Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

(a)  To agree the minutes from the meeting of Cabinet on 10 December, 2024

(b)  Matters arising

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 December, 2024 were agreed and signed as a true record.

There were no matters arising.

Report of the Director of Finance and Resources

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Finance and Resources (Section 151 Officer), which sought to establish the 2025/26 Council Tax Base for tax setting purposes.

The report indicated that the Council Tax base is the measure of the taxable capacity of an area, for the purpose of calculating an authority’s Council Tax.  It represents the estimated number of Band D equivalent chargeable dwellings for the year.  It also takes into account the authority's estimated Council Tax collection rate.

The report did not set the actual level of Council Tax in Coventry, that would be set by Council on 25^th February 2025.

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet:

1.  Approves that the Council Tax collection rate for 2025/26 be set at 97.6%.

2.  That, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 2012, the amounts calculated by the City Council for 2026/26 shall be:

A net tax base of 90,062.6 for the whole of the City Council area made up as follows:

  Allesley Parish  451.3

  Finham Parish  1,585.7

  Keresley Parish  616.3

  All Other Coventry City Council Wards  87,409.3

    ________

  TOTAL  90,062.6

3.  That the following grant payments should be made to parish council’s to reflect the impact of 2025/26 of Council Tax reductions on their tax bases:

  Allesley Parish  £2,209

  Finham Parish  £2,525

  Keresley Parish  £1,697

    ______

  TOTAL  £6,431

Report of the Director of Childrens and Education

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services and Education, which set out the results of the consultation on proposed changes to the Fair Funding Scheme of Delegation (the Scheme) and sought approval for recommended changes to the Scheme and the Fair Funding Formula.

The report indicated that, under Section 48 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, Local Authorities (LAs) are required to have schemes of delegation which set out the financial controls and arrangements that will operate between schools and the LA.  Any proposed revisions to these schemes and / or the Fair Funding Formula must be the subject of consultation and require approval by the Schools Forum.

The Department for Education (DfE) introduced its National Funding Formula (NFF) for LAs in 2018/19, whereby mainstream school allocations for LAs were determined under the NFF approach, but LAs retained control over how they chose to distribute that funding amongst their schools.  In Coventry, since 2018/19, has been to mirror the NFF allocation for schools as far as possible.  This has provided all schools with annual increase at least in line with the maximum per pupil funding increase set out in the NFF, where this has been affordable.  This approach would also minimise funding volatility when local control and flexibility I removed from LAs.

In a standard funding cycle indicative NFF allocations and operational guides are published in July, with final NFF allocations being issued in December.  Due to the change in government and the timing of the Chancellor’s budget, LAs were informed that the 2025/26 indicative NFF allocations would not be published in July and, instead, would be delayed until the end of November 2024.  To support schools and LAs with financial planning, the DfE published a policy note and in this they announced there would not be any significant changes required to the operation of the local school funding formula for 2025/26 compared to 2024/25.

The Coventry Fair Funding Consultation document was circulated on 7^th November 2024 to Head Teachers, including Academy Head Teachers / Principals, Chairs of Governing Bodies, relevant Councillors, Trade Unions, Diocesan authorities, the Coventry Governors Association and members of the School’s Forum.  The consultation period ended after 2 weeks on 22^nd November 2024.

Stakeholder groups were briefed throughout the consultation period.  These included Primary Finance representative head teachers and the School’s Forum.  The consultation document also sought to act as an information document to school stakeholders regarding anticipated local budget pressures.

The Cabinet noted that the NFF continued to be in a ‘soft’ phase.  This meant that the DfE would run the NFF for each individual school and the total of Coventry schools’ allocations would become a total budget available for schools in Coventry.  The LA Is still required to go through the usual budget setting process and run the local schools funding formula for maintained schools and academies to distribute the resource.  From 2027/28, it is expected that the DfE will operate a direct NFF, through which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

Report of the Director of Innovation

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Innovation, which sought approval to let a contract for the construction and operation of a 220m long single track demonstrator of Coventry’s Very Light Rail on Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road.

The report indicated that, following successful development and trials of track and vehicle, Coventry’s groundbreaking Very Light Rail is now ready to be tested in an on road live environment.  This would be a crucial step in the Council’s mission to develop and deliver an affordable tram system with a target cost of £10m/km. 

The initial section of track, a 220m track on Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road, would test the track and vehicle in a live setting and is intended to be completed in Spring 2025, with the vehicle in operation for a four week period.  This would provide an opportunity for local people, along with other interested parties, to rid on the vehicle in a controlled environment and provide feedback. 

The purpose of the on street showcase / or demonstrator is to:

·  Trial and optimise installation methods on a live road;

·  Prove that the track can be installed in significantly less time and at a much reduced cost compared to conventional tram systems;

·  Provide assurance to utility companies that it is possible for their apparatus to remain under the track;

·  Monitor and collect data on track performance;

·  Stimulate commercial interest.

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet recommend that Council:

1.  Provide approval to proceed with the installation and operation of the four week on road test in Greyfriars Road / Queen Victoria Road, which is funded within the existing Coventry Very Light Rail approved budget.

2.  Provide approval to proceed with securing the necessary Statutory approvals to construct the on road test in Greyfriars Road / Queen Victoria Road.

3.  Delegate authority to the Director of Law and Governance, the Director of Finance and Resources and the Director of Innovation, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, to enter into all necessary legal agreements for the on road test in Greyfriars Road / Queen Victoria Road.

4.  Delegate authority to the Director of Law and Governance, the Director of Finance and Resources and the Director of Innovation, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, to agree the award of contract(s) and for the Council to enter into all necessary contracts, including but not limited to construct and operate the on road test in Greyfriars Road / Queen Victoria Road.

5.  Delegate authority to the Director of Law and Governance, the Director of Finance and Resources and the Director of Innovation, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, to enter into the appropriate lease agreements for associated infrastructure required to deliver and promote the Coventry Very Light Rail system.

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

There were no other items of urgent public business.