Agenda and minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred Members present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting, and Members noted the information contained therein’

The Committee received apologies of lateness from Councillors Worrell, Carlin and Williams.

There were no items of urgent business.

There were no declarations of interest

There were no deputations, petitions, presentations or questions.

To receive and note the minutes of the following Scrutiny Panels and to approve any recommendations contained within:

·         Housing, Planning & Development Scrutiny Panel – 16^th December 2024

The Committee received and noted the minutes of the following Scrutiny Panels and approved recommendations contained within:

-       Housing, Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel – 16^th December 2024

To follow

The HRA business plan was presented, with the details outlined for further discussion by any colleagues wishing to contribute. The document, initially highlighted in December 2024 when the draft was published, included commitments for funding, such as carry-forwards from previous years and unspent historic grants, some of which had expired or were not drawn down. A review was underway to assess whether any of the £22 million could be repurposed to manage the overspend for 2024-2025. However, it was noted that no assumption was made regarding the use of this amount for the 2025-2026 financial year. Additionally, the reserves table indicated that a £10 million corporate contingency was included in the revenue budget, separate from the reserves, to manage potential risks and uncertainties for the following year. This contingency was part of the broader financial strategy to ensure fiscal stability.

Concerns were raised about the growing gap in the budget, particularly in areas with significant income needs, such as adult social care, children’s housing, and homelessness. Despite efforts to balance the budget through borrowing and grants, doubts were expressed regarding the sustainability of the strategy for future years, especially considering the pressures on these key service areas. In response, it was emphasised that the demand pressures, especially in temporary accommodation and children's home-to-school transport, were not unique to Haringey, as similar issues were being faced by local authorities nationwide. However, Haringey lacked the reserves to support these pressures in the short term. The government’s consultation on funding for 2026-2027 was expected, but it was not seen as a solution to the sector-wide demand pressures. The Council was committed to ensuring that every pound spent delivered value for money and would continue efforts to improve efficiency and reduce costs, alongside increasing income where possible.

The multi-year settlement expected for 2026-2027 would likely involve a redistribution of funds rather than a significant increase in funding, and there was a recognition that, in the future, a larger conversation with the government may be necessary if funding continued to fall short of meeting needs. Nonetheless, the focus remained on internal efforts to ensure efficientservice delivery while continuing the work through the 2025-2026 period.

The driving factors behind the adult's budget were discussed, with the primary concern being the increased complexity of needs within the population. This complexity involved more long-term health conditions, leading to a higher demand for care services and consequently, higher costs. Additionally, the rising cost of living, including energy prices, has placed additional pressure on care providers. These external pressures were compounded by changes in National Insurance rates. Furthermore, it was noted that many residents, who are just above the eligibility threshold for council tax reduction, still struggle to pay their council tax, particularly with an existing council tax rate ranging between £1,500 and £2,000 per year.

A decision was made not to increase council tax by more than 5%, as such an increase would add further financial strain on residents. The council tax rate in Haringey is already relatively  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

There were no new items of urgent business.

27^th March 2025

-       27th March 2025