To consider a report on the setting of the Council Tax for 2025/2026.

The Council received the submitted report in relation to the setting of Council Tax for 2025/2026.

Councillor Tyerman proposed and Councillor David Thomas seconded a motion, which was agreed by the Council (by recorded vote) as set out below:

1.         that it be noted on the 5 December 2024 Council approved the following Council Tax Bases for 2025/26:

a.         for the whole Council area as 49,254.24 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the "Act")]; and

b.         for dwellings in the Brixham Town Council area as 6,670.18 to which a Parish precept relates;

2.         that it be noted the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, and the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table in 5. below;

That the Council is recommended to approve:

3.         the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2025/26 (excluding Brixham Town Council) of £95,896,000;

4.         that the following amounts be calculated for the year 2025/26 in accordance with Chapter Three of the Act:

a.      £391,072,801 being the estimated aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account the precept issued to it by Brixham Town Council;

b.      £294,644,866 being the estimated aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act;

c.      £96,427,935 being the amount by which the aggregate at 4 a. above exceeds the aggregate at 4 b. above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax Requirement for the year (item R in the formula in Section 31B of the Act);

d.      £1,957.76 being the amount at 4 c. above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1 a. above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts);

e.      £531,935 being the aggregate amount of all special items (Brixham Town Council) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act;

f.       £1,946.96 being the amount at 4 d. above, less the result given by dividing the amount at 4 e. above by Item T (1 a. above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no Parish precept relates;

5.         that the Council, in accordance with Chapter Three of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2025/26 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings; and

Note: Torbay Council’s precept includes the Adult Social Care “precept” set in 2016/17 to 2018/19 and 2020/21 to 2025/26.

6.         that it be noted that the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2025/26 is not excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992. (Refer to paragraph 5.7 of the submitted report.)

The voting was taken by roll call as follows:  For:  Councillors Amil, Billings, Brook, Bryant, Bye, Carter, Cowell, George Darling, Mandy Darling, Steve Darling, Douglas-Dunbar, Fellows, Foster, Fox, Hutchings, Johns, Barbara Lewis, Chris Lewis, Long, Penny, Pentney, Spacagna, Stevens, Strang, David Thomas, Jacqueline Thomas, Tolchard, Tranter, Twelves, Tyerman and Virdee (31);  Abstain:  Councillor Maddison (1); and Absent:  Councillors Atiya-Alla, Harvey, Law and Nicolaou (4).