The Cabinet is asked to note any apologies for absence received from Members.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Cabinet held on Friday 20 December 2024.

Councillors are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registerable Interests of Non-Registerable Interests, and the nature of it, in relation to any item on the agenda.

The Cabinet is asked to note any announcements made by the Leader of the Council.

The Cabinet is asked to note any announcements made by Members of the Cabinet.

There are no matters referred to the Cabinet by the Council on this occasion.

To enable the Cabinet to consider the recommendations submitted to it by the Resources and Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee following that Committee’s scrutiny of the Cabinet’s initial budget proposals at its meeting held on 13 January 2025.

RESOLVED that the recommendations made by the Resources and Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee be noted and that the response of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance & Governance thereto be endorsed.

To enable Cabinet to consider recommendations made by the Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee following its scrutiny of grant funding by the Council and others at its meeting held on 14 January 2025.

RESOLVED that the recommendations made by the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted and be given consideration for inclusion in the forthcoming Grant Policy which is currently being developed.

There are no matters referred to the Cabinet by the Leader of the Council on this occasion.

To seek Cabinet’s approval of:

(i)       the latest financial forecast / budget proposals and council tax amount for 2025/26 for recommending to Full Council;

(ii)      a delegation to the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance to agree the detailed budget proposals and formal draft resolutions / ‘technical’ appendices required for Full Council on 11 February 2025; and

(iii)    a delegation to the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Governance, to agree / adopt a Retail, Hospitality and Leisure mandatory business rate relief scheme for 2025/26 along with any other changes to reliefs that may be announced by the Government.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

a)     approves the updated financial forecast, as set out in Appendix A to the Report of the Corporate Finance & Governance Portfolio Holder (A.3), along with the savings and cost pressures set out in Appendices B and C respectively that form the firm proposals for the 2025/26 budget and recommends to Full Council:-

a Band D Council Tax for district services of £199.52 for 2025/26 (a 2.99% increase), along with the associated council tax requirement of £10.674m.

b)     authorises the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance, to agree the ‘technical’ appendices and resolutions for the budget proposals for recommending to Full Council on 11 February 2025;

c)   authorises the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Corporate Finance and Governance Portfolio Holder, to report directly to Council in respect of the formal resolutions necessary to implement the Executive’s budget proposals including any further amendments emerging from additional information becoming available and/or notifications received from the Government; and

d)    authorises the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance, to agree / adopt a Retail, Hospitality and Leisure mandatory business rate relief scheme for 2025/26 along with any other changes to reliefs that may be announced by the Government.

To inform Cabinet on the progress of updating the District’s Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans.

To seek agreement from Cabinet that the final versions of six Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans be adopted by the Council. The six Conservation Area Appraisals for adoption are:-

Clacton Seafront;

Brightlingsea Hall and All Saints Church;

Great Clacton;

Lawford;

Kirby-le-Soken; and

Great Oakley.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)    notes the outcome of the consultation, as summarised within the report of the Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder (A.4); and

(b)    approves the formal adoption, of the final Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan for the following areas (as found at Appendices A – F to report A.4):-

·      Clacton Seafront;

·      Brightlingsea Hall and All Saints Church;

·      Great Clacton;

·      Lawford;

·      Kirby-le-Soken; and

·      Great Oakley.

To seek approval from Cabinet to provide an information and advice service to local residents with revised requirements via an associated specification and procurement process, with the new arrangements commencing on 1 October 2025.

To approve the allocation of £0.072m to Citizen’s Advice Tendring to continue to contribute to the existing information and advice guidance service through direct funding for the interim period up to 30 September 2025 in accordance with a subsidy scheme.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)     approves the provision of an information and advice service to local residents;

b)     agrees to the procurement of such services for a contract period of three years commencing 1 October 2025, and agrees to a modular procurement approach to determine what a provider could offer for various levels of potential funding e.g. £50,000, £100,000, or £150,000 per year;

c)      authorises the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships, in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive, to approve the specification for the provision of an information and advice service based on the broad principles set out within the report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder (A.5);

d)     approves for an interim period of six months from 1 April 2025, the continuation of the existing agreement with CAT at a cost of £0.072m, supported by the existing budget for information and advice services to local residents;

e)     in respect of the contribution of £0.072m to CAT, agrees to extend the current Addressing Health Inequality – Advice, Support and Mental Health Support Subsidy Scheme for 2025/26;

f)       authorises the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships and the Monitoring Officer, to finalise the administrative requirements for the production of the Subsidy Scheme in accordance with the Subsidy Control Act 2023 and Statutory Guidance and to publish it on the Government website prior to any awards; and

g)     agrees to extend the current Service Level Agreement with Citizens Advice Tendring (CAT) from 1st April 2025 until 30^th September 2025 on the terms and conditions as set out in the updated agreement shown in Appendix B to the report (A.5).

To seek Cabinet’s approval of the updated HRA Business Plan for 2023/24 along with final HRA budget proposals 2025/26 (including fees and charges, capital programme and movement in HRA Balances) for recommendation to Council on 11 February 2025.

1.      RESOLVED that Cabinet -

(a)  approves the updated HRA Business Plan, which includes the proposed position for 2024/25 and 2025/26 as set out in Appendix A to the Portfolio Holders’ joint report (A.6); and

(b)  authorises the Director (Finance & IT) to adjust the forecast / budget, including the use of reserves, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning and the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance if the financial position changes prior to Full Council considering the HRA budget on 11 February 2025.

2.      RECOMMENDS TO COUNCIL that a 2.7% increase in dwelling rents in 2025/26 along with the detailed HRA Budget proposals for 2025/26, as set out in Appendices B to E of the Portfolio Holders’ joint report (A.6), be approved.

There are no matters referred to the Cabinet by the Council’s Management Team on this occasion.