Agenda

To receive apologies for absence.

To confirm as being a correct record the minutes of the meeting of Full Council held on 09 December 2025 and for them to be signed by the Chair.

To receive an update on the Chair’s activities since the last meeting.

To consider any petitions received by the Council under Procedure Rule 18.

To receive any questions from the public submitted under Procedure Rule 15 and to note the answers provided.

That:

(a)  The MediumTerm Financial Plan (MTFP) and Capital Programme, as presented to Policy and Resources on 26 January 2026, be approved subject to the following changes:

·         That the final parish precept figures are reflected in the MTFP at Appendix 1

·         That, following the final settlement, the level of Non-Domestic Rates and Revenue Support Grant funding used to support the budget is reflected in the MTFP at Appendix 1 and balanced against the Collection Fund Reserve.

·         Provision is made within the revenue and capital budget for a Heritage and Parks Enhancement Programme, it will allow a range of projects to be completed, including but not limited to the following:

(i)    Delivery of an additional dog exercise park.

(ii)   Parking measures most likely to be required at The Green, Croxley Green.

(iii)  Heritage improvements at Dickinson Square.

(iv)  Additional entrance improvements at Leavesden Country Park (Furtherfield area).

(v)   Projects relating to The Withy Beds and Stones Orchard.

(b)  Additional budget for arboriculture management of £90,000 per year for 2026/27 and 2027/28.

(c)   Additional money is made available to bring forward the parking schemes programme:

(d)  Additional money is made available to speed up the programme of Conservation Area Appraisals:

(e)  An additional £10,000 is added to the rolled forward revenue for Rickmansworth Town Improvements in 2026/27.

(f)    £5,000 revenue per year in 2026/27 and 2027/28 is allocated to support community-led litter picking initiatives.

(g)  An additional £5,000 is allocated to the capital programme per year in 2026/27 and 2027/28 for repairing council-owned footways and alleyways.

(h)  £150,000 revenue per year in 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 for the additional capacity recommended by the Peer Review for the period leading up to and immediately after local government reorganisation.

·         £2,250,000 is allocated to the capital programme in 2026/27 for the Local Authority Housing Fund tranche 4 with £1,000,000 of the funding coming from government grant.

·         That the revenue budget for 2026/27 totalling net expenditure of £15,243,445 and the draft revenue estimates for the period 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2029 giving a balance on the general fund at 31 March 2029 of £4.2M be approved. (Appendix 1)

·         That £2.0m be considered as a prudent minimum balance for the general fund.

·         That the capital strategy, including the Minimum Revenue Provision strategy and the Treasury Management Policy, as presented to Policy and Resources Committee on 26 January 2026 be agreed, subject to the changes outlined above, and the total investment programme for 2026/27 be agreed at £6,794,941.

·         That the arrangements for funding the 2026/29 capital strategy and investment programme resulting in an estimated balance of capital resources at 31 March 2029 of £1,989,308 be agreed.

·         That the financial and budgetary risks presented to The Policy and Resources Committee on 26 January 2026 be approved and their management monitored by the Audit Committee.

·         That the Council Tax Reduction Scheme remains unchanged other than for the updating of  ...  view the full agenda text for item 7a

That:

·         Council confirms that it will apply the following resolution for special and general expenses for 2026/27:-

a.    that the following functions being either those provided equally across the district or incurring minimal expenditure be declared general expenses:-

·         allotments;

·         litter, salt and dog bins;

·         highways, trees and roadside verges;

·         seats and shelters;

·         youth centres;

·         crime prevention;

·         land drainage;

·         footpath maintenance;

·         footpath lighting;

·         community arts;

·         off-street car park maintenance;

·         street naming;

·         Dial-A-Ride;

·         play-schemes

·         cemeteries

·         YMCA Woodlands building in Abbots Langley

·         The Centre, South

b.    that the following functions are declared special expenses:-

·         Woodlands (apportioned on the basis of acreage) including the ranger at Leavesden Open Space and 50% of the Arboriculture and Landscape Officers’ costs

·         Community halls (including apportionment of Oxhey Hall);

·         Playing fields and open spaces (excluding water-based activities and maintenance met from commuted sums); based on the Grounds Maintenance contract.

·         Aquadrome Treated as 50% general expense and 50% special expense apportioned to the Batchworth Community Council.

·         Watersmeet (all costs except the pantomime charged to the unparished area and Batchworth Community Council as a community hall. The pantomime is treated as a general expense).

That

·         The following amounts be calculated for the year 2026/27, in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:-

being the amounts given by adding to the amount at (f) above the amounts of the special item or items relating to the dwellings in those parts of the Council’s area listed above divided by the council tax base, as the basic amounts of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.

(h)

being the amounts given by multiplying the amounts at (g) above by the proportion in paragraph 3.7.

1.1             That it be noted that for the year 2026/27 the Hertfordshire County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of dwelling shown below:-

1.2             That, having calculated the aggregate in each case the Council in accordance with Section 30 (2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2026/27 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:-

To consider any recommendations arising from the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on:

·         26 January 2026

That:

·         The report is agreed.

That:

·         Full Council adopt the Council Plan 2026-2029.

That:

·         Full Council agree the final service plans 2026-29 in conjunction with the budget.

That:

·         Full Council notes that the Administration will publish its final recommendations on Financial Planning 2026/27 to 2028/29 five working days prior to the Council meeting on 24 February 2026 and present them at this meeting.

That:

·         Full Council note the content of the report, updated policy and Strengthened Biodiversity Duty Report

·         Approve the updated Three Rivers Biodiversity Policy

·         Approve the reporting cycle of Biodiversity Duty to be every 5 years and for the Council Biodiversity Policy to be reviewed on the same timeline.

That:

·         Full Council enter all contracts and/or grant agreements above £25,000.

·         Full Council to delegate authority to the Associate Director of Corporate, Customer and Community for grant extensions of up to 6 months and amendments to grant agreements.

That:

·         The Environmental Enforcement FPN levels remain as they are, detailed in Table 1 paragraph 3.3 at the current time. 

·         That during the next fees and charges process the FPNs for fly tipping (section 33) and Duty of Care (section 34) be set at £450 (reduced charge £350) and remain at that level for at least two years.

·         That during the next fees and charges process all other FPNs remain at their current level, detailed in Table 1 in paragraph 3.3 and remain set at that level for at least two years.

That:

·         Full Council adopt the council’s Civil Penalty Notice Policy to enable the council to adhere to our statutory obligations and ensure any enforcement action is fair, consistent and proportionate.

·         Full Council to delegate authority to the Associate Director of Corporate, Customer and Community in collaboration with the Lead Member to make minor amendments to the Policy if required.

That:

·         In the event that the responses from the public consultation do not materially impact the revised Policy which require significant changes as consulted upon, that the Head of Regulatory Services in conjunction with the Chair of the Licensing Committee is delegated to make minor changes to the Policy, if required, and then for the revised Policy to be formally adopted by Full Council on 24 February 2026

That:

·         Full Council agree the 3.8% raise to the member allowance in line with September’s CPI.

That:

·         Council notes the representations from Councillor Cooper and this report by the Chief Executive.

To receive written reports from the Lead Members on activities falling within their remit since the last meeting of Full Council.

To receive the answers to questions submitted to the Leader and Lead Members.

To consider any Motions submitted under Council Procedure 11.

If Council wishes to consider any items in private, it will be necessary for the following resolution to be passed:

“that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined under paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act. It has been decided by the Council that in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”