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Issue - meetings

2025/2026 Fees and Charges

 

 

Meeting: 06/02/2025 - Cabinet (Item 66)

66 2025/2026 Fees and Charges pdf icon PDF 543 KB

Purpose

The purpose of this report is to present a revised schedule of fees and charges for 2025/26. The report also describes the rationale for the revised charges compared to current charges for 2024/25. Revised charges are presented at Annex A alongside current charges for 2024/25.

 

Recommendation

That Cabinet resolves to:

  1. Endorse the rationale for revising fees and charges as set out in the report; and
  2. Approve the implementation of revised fees and charges for 2025/26 as detailed in Annex A from 1 April 2025.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The purpose of the report was to present a revised schedule of fees and charges for 2025/26. The report also described the rationale for the revised charges compared to current charges for 2024/25. Revised charges were presented at Annex A alongside current charges for 2024/25.

 

The report was presented by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation, Councillor Evemy.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Evemy, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation and seconded by Councillor Claire Bloomer, Cabinet Member for Communities.

 

This proposal was put to the vote and agreed by Cabinet.

 

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

1.     Endorsed the rationale for revising fees and charges as set out in the report;

and

2.     Approved the implementation of revised fees and charges for 2025/26 as detailed in Annex A from 1 April 2025.

 

Voting Record: 5 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions.

Minutes:

The purpose of the report was to present a revised schedule of fees and charges for 2025/26. The report also described the rationale for the revised charges compared to current charges for 2024/25. Revised charges were presented at Annex A alongside current charges for 2024/25.

 

The report was presented by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation, Councillor Evemy.

 

It was noted that this report was an annual review of fees and charges to account for inflation and ensure cost recovery for services.

  • Most charges were increased by approximately 2%, appropriately rounded 

The following changes were discussed

  • Garden Waste: Subscription fee increased by £5 to £69 to cover rising service costs.
  • Planning Fees: Statutory fees are determined by central government , it was noted that Discretionary fees remained unchanged, but under review, due to a forthcoming review with the Planning Advisory Service (PAS).
  • High Hedge Complaints: A significant fee increase was proposed due to historical under-recovery.
  • Licensing Fees were increased to fund additional staffing support.
  • Recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been taken into account with the streamlining of public conveniences and the introduction of charges at previously free locations; no further increases were planned until the impact of these changes had been assessed.
  • Support for low-income residents was welcomed with 50% discounts available on garden waste and bulky waste collection for those on benefits.
  • The bulky waste service was recognised as a valuable and well-run service, with the potential for better promotion.
  • It was noted that the recommendation was for revised charges to take effect from April 1, 2025.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Evemy, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation and seconded by Councillor Claire Bloomer, Cabinet Member for Communities, put to the vote and agreed by Cabinet.

 

Voting Record: 5 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions.

 

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