Social Value Ideas for Charnwood Borough Council

Council tax rise approved

The council approved its 2026/27 general fund and HRA revenue budgets with a 2.5% council tax increase, after rejecting an amendment to freeze council tax. Members cited the need to preserve reserves …

“I believe these budgets strike an appropriate balance between financial prudence, sustainability, provision of excellent services and also fairness to…”

2025/26 budget approved

The council approved the 2025/26 general fund and HRA revenue budgets and council tax. The budget included a general fund working balance forecast of £6.36m at March 2026, additional community grant f…

“Thank you Madame mayor I'd like to introduce the proposed 2025 26 budgets for the general fund in the HRA Revenue accounts I believe these budgets str…”

Budget gap and reserve use

The finance discussion identified a projected deficit, use of reserves, volatility in income, and the need for a step change in the council’s financial model. The figures were described as uncertain a…

“the estimates show that we'll be using two and a half million pounds worth of reserves in addition to what we've budgeted so of course we did budget t…”

Audit sign-off delayed by pension evidence

The external auditor reported that it could not issue its conclusion by the reporting deadline because it had not yet received the pension fund auditor's evidence. This created a time pressure on fina…

“now the critical part is that we have not received the evidence that we need from the pension fund auditor to be able to issue our conclusion that mea…”

Mayor and deputy elected

The council nominated and unanimously approved Councillor Colin Hamilton as mayor elect and Councillor Jeff Lawrence as deputy mayor elect for 2026/27.

“I propose that councelor Colin Hamilton be nominated as mayor elect for the 26 27 council year. >> Council may thank you. If any counselors would like…”

Agree meeting dates

The board agreed the next meeting date and the proposed committee cycle for 2021-22. Members also discussed the work programme and the need to think about preferred performance data for a future paper…

“so we need to agree the uh dates the next day to the next meeting because that's not been formally agreed yet so 12th of may and we also need to agree…”

New scrutiny committee structure

The commission reviewed and recommended a new scrutiny structure: retain a Scrutiny Commission, create a new Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee, and keep task-and-finish panels. Members debate…

“so item 6 sets out the report about the scrutiny committee structure so the current structure came into effect may 2019 following a review by the cent…”

Breach of code of conduct

The panel determined that Councillor Mick Lemon breached the parish council's code of conduct, specifically the Nolan Principles adopted within it, because he had a declared pecuniary interest yet par…

“having considered the papers before the panel today we have unanimously agreed that there has been a breach of 1.2 of the nolan principles which mount…”

Five-year housing supply drops

The council’s housing land supply has fallen from 5.5 years to 4.1 years because the core strategy is now more than five years old and housing need must be measured against the standard methodology. O…

“"there is a material uh changing circumstances and that is the fact that the course strategy became five years old on the 9th of november and that mea…”

Ancillary outbuilding approved

The committee approved a retrospective ancillary outbuilding at 70 Brick Kiln Lane, Shepshed. Officers concluded the building’s siting, scale, and parking provision were acceptable subject to conditio…

“item one is application number p210241 oblique two uh in at 70 brick kiln lane shep shed and we have um two speakers uh tonight is mrs cat abell who i…”

Planning delegation rule changes

The council amended its constitution to align with mandatory national planning delegation reforms coming into force on 2026-10-31. The changes reduce the scope for committee call-ins and increase dele…

“To ensure that the council's constitution reflects the mandatory national changes to planning decision making, I move that the changes to the constitu…”