RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)   notes the Council’s in-year financial position at the end September 2025;

(b)   approves the proposed adjustments to the 2025/26 budget, as set out in Appendix 1H and requests Officers to review the potential on-going impact in 2026/27 and beyond, where necessary, as part of developing the forecast and detailed estimates for further consideration by Cabinet later in the year;

(c)   agrees that the Council continues to be a member of the Essex Business Rates Pool and Council Tax Sharing Agreement with Essex County Council and the other Major Preceptors in 2026/27, if it remains financially advantageous to do so;

(d)   notes the updated context to the financial forecast from 2026/27, as set out in this report (A.2) and requests Officers, in consultation with Portfolio Holders, to further develop the financial forecast alongside the development of the Council’s priorities; and

(e)  formally invites the views of the Resources and Service Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the information set out in this report along with the Council’s wider financial position, as part of its work programme for the year.