Issue - meetings

This report is to update Cabinet on progress with the Freeport East Programme, and to recommend the approval of the Freeport East Ltd annual business plan for 24/25 and the Retained Business Rates Strategy.

The Council is one of the Founding Members of Freeport East Ltd, the company established to deliver the Freeport, including the collection and spending of Retained Business Rates.

The Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration & Tourism was appointed as a company director for Freeport East Ltd. The annual business plan has been approved by the company directors at the last board meeting (March 2024), along with the Retained Business Rates Strategy, but still requires Founding Member approval as set out in the Members Agreement. If approved by the Founding Members it will become the Business Plan for the Company.

The report also outlines the proposal for appointing an Alternate Director of the Company in accordance with the Articles of Association.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)    approves the Freeport East annual business plan for 2024/25;

(b)   delegates authority to the Leader of the Council to approve future annual business plans on behalf of Tendring District Council as a Founding Member of Freeport East Ltd.;

(c)   approves the appointment of Lee Heley, Corporate Director (Place and Economy), as the Council’s Alternate Director of Freeport East Ltd., as nominated by the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration & Tourism who is the Council’s main Director on the company;

(d)   approves Freeport East Ltd.’s Business Rate Relief Strategy (Local Growth and Investment Strategy); and

(e)   notes the progress that has been made with the Freeport East programme.

Earlier on in the meeting as detailed under Minute 4 above, Councillor I J Henderson had declared an Other Registrable Interest insofar as he had been appointed to the Board of Freeport East Ltd on behalf of TDC. The Monitoring Officer (Lisa Hastings) following the principles within Section 33 of the Localism Act 2011 and in accordance with Paragraph 9.1 and paragraph 6 of Appendix B of the Tendring District Council’s Members Code of Conduct, had decided it was appropriate for the Cabinet Member appointed to the Company to have to a dispensation to be able to present the item, take part in the debate and vote on the item.

Cabinet considered a detailed joint report of the Leader of the Council and the Economic Growth, Regeneration & Tourism Portfolio Holder (A.1), which updated it on progress with the Freeport East Programme, and which also recommended the approval of the Freeport East Ltd annual business plan for 2024/25 and the Retained Business Rates Strategy.

Freeport East

Cabinet was aware that Freeport East was a Government backed hub for investment, trade and innovation. It was central to the Government’s agenda for driving clean growth, promoting regeneration and job creation to level up communities. Freeport East included the Port of Felixstowe and Harwich International Port, and the Gateway 14 site in Stowmarket, Suffolk. It comprised 275 hectares of space and facilities across three sites eligible for tax relief (”Tax Sites”) at Felixstowe dock, Bathside Bay in Harwich, and Gateway 14 in Stowmarket.

Members were reminded that Freeport East Ltd had been incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee in December 2022. It had been established by a range of local public and private partners, to act as the main counterpart to Government, for delivery of the Freeport policy for Freeport East. Tendring District Council was one of the Founding Members of Freeport East Ltd.

Cabinet recalled that it had previously approved the appointment of Councillor Ivan Henderson as a Freeport East Company Director, but to date it had not appointed an Alternate Director. The Company’s Articles of Association stated that any public sector director of the company could appoint an alternate who was an officer or employee, or an elected member. Any appointment or removal of an Alternate must be effected by notice in writing to the Company signed by the Appointor. The Board was responsible for registering any alternates at Companies House.

To that end it was proposed that the Alternate Director be Lee Heley, Corporate Director (Place and Economy). If agreed by Cabinet this would be submitted in writing by Councillor Henderson to the Company.

Business Plan

It was reported that Freeport East Ltd had produced a draft annual Business Plan. The Business Plan set out the key priorities for the year (e.g. developing a high performing organisation; delivering an ambitious vision for Freeport East; delivering investment; and making the most of its visibility and voice), and how it would deliver them, including the types of activities they would pursue, and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8