To enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (MHCLG) to pursue a Levelling Up Partnership with Government to a value of £19.79M capital and £100,000 revenue that will be used to invest in agreed projects to the benefit of Clacton and Jaywick, until March 2026, which covers the funding period and the evaluation period.

These are lengthy and are detailed on the attached Officer Decision Form.

The alternative options are not to enter into the Memorandum of Understanding, or to seek to amend it.

Without signing the MoU funding to progress Levelling Up Partnership Projects would not be released. Given the scale of the project work in the limited time available, and the risks to the Council if there were overspends at a time of tight finances, the option of not taking the projects forward was considered. However, it was ultimately dismissed as it would forfeit significant government funding and the opportunity to address important local issues. 

The Council provided feedback to the Government on draft versions of the Memorandum of Understanding, and this final version provides increased flexibility, for example a single funding period to March 2026, and it is clarified that spend includes funding that is committed through contracts and third-party agreements.