Decision - Budget Protocol

Brighton and Hove Council Decided 29 Jan 2026 for determination GET /api/coverage

Decision maker

Council

Report author

John Hooton

Published

11 Feb 2026

Reference

7573

As published

the council's own words, unedited

To agree the protocol for setting the council's budget and council tax including proceedings at the February Budget Council meeting of the full Council in order to facilitate the decision-making process.

1) That the budget protocol outlined in Appendix 1 be approved for use at the Budget Council meeting on the 26 February 2026. 2) That the Legal Advice Note as set out at Appendix 2 be noted.

Parsed from the document

gpt-5.6-luna-2026-07-09 · 4647/1952 tokens · 14831ms · parsed 8 Sep 2026 11:39

Everything below was read out of a PDF by a model It is useful and it is not authoritative. The document it came from is linked in the rail, and where the two disagree the document is right.

The legal note explains that the Council must set a lawful 2026/27 budget and Council Tax by 11 March 2026, with the document also referring to 10 March as the practical deadline. It warns that delay could cause financial and administrative costs, legal and reputational consequences, personal liability for Members, and possible intervention by the Secretary of State. Members are advised to facilitate agreement through negotiation, composite amendments and support for a lawful budget.

Recommendation

Members should facilitate, rather than obstruct, the setting of a lawful budget and Council Tax on time. If no alternative budget can secure majority support, Members should support the Cabinet proposals, including any composite amendments, or at least abstain so that a lawful budget can be agreed.

Financial impact

Delay could cause loss of revenue, additional administrative costs, disruption to Council Tax billing and collection, and restrictions on entering into new agreements involving significant financial commitments.

Ward affected

city-wide

Stakeholders named

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Council TaxpayersMembers of the Councilthe Councilprecepting authoritiesPoliceFire Serviceparish councilSecretary of StateSection 151 Chief Financial OfficerMonitoring OfficerChief Executiveexternal auditor

Next steps

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Members should negotiate and seek a majority-supported lawful budget.
Members should consider a short adjournment if additional time could resolve an impasse.
Members should identify and support composite amendments where possible.
The Council should set the 2026/27 budget and Council Tax before 11 March 2026.
If prolonged delay or unlawful expenditure occurs, the Section 151 Chief Financial Officer or Monitoring Officer may consider issuing a report and the Secretary of State may consider intervention.

Precedents

not built

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