Decision details

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Hamilton-Cox)

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Finance Officer which presented the draft Treasury Management Strategy and associated documents for 2025/26 and provided an opportunity for consideration and comment ahead of formal presentation to Full Council 26 February 2025 for approval.

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

Cabinet may put forward alternative proposals or amendments to the proposed Strategy ahead of consideration by Full Council, but these would have to be considered in light of legislative, professional, and economic factors, and importantly, any alternative views regarding the Council’s risk appetite. As such no further options analysis is available currently.

Furthermore, the Strategy must fit with other aspects of Cabinet’s budget proposals, such as deposit interest estimates and underlying prudential borrowing assumptions, feeding into Prudential and Treasury Management Indicators. There are no options available regarding other components of the overall framework.

The officer preferred option was to approve the framework as attached to the report, allowing for any amendments being made under delegated authority prior to referral to Council.

Councillor Hamilton-Cox proposed, seconded by Councillor Maddocks:-

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

Councillors then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

(1)            That Cabinet recommends the Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26, Appendices A to C to Budget Council for approval and that Delegated authority be given to the S151 Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance & Resources to amend change in the prudential indicators should Cabinet or Full Council make any revisions to the Capital Programme.

Officer responsible for effecting the decision:

Chief Officer Resources

Reasons for making the decision:

Treasury Management forms part of the Councils budget framework.  Effective Treasury Management and use of the Councils’ resources is fundamental to the delivery of its priorities and outcomes