To enable the Cabinet to consider the recommendation made to it by the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee in respect of the funding of the Community Governance Review of Clacton-on-Sea, Holland-on-Sea and Jaywick Sands.

RESOLVED that the recommendation made by the Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee be noted and that the response of the Leader of the Council thereto be endorsed.

Members were informed that the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee (“the Committee”) at its meeting held on 17 June 2025 had scrutinised the arrangements for a Community Governance Review of Clacton-on-Sea, Holland-on-Sea and Jaywick Sands.

The Lead Scrutiny Officer (Keith Simmons) had introduced the item and a precis of his contributions to the meeting was as set out hereunder.

•    reminded Members of the motion approved at the Full Council meeting held on 17 September 2025 (minute 50 referred);

•    at its meeting on 26 November 2024 (Minutes 75), Council had approved the requested report, including draft Terms of Reference, indicative costings assessed at that stage and proposals to establish the Committee as the body that would oversee Community Governance Review matters;

•    since the approval (on 26 November 2024) the draft terms of reference had been updated;

•    reported that there had recently been a meeting held for all District Councillors in the review area to discuss the proposed review;

•    meetings had been held of the Clacton Town Board and Tendring Together;

•    there had been a stall held at the Sports Conference in May 2025 for organisations involved in sport and activity provision in the District (including the review area);

•    reminded Members that despite the reference to minimal levels of support, for, say, a proposed Town Council not having been explicitly mentioned in the 2007 Act or statutory guidance mentioned in the report, they had been included as reassurance to the public that the exercise was not predetermined and that their say mattered;

•    relayed the importance of community input when considering community governance matters; and

•    made Members aware of the oversight role the Committee would undertake upon approval of the community governance review.

The Committee then asked questions around affordability and pricing of Council Tax for residents. Members were informed of the figures laid out in the report showing the average cost of Band D Council Tax charges of Parish Councils in Tendring.

It was also explained that the circulation of a consultation document for the review area was not possible as part of the Council Tax Bills as those were sent to all households across the District (and not just the review area).  The Committee had also discussed the likely question from residents in the review area about what the impact on their Council Tax level of any decision would be to, say, establish a Town Council.  While such a question was obvious, the answer was very difficult to predict given that Council Tax levels were made up of precepts from the County Council, District Council, Police and Fire Commissioner and no decisions had been made as to those precepts for 2027/28 (the year any new Town Council would take effect if that was the final determination).  In addition, any Town Council precept itself might reflect costs that could relate to items currently covered in Special Expenses and so one element of Council Tax could go down while another element  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39