2025/26 budget
Hillingdon Council faces scrutiny over its 2025/26 budget's robustness amid governance warnings, while Havering Council reviews its capital programme due to financial pressures.
Hillingdon Council's 2025/26 budget is currently under scrutiny, with its Leader facing questions in November 2025 regarding governance weaknesses identified by CIPFA and auditors in February and March 2025. Public members questioned how the budget could be robust given these warnings, which coincided with its approval.
Separately, Havering Council is urgently reviewing its capital programme, including schemes by its companies, due to increasing financial pressures and shortfalls in agreed savings. This review was discussed at an Overview & Scrutiny Board meeting in October 2025.
The council's 2025/26 budget was balanced using an £88 million capitalisation direction, provisionally agreed with the Government in February 2025, but the council is now grappling with delivering £10.254 million of agreed savings.
Key facts
- Hillingdon Council Leader faced scrutiny on 27 November 2025 regarding governance warnings and the 2025/26 budget. Source 1 Source 2
- CIPFA and auditors warned of key governance weaknesses in February and March 2025, coinciding with Hillingdon's budget approval. Source 1 Source 2
- Havering Council's Overview & Scrutiny Board discussed reviewing its capital programme on 9 October 2025. Source
- Havering Council's 2025/26 budget was balanced using an £88 million capitalisation direction. Source
- The £88 million capitalisation direction for Havering was provisionally agreed with the Government in February 2025. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.