Meeting

To receive any disclosure of interests from Councillors or Officers in matters to be discussed.

Note: Councillors are reminded of their obligations to declare disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs), other registerable interests (ORIs) and non-registerable interests (NRIs) in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct.

To receive and answer and questions from the public.

(Questions must be received in writing by Democratic Services – democracy@winchester.gov.uk – no later than 10am on Thursday 19 February)

Please note revised versions of Report CAB3540 and Appendices 1, 3 and 7 from those considered at Cabinet on 12 February 2026.

That Cabinet recommend to Council:

1. That the HRA Financial Plan operating account, including annual working balances be noted, as detailed in Appendix 6 of the report.

2. That the 2026/27 Housing Revenue Account budget be approved, as detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 to the report.

3. That the proposed capital programme for maintenance, improvements and renewals totalling £162.7m be approved.

4. That capital expenditure be approved and authority be delegated to the Strategic Director with responsibility for housing to enter into necessary contracts for the 2026/27 capital programme of £22.8m, as detailed in Appendix 3 of the report in accordance with Financial Procedure Rule 7.4.

5. That a change in approach to delivery of retrofit installation of solar panels and batteries to achieve best value for money following the decision by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to withhold Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund grant on battery installations be approved, as outlined at paragraphs 11.56 to 11.63 of the report.

6. That the proposed 10 year capital programme for new homes totalling £202.8m, and expenditure of £21.8m in 2026/27 be approved, as detailed in Appendix 4 of the report in accordance with Financial Procedure Rule 7.4.

7. That the financing of the HRA Capital Programme be approved as detailed in Appendix 5 of the report, (noting the planned repayment of borrowing following the 1000 homes programme).

8. That the revenue savings target of £1.13m at Appendix 7 of the report as amended be approved, which was outlined to Cabinet in November 2025 (CAB3523) and includes additional savings as outlined at paragraphs 11.32-11.38 of the report.

9. That the Section 151 Officer be authorised, in consultation with the Strategic Director with responsibility for Housing to approve buybacks of individual former HRA properties sold under the Right to Buy during 2026/27, following positive financial appraisal, utilising the unallocated New Homes budget (see paragraph 11.26 of the report).

10. That subject to the acceptance of the expression of interest to the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) round 4:

a. the Strategic Director with responsibility for Housing be authorised to enter into a revised Memorandum of Understanding with Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government to secure additional LAHF funding.

b. Authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer to approve capital expenditure (subject to financial appraisal, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rule 7.4) of up to £12m to purchase up to 30 properties between 2026/27 and 2029/30 using the approved HRA unallocated new build budget, to be part-financed by LAHF grant with any balance via prudential borrowing.

c. The Corporate Head – Asset Management and the Strategic Director with responsibility for Housing be authorised to purchase up to 30 properties. (Paragraphs 11.74-11.78 of the report).

11. That the average rent increase for 2026/27 for all affordable, Shared Ownership and social housing of 4.8% be approved, based on the September 2024 CPI figure of 3.8% +1% (Paragraphs 11.6-11.8 of the report).

12. That amendments to HRA tenant service charges in 2026/27 be approved to reflect cost recovery based on 2024/25 actual costs (see paragraphs 11.41 to 11.45 of the report).

13. That it be noted that the draft HRA Business 30-year Plan is viable and sustainable and has the capacity to support the delivery of 1,000 new affordable homes.

Please note revised versions of Report CAB3541 and Appendices A and C from those considered at Cabinet on 12 February 2026.

a) That Cabinet recommend to Council:

1. That the level of General Fund Budget for 2026/27 be agreed and the summary be recommended as shown in Appendix A of CAB3541, as amended, due to the late change in the Government's local government financial settlement announced by MHCLG on 10 February 2026.

2. That in relation to the Greener Faster Council Plan priority:

a. a growth of £30,000 be approved to increase the annual Town Account tree maintenance budget as a result of risks associated with the effects of climate change and associated tree disease.

3. That in relation to the Healthy Communities priority of the new Council Plan:

a. the revised income bands for the Council Tax Reduction scheme for working age applicants (set out in Appendix E of report CAB3541) be approved, that ensure claimants continue to receive the appropriate level of support after the DWPs increase in Universal Credit rates with effect from 1 April 2026.

4. That in relation to the Efficient and Effective priority:

a. a growth to the annual expenditure budget of £89,000 be approved for improvements to make the way our residents’ contact us is easier and faster.

5. That other service expenditure annual budgets be amended as follows, in response to revised estimates:

a. Utility budget increased by £150,000 in order to cover the additional forecast utility costs from 2026/27.

b. An additional budget of £115,000 per annum from 2026/27 for the Corporate Head of Resources.

c. A growth of £130,000 to reflect the net budget pressure of the migration of the Land Charges service to HM Land Registry.

d. A net budget saving of £215,000 per annum to reflect changes to forecast employers’ pension contributions and rates.

6. That one-off service expenditure budgets be approved as follows:

a. A £470,000 digital transformation budget, relating to the implementation of improvements to make our residents’ digital contact with us easier and faster, with £400,000 funded from the digital transformation reserve and £70,000 funded from the transitional reserve.

b. A Town Account budget of £15,000 for feasibility work related to speed indicators within the town area, funded by the town reserve.

c. £1.7m for essential structural and repair works to the Guildhall to maintain this listed civic building (and required prior to further decision making on the future operating model of the Guildhall and Abbey House) funded from Property - Asset Management Reserve, and delegates authority to:

i. the Strategic Director to appoint, in accordance with the council’s Contract Procedure Rules (CPRs), all necessary consultants to prepare design work for the works required to the Guildhall through a competitive bid process or framework;

ii. the Strategic Director to undertake a procurement exercise to obtain bids or use of a framework to appoint a contractor(s) for the works required to the Guildhall, in accordance with the council’s CPRs;

iii. the Strategic Director to appoint the relevant contractors and to negotiate and agree contractual heads of terms with the contract appointment; and

iv. the Service Lead: Legal to prepare and enter into all relevant agreements, negotiate the contractual agreements and see them to completion to enable the Guildhall works.

7. That following a review of earmarked reserves they be amended as follows:

a. £2m of the Major Investment Reserve be re-allocated to the Property Reserve to fund maintenance requirements of corporate properties.

b. £1m from the Major Investment Reserve be re-allocated to the Car Parks Property Reserve to fund maintenance of and investment in parking.

c. An additional £500,000 per annum be set aside into the Property Reserve, for the maintenance of and investment in operational assets.

8. That the sum of £1,434,779 be treated as Special Expenses under Section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 in respect of the Winchester Town area as set out in section 17 and Appendix D of the report.

9. That the Council Tax for the Special Expenses in the Winchester Town area at Band D for 2026/27 be increased by 5% (£4.50) to £94.58.

10. That the surplus balance on the Council Tax Collection Fund for distribution to this Council, calculated in January 2026 of £107,910, be approved.

11. That the level of Council Tax at Band D for City Council services for 2026/27 be increased to £168.49, an increase of £4.83 reflecting an average Council tax increase of 2.95% (the maximum allowed under the referendum limit of 2.99% when combined with the increase to the Special Expenses for the town area).

12. That the carry forward of the balance of the Council Tax Exceptional Hardship Fund in 2025/26 to 2026/27 be approved in order to extend this vital support for those on low income.

b) TO PASS A FORMAL RESOLUTION SETTING THE COUNCIL TAX FOR THE CITY OF WINCHESTER FOR THE YEAR COMMENCING 1 APRIL 2026.

That Cabinet recommend to Council:

1. The Capital Investment Strategy be approved including:

a) the Capital Programme and Capital Programme Financing (Appendices A and B to report CAB3539);

b) the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy Statement (Appendix E of the report);

c) the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy (Appendix G of the report); and

d) the prudential indicators detailed in the report and Appendix F of the report.

Please note revised version of Report CAB3538 (Appendix D) from that considered at Cabinet on 12 February 2026.

That Cabinet recommend to Council:

1. That the Treasury Management Strategy Statement which includes the Annual Treasury Investment Strategy for 2026/27 (and the remainder of 2025/26) is approved;

2. That authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer to manage the council’s pooled property investment and long-term borrowing according to the Treasury Management Strategy Statement as appropriate; and

3. That authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer, who in turn discharges this function to Hampshire County Council’s Director of Corporate Operations, as agreed in the Service Level Agreement, to manage all council investments (other than the high yield portfolio) and short-term borrowing according to the Treasury Management Strategy Statement as appropriate.

To receive any resignations from committees and to make any necessary re-appointments.

The total time for questions and the answer and supplementaries thereto shall not exceed 40 minutes.