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

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on Friday 23 October 2026.

Councillors are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registerable Interests or 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.

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

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

To provide a general update and overview of the Council’s financial position against the 2026/27 budget as at the end of September 2026 and looking ahead to 2027/28 and beyond.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     notes the Council’s in-year financial position as at the end of September 2026;

(b)     approves the proposed budget adjustments covering the periods 2026/27 and 2027/28, as set out in Appendix 1H and requests Officers to review the potential on-going impact from 2027/28 and beyond where necessary as part of developing the forecast and detailed estimates for further consideration by Cabinet later in the year;

(c)     notes the updated financial forecast to 2029/30 as set out in this report and its appendices and requests Officers, in consultation with Portfolio Holders, to further its development alongside the Council’s priorities; 

(d)     considers and notes the Leader of the Council’s response to the motion associated with the LGR process that was agreed by Full Council on 13 October 2026, as set out in Section 1(a) within the main body of this report (A.1); and

(e)     invites the views of the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the information set out in this report, including the Leader’s response to the Full Council motion of 13 October 2026 regarding LGR, along with the Council’s wider financial position as part of its work programme for the year.

To enable Cabinet to consider and agree for recommending to Full Council where relevant, the following:

·      Proposed changes to the Local Council Tax Support Scheme 2027/28;

·      Exceptional Hardship Policy;

·      Discretionary Council Tax Exemptions, Discounts and Premiums for 2027/28;

·      Annual MRP Policy Statement for 2027/28; and

·      Housing Benefit War Pension Disregard Policy (Modified Scheme).

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)       agrees that the underlying LCTS scheme for 2027/28 remains the same as the current year, as set out as Appendix A, along with approving the following proposed change to the scheme for consultation with the Major Preceptors:

“that the LCTS scheme be amended to enable the backdating of claims made by working age claimants by up to a maximum of 3 months.”

b)       requests Officers, following consultation with the Major Preceptors, to present a draft LCTS Scheme for 2027/28 to the next formal meeting of Cabinet on 11 December 2026;

c)       agrees the Council Tax Exceptional Hardship Policy, as set out in Appendix B;

d)       agrees the Housing Benefit War Pension Disregard Policy (Modified Scheme), as set out in Appendix G, in the determination of Housing Benefit until such time as the scheme is required to be amended or revoked.

e)       agrees the discretionary Council Tax exemptions, discounts and premiums for 2027/28, as set out in the appendices and recommends to full Council:

i)         that the locally determined council tax discounts, as set out in Appendix C be approved;

ii)       that the council tax discount policy for young people leaving care, as set out in Appendix D be approved;

iii)      that the discretionary council tax premiums, as set out in Appendix E be approved;

iv)      that the Corporate Director (Finance and IT) be authorised, in consultation with the Corporate Finance and Governance Portfolio Holder, to undertake the necessary steps to implement the council tax exemptions, discounts and premiums from 1 April 2027; and

f)         further recommends to Council that the Annual Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy Statement for 2027/28, as set out in Appendix F, be approved.

To present the first Annual Housing Improvement, Performance & Assurance Report 2025/26 for consideration and endorsement; to provide consolidated assurance on performance, improvement, risk and compliance with the Consumer Standards; and to establish a developing annual reporting approach supported by an accessible public facing snapshot.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     notes the contents of the Annual Housing Improvement, Performance & Assurance Report 2025/26 as a draft, being the first report of this type for Tendring District Council, attached as Appendix A and recognises that the reporting framework will continue to evolve as data quality, benchmarking and assurance arrangements mature;

(b)     acknowledges the overall assurance position set out within the report (A.3);

(c)     supports the continued delivery of the Housing Improvement and Delivery Plan and associated improvement priorities identified for 2026/27; and

(d)     authorises the Corporate Director (Operations & Delivery), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing & Planning, to produce and publish in the public domain the final version of the Annual Housing Improvement, Performance & Assurance Report 2025/26.

·      To present the final St Osyth and Manningtree & Mistley Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plans, following consultation and amendment.

·      To seek Cabinet’s approval for the adoption of these documents as material planning considerations for the purposes of informing planning decisions and the future management of the conservation areas.

·      To complete the Council's programme of reviewing Conservation Area Character Appraisals and Management Plans for all twenty conservation areas in the District, in accordance with the objectives of the Tendring Heritage Strategy.

RESOLVED that –

(a)     the outcome of the public consultation exercises summarised in this report (A.4) be noted; and

(b)     the St Osyth Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan and the Manningtree & Mistley Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan (including revised conservation area boundaries where applicable) be formally adopted.

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