A.   To consider the report of Cabinet dated 18 February 2026 (attached)

B.   To note the decision of the Greater London Authority on its budget and precept for 2026/27 to the effect thereof on the Council’s budget.

C.   To agree a budget for 2026/27 and then:

D.   To set the Council Tax for 2026/27.

NOTE: ALL RELEVANT REPORTS FROM THE CABINET MEETING OF 18 FEBRUARY 2026 ARE ATTACHED.

Amendment by Labour Group (attached, at end of budget papers).

Deemed motion by the Administration:

That the report be adopted and its recommendations carried into effect.

Council had before it a series of reports covering the Council’s Budget, Capital Programme and Treasury Management Strategy Statement. Reports also covered the Housing Revenue Account and business plans for Bridge Close, Havering & Wates, Rainham & Beam Park and the Housing Revenue Account.

Deemed motion on behalf of the Administration

That the reports be adopted and their recommendations be carried into effect.

Amendment on behalf of the Labour Group

As appended to these minutes.

Following debate, the amendment by the Labour Group was NOT CARRIED by 17 votes to 9 with 23 abstentions (see division 1).

The reports of Cabinet and deemed motion on behalf of the Administration were CARRIED by 31 votes to 4 with abstentions (see division 2).

RESOLVED:

1.         That Council agree and endorse the recommendations in the report to Cabinet of 28 January 2026 titled Rainham and Beam Park LLP Business Plan Update.

2.         That Council agree and endorse the recommendations in the report to Cabinet of 28 January titled Havering and Wates LLP Business Plan and Budget Update 2026/2027.

3.         That Council agree and endorse the recommendations in the report to Cabinet of 28 January 2026 titled Bridge Close Regeneration LLP Business Plan and Budget Update 2026/2027.

4.         That Council agree and endorse the recommendations in the report to Cabinet of 28 January 2026 titled Mercury Land Holdings Business Plan and Budget Update 2026/27.

5.         That Council approves the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan update, Budget for 2026/27 & Capital Programme for 2026/27-2030/31 and all recommendations, as set out in the report to Cabinet of 28 January 2026.

6.         That Council approves the Capital Strategy and Programme for 2026/27 as shown in the separate report to Cabinet of 18 February 2026.

7.         That Council approves the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Prudential Indicators, and the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement for 2026/27 as shown in the separate report to Cabinet of 18 February 2026.

8.         That the following as submitted in the report to Cabinet of 18 February 2026 be approved:

•           The General Fund budget for 2026/27

•           The Council Tax for Band D properties and for other Bands of properties, all as set out in Appendix E of the Cabinet report.

•           The Delegated Schools’ Budget for 2026/27, as set out in section 6 of the Cabinet report.

•           The Capital Programme for 2026/267 as set out in the Capital Strategy and Programme Report reported to Cabinet on 5 February 2026.

9.         The Council delegate authority to the Chief Financial Officer to adjust the Corporate Risk Budget to account for any further variations that may arise.

10.       That, in accepting recommendation 1, Council is mindful of the advice of the Chief Finance Officer as set out in Appendix H of the report to Cabinet.

11.       That it be noted that under delegated powers the Chief Finance Officer has calculated the amount of 91,122 (called T in the Act and Regulations) as its Council Tax base for the year 2026/27 in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended) made under Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended.

12.       That the amount of £174,421,000 be now calculated as the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2026/27, with £29,751,000 of that amount being ringfenced for Adult Social Care.

13.       That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2026/27 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended:

(a)       841,201,000  being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act.

(b)       (666,780,000)           being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(c)       174,421,000  being the amount by which the aggregate at (a) above exceeds the aggregate at (b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year.

(d)       £1,914.15      being the amount at (c) above divided by the taxbase, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

13.       That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the amounts shown in the table below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2026/27 for each of the categories of dwellings.

Valuation Bands London Borough of Havering

Havering    Adult Social     Total

Care  

£          p          £          p          £          p

A         1,058.43         217.67            1,276.10

B         1,234.84         253.95            1,488.79

C         1,411.24         290.22            1,701.46

D         1,587.65         326.50            1,914.15

E         1,940.46         399.05            2,339.51

F          2,293.26         471.62            2,764.88

G         2,646.07         544.18            3,190.25

H         3,175.29         653.01            3,828.30

14.       That it be noted for the year 2026/27 the major precepting authority (the GLA) has stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below as proposed by the Mayor.

Valuation Bands Greater London Authority

            £          p

A         340.34

B         397.06

C         453.79

D         510.51

E         623.96

F          737.40

G         850.85

H         1,021.02

15.       That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 7 and 8 above, the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2026/27 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

Valuation Bands

            £          p

A         1,616.44

B         1,885.85

C         2,155.25

D         2,424.66

E         2,963.47

F          3,502.28

G         4,041.10

H         4,849.32

16.       That Council having considered the principles approved under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government concludes that the Council’s basic relevant amount of Council Tax for 2026/27 is not excessive.

17.       That any Council Tax payer who is liable to pay an amount of Council Tax to the Authority in respect to the year ending on 31 March 2026, who is served with a demand notice under Regulation 20(2) of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 as amended and who makes payment to the Authority of the full balance of the estimated amount shown on that demand by 1 April 2026, may deduct a sum equivalent to 1.5% of and from the estimated amount and such reduced amount shall be accepted in full settlement of that estimated amount.

18.       That Council approves that the Council Tax Support Scheme 2026/27 is adopted for 2026/27 as set out in Section 10 of the Cabinet report of 18 February 2026.