Document Environment and Sustainability Proposed Fees and Charges 2025/26

The Committee was asked to consider the proposed fees and charges as detailed in Appendix A of the report.

The Council faced a significant financial challenge, with a projected budget deficit of £4.1 million by 2027/28.  To address this shortfall, the Medium-Term Financial Strategy sets out the Council’s approach to achieving financial sustainability including the delivery of savings, efficiencies and income generation.

While the setting of the fees and charges needs to be considered within the overall financial context of the Council, there were many factors affecting their determination.  For some charges, a full cost recovery basis may be appropriate thereby ensuring that service users pay the full cost of the service they received, while for others the Council may choose to subsidise services to residents to support the aims of the Council such as for health and wellbeing.

Officers had been developing a standardised  template to enable identification of the level of subsidy provided for each chargeable service.   This would require further refinement over the next 6 – 9 months, to fully support fee setting for 2026/27.

Whilst the Council’s constitution placed initial fee setting with each service committee, it also provided delegated authority to Officers to alter fees, charges and prices without reference to a committee,  in order to respond to market conditions, new needs, changes in tax rates etc.

Some members of the Committee were dissatisfied with some of the increases particularly in relation to the use of football pitches and bowling greens. 

Officers advised the Committee that currently some of the discretionary services fees did not cover the cost of delivering the service.  Subsidizing these services was considered a fair rationale for increasing charges.   This would ensure the Council could protect services going forward.

Resolved that:

The proposed fees and charges as set out in the report be approved effective from the dates set out in the appendix or as soon as practical thereafter.