Agenda and minutes

            An apology for inability to attend was reported for Councillors Bell, T. Brooks and Groogan.

No declarations of interest were reported.

            The information contained in the reports associated with the following item is restricted in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

      Resolved – That the Committee agrees to exclude the Members of the Press and public from the Committee meeting during discussion on the following item as, due to its nature, there would be a disclosure of exempt information as described in Section 42(4) and Section 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

            Members were also reminded that the content of ‘restricted’ reports and any discussion which took place during closed session must be treated as ‘confidential information’ and that no such information should be disclosed to the public as per Paragraph 4.15 of the Code of Conduct.  

(Mr. T. Wallace, Director of Finance, attended in connection with this item).

            The Committee considered a report in relation to the establishment of the District Rate and the compilation of the Estimates of Revenue Expenditure for the year 2026/2027.

            The Director of Finance explained that the decision should not be subject to call-in on the basis that an inability to immediately implement the decision would result in a breach of statutory duty in striking the rate by the legislative deadline of 15th February, 2026.

            He reported the cash limit for the Planning Committee for 2026/27 as recommended by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting on 6th February, 2026 and outlined the next steps in the rate setting process leading to the setting of the rate by Council at its meeting in February 2026.

            Following consideration, the Committee noted the next steps in the rate setting process and: 

·        agreed a cash limit for the Planning Committee for 2026/27 of £2,965,419 and the individual service cash limits; and

·        agreed that the decision would not be subject to call-in, on the basis that an inability to immediately implement the decision would result in a breach of statutory duty in striking the rate by the legislative deadline of 15th February, 2026.

            In accordance with Standing Order 14, the Committee agreed that, as the meeting had been held later than seven clear days before the meeting of the Council, the minutes of the meeting be submitted to the Council on 9th February, 2026, for ratification.