To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2026 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting that took place on January 2026 were agreed as a true and accurate record.

For: (47) Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Mrs Beer, Blight, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Finn, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lowry, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Ney, P. Nicholson, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Raynsford, Reilly, Ricketts, Simpson, M. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Stephens, Stevens, Taylor, Tippetts, Tofan, Tuohy and Wood. 

Against: (0) 

Abstain: (0) 

Absent/did not vote: (3) Councillors Briars-Delve, Cuddihee and Ms Watkin. 

There were no declarations of interest.

A general dispensation was in place in reference to item five - Proposed Revenue and Capital Budget and Council Tax Levels for 2026/27.

To receive urgent announcements from the Lord Mayor, Chief Executive, Section 151 Officer or Monitoring Officer.

There were no urgent announcements.

Councillor Hendy proposed a procedural motion under paragraph 5.1 of Appendix 1 of the Rules of Debate in relation to Item five, Proposed Revenue and Capital Budget and Council Tax Levels 2026/27, to remove the time limit on the length of speech for the Leader, as well as for opposition group leaders, due to there being no largest opposition group on this one occasion. This was seconded by Councillor Raynsford. The motion was agreed.

For: (48) Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Mrs Beer, Briars-Delve, Blight, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Finn, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lowry, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Ney, P. Nicholson, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Raynsford, Reilly, Ricketts, Simpson, M. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Stephens, Stevens, Taylor, Tippetts, Tofan, Tuohy and Wood. 

Against: (0) 

Abstain: (0)

Absent/did not vote: (2) Cuddihee and Ms Watkin.

Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) introduced the report which was seconded by Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance).

Contributions were made from Councillors Lugger, Nicholson, Dann, Stephens, Haydon, Cresswell, McCarty, Penrose, McNamara, Ricketts, Wood, Moore, Allen, Finn, Dingle, Briars-Delve, M. Smith, Raynsford, Krizanac, Stevens, Raynsford, Taylor, Penberthy, Hendy, Laing, Holloway, Gilmour, Reilly, Bannerman, Aspinall, Tippetts and Ney.

Council agreed to:

1. Approve the proposed net revenue budget for 2026/27 of £326.295m;

2. Approve Council Tax levels for 2026/27 as detailed at Appendix 1;

3. Note that the precept to the Council issued by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area, has been confirmed;

4. Note that the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority precept will be confirmed for 2026/27;

5. Note the Financial Risks as set out in Appendix 5;

6. Note Cabinet’s response to the Budget Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations set out in Appendix 3;

7. Note the section from the Council’s Section 151 Officer (Chief Finance Officer) on the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of the level of reserves;

8. Approve the savings proposals detailed in Appendix 7 which have been recommended by Cabinet;

9. Approve the Capital Budget 2026/27, five-year programme (£319.725m) and Capital pipeline (£189.750m);

10. Approve the Capital Strategy 2026/27 as detailed in Appendix 11;

11. Approve the Treasury Management Strategy 2026/27 (incorporating the Non-Treasury Management Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement) as detailed in Appendix 12;

12. Approve adjustments to the Minimum Revenue Provision as set out in the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement as set out in Appendix 12;

13. Approve the use of Flexible Capital Receipts as set out in Appendix 9;

14. Delegate responsibility for any technical accounting changes which may arise after the Budget to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance;

15. Approve the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the period 2026/27 to 2030/31 as set out in Appendix 13;

16. Approve the Tamar Bridge & Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee 2026/27 Revenue Budget and Capital Programme and the 2026/27 draft Business Plan, as referenced in Appendix 14, and the longer-term forecast to 2029/30 is noted.

For: (40) Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Blight, Briars-Delve, Coker, Cresswell, Cuddihee, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lowry, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Raynsford, Reilly, Simpson, M. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Stephens, Stevens, Taylor and Tuohy.

Against: (4) Mrs Beer, Ney, P. Nicholson and Ricketts.

Abstain: (5) Councillors Finn, Lugger, Tippetts, Tofan and Wood.

Absent/did not vote: (1) Ms Watkin.