 April 2025;

3.     The County Council requires the Executive Director for Resources to ensure that gross borrowing does not exceed the prudential level specified (Appendix 2 to the report, Section 3.16, Table 12 “Authorised Borrowing Limit”);

4.     The revised lending limits for the Warwickshire Property Development Group (WPDG) (Appendix 3 to the report, Annex 7) come into immediate effect;

5.     The revised lending limits for the Warwickshire Investment Fund (WIF) (Appendix 3 to the report, Annex 7) come into immediate effect;

6.     The County Council requires the Executive Director for Resources to ensure that gross investment in non-Treasury investments does not exceed the prudential levels specified (Appendix 3 to the report, Annex 7);

7.     The County Council authorises the Executive Director for Resources to undertake such delegated responsibilities as are set out in Appendix 2 to the report, Annex 7, and Appendix 3, Section 2.5; and

8.     The County Council requires the Executive Director for Resources to implement the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy (Appendix 2 to the report, Section 2.13-2.29).

Councillor Peter Butlin, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property introduced and moved this report, noting that both strategies were statutory documents that full Council was required to approve on an annual basis before the start of the financial year.   Councillor Butlin reported that the strategies in their current form had worked well and, therefore, only minor adjustments were proposed as detailed in the report.

Councillor Isobel Seccombe seconded the proposals and reserved her right to speak.

Councillor Adrian Warwick thanked the Portfolio Holder and officers for their work.  He reflected on the importance of the Treasury Management strategy with regard to the Council’s appetite for risk and the way investments had been made which had helped to secure the financial footing that underpinned the budget.

Councillor Jackie D’Arcy asked the potential future use of Green Bonds which had proved very successful at Islington Council.  

Councillor Seccombe responded that Local Climate Bonds was a new opportunity which the Council may avail itself of in the future.  He explained the context for investment and the Council’s overriding principles for borrowing to minimise cost pressure and maximise opportunities for residents and business.  It was clear that the future would be more challenging but the robust work that was undertaken would support the Council to meet those challenges responsibly.

Councillor Butlin reiterated the principles on which the strategies were built and stated that the Council’s track record spoke for itself. 

Vote

A vote was held.  The motion was agreed unanimously.

Decision

Resolved that:

1.     The Treasury Management Strategy for 2025/26 (Appendix 2 to the report) be approved with effect from 1 April 2025;

2.     The Investment Strategy for Non Treasury Investments for 2025/26 (Appendix 3 to the report) be approved with effect from 1 April 2025;

3.     The County Council requires the Executive Director for Resources to ensure that gross borrowing does not exceed the prudential level specified (Appendix 2 to the report, Section 3.16, Table 12 “Authorised Borrowing Limit”);

4.     The revised lending limits for the Warwickshire Property Development Group (WPDG) (Appendix 3 to the report, Annex 7) come into immediate effect;

5.     The revised lending limits for the Warwickshire Investment Fund (WIF) (Appendix 3 to the report, Annex 7) come into immediate effect;

6.     The County Council requires the Executive Director for Resources to ensure that gross investment in non-Treasury investments does not exceed the prudential levels specified (Appendix 3 to the report, Annex 7);

7.     The County Council authorises the Executive Director for Resources to undertake such delegated responsibilities as are set out in Appendix 2 to the report, Annex 7, and Appendix 3, Section 2.5; and

8.     The County Council requires the Executive Director for Resources to implement the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy (Appendix 2 to the report, Section 2.13-2.29).

That Council approves the addition to the Capital Programme of £3.295 million for the installation and ongoing management of electric vehicle chargepoints (“the Project”) to be funded from a grant awarded under the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund and the addition to the Capital Programme of such other private sector investment sum as the Council may secure in support of the Project.

Councillor Jan Matecki, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning introduced and moved this report, which was seconded by Councillor Tim Sinclair.   In moving the motion, Councillor Matecki reminded Council that just under £3m pounds had been secured from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Capital Fund from the DFT.  The purpose of the fund was to support delivery of additional publicly available charging infrastructure to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles.  This would also help the drive towards more sustainable

transport, better air quality and carbon net zero.  The Council had worked closely with neighbouring local authorities as part of a consortium, led by the sub-national transport body Midlands Connect, and the consortium would use its collective buying power to leverage as many new charge points as possible

and promote the roll-out of charging infrastructure in parts of Warwickshire where delivery had been slow to date.  Current projections were for the delivery of around 700-800 charge points, which would deliver around about 1,500 sockets in total, installed in on-street locations where residents had no off-street parking or where home charging would be deemed difficult.    There was no expectation on the Council to provide any financial shortfall to allow the scheme to progress.

Councillor Bill Gifford praised officers for their work on understanding need and the potential locations for electric vehicle (EV) charging points.  He highlighted his believe that Warwickshire had potential to be the center of electric battery power in the country, with the research taking place at Warwick University, the siting of the Gigafactory in Warwick District and , Jaguar Landrover introducing a new model that would be entirely electrically powered.  He understood that one of the biggest concerns people had around EVs was around charging and he therefore welcomed the funding and proposals.

Councillor Sarah Boad also welcomed the investment and the work to identify the where charging locations were needed.  She noted that current charging points were generally located in town centres or streets close to them and welcomed the potential to have charging points in neighbourhood shopping areas or other car parks.  She recognised that for people without access to a driveway, charging was more complicated and had seen wires across pavements with rugs over the top, to enable people to charge their cars on-street, and welcomed more widely available charging points. 

Councillor Sarah Feeney explained that EV charging was an issue that was raised frequently in the division she represented, Benn, where there was very little off street parking. A pilot had taken place in the previous year which had seen options to charge on-street explored and residents were keen to understand whether or not this would formally continue.  She questioned the options that would be available in terms of mobility for the charging points since many residents with EVs were not always able to park in the space nearest  the charging point.

Councillor Warwick welcomed the report and the investment and applauded the work of officers.  He was an EV drivers himself and, in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider any other items that the Chair considers are urgent.

None.

To consider passing the following resolution:

‘That members of the public be excluded from the meeting for the items mentioned below on the grounds that their presence would involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972’.

Resolved:

That members of the public be excluded from the meeting for the items mentioned below on the grounds that their presence would involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The exempt minutes of the Council meeting held on 17 December 2024 were agreed as an accurate record.