The Committee is asked to note any apologies for absence and substitutions received from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ferguson and Oxley with no substitutions appointed.

It was noted that the Assistant Director (Corporate Policy & Support), Keith Simmons, had sent his apologies for being unable to attend. Ian Ford, Democratic Services Manager, attended the meeting in his place.

To confirm and sign as a correct record, the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee, held on Thursday, 15 January 2026.

It was moved by Councillor Barrett, seconded by Councillor Davidson and unanimously RESOLVED that the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on Thursday, 15 January 2026, be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman.

Councillors are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Personal Interest, and the nature of it, in relation to any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made by Councillors in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting.

Subject to providing two working days’ notice, a Member of the Committee may ask the Chairman of the Committee a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties which affect the Tendring District and which falls within the terms of reference of the Committee.

No Questions on Notice pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 38 had been submitted by Members for this meeting.

The Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) will formally come into being on 1 April 2026. The Chief Executive Designate (Tom Abell) of the Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been invited to attend the Committee’s meeting. His presence will provide members of the Committee with the opportunity to make enquiries, seek clarification, and engage directly on matters relating to local health and care priorities.

Members of the Committee received a presentation from James Halden, Chief of Staff and representative of Tom Abell, Chief Executive Designate of the new Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB). It was confirmed that the Essex ICB was scheduled to be formally established on 1 April 2026. The presentation outlined the ICB’s emerging strategic direction as preparations for its formation progressed. Members were also updated on ongoing discussions regarding the definition of neighbourhoods within Essex and on the ICB’s work to identify opportunities for strengthening collaboration with voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations.

The Corporate Director (Place & Wellbeing) and Deputy Chief Executive, Lee Heley, acknowledged the ongoing work and commitment of the ICB. He highlighted the consideration given to the division of proposed neighbourhoods and noted that this Authority’s feedback had been reflected in the proposed neighbourhood structure, which was welcomed. The positive implications of this approach in the context of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) were also recognised.

The Corporate Director further noted the range of healthy lifestyles initiatives that Tendring District Council had delivered and continued to support, including Essex Pedal Power, leisure facilities, and rehabilitation programmes for individuals leaving hospital. Additional areas of work referenced included the Jaywick Sunspot, the role of Family Support Officers in providing social support, suicide prevention activity across Essex, and the establishment of Mental Health Hubs in 31 primary schools within the District. It was highlighted that the Health Index Score for Tendring had increased significantly, reflecting the impact of the Council’s continued involvement in those programmes.

It was also noted that previous collaboration with the predecessor organisation, Suffolk and North East Essex (SNEE), had focused on the wider determinants of health. This had aligned with the Council’s broader public sector responsibilities and its ongoing voluntary and community sector partnerships.

At an informal meeting of the Committee held on 4 February 2026, the Committee had assembled the following questions which had been shared with James Halden in the days leading up to this meeting:-

(1)   are you familiar with the District-specific health and inequalities issues we face, and how do these compare with those encountered in Colchester, Braintree, and other surrounding areas?;

(2)   how is the new ICB intending to develop its working relationships with hospital trusts and Alliances, and what has this process entailed to date, as well as what is anticipated moving forward?

(3)   is there scope for common working geographies among public services aligning with the new NHS neighbourhood health services, such as working in tandem with the new governance arrangements post LGR and emerging neighbourhood policing initiatives?

(4)   given the forthcoming transition to a Unitary Authority and the introduction of a Mayoral model, how is the new ICB factoring these structural changes into its planning? For instance, is there an expectation of an interim governance or operational arrangement over the next two years, followed by further adjustments once the new system is fully in place?

Those questions had been answered to a greater or lesser extent by Mr. Halden in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

The report provides the Committee with its approved Work Programme for 2025/26, feedback to the Committee on the decisions in respect of previous recommendations from the Committee in respect of enquiries undertaken and a list of forthcoming decisions for which public notice has been given.

The Committee was presented with the Report of the Assistant Director (Corporate Policy & Support) which provided it with its approved Work Programme for 2025/26, feedback to the Committee in respect of previous recommendations from the Committee in respect of enquiries undertaken and a list of forthcoming decisions for which public notice had been given.

In the absence of the Assistant Director, the report was introduced at the meeting by the Democratic Services Manager (Ian Ford).

The Democratic Services Officer, Katie Koppenaal, provided Members with an update on the proposal of a joint working with Colchester City Council and Braintree District Council in respect of scrutiny matters. It was reported that Colchester City Council had responded to the initial invitation and steps were being taken to secure a meeting date. A response from Braintree District Council had not yet been received in relation to any joint working opportunities.

The Democratic Services Officer further reported that in November 2025 she had held a meeting with Kirsty Hunt who was the Governance, Development and Consultancy Manager at South East Employers. The meeting had been to discuss her podcast, Governance Matters and within that discussion, the practice around evidence-based scrutiny had been referenced and it was intended that Officers examine practice at another Council. That Council had been contacted; however, a response had not yet been received.

The Chairman, Councillor Steady, formally recorded his thanks to the Officers in compiling the detailed contents of this report.

It was moved by Councillor Steady, seconded by Councillor Davidson and:-

RESOLVED that the Committee –

a)     notes its Work Programme for 2025/26 (Appendix A) together with the feedback to the Committee on the decisions in respect of previous recommendations (Appendix B) and the list of forthcoming decisions (Appendix C);

b)     notes the remaining contents of the report; and

c)     notes that the Assistant Director (Corporate Policy & Support), in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, will exercise, in due course, the authority delegated to him by the Committee at its meeting held on 17 November 2025 and will:-

(i)               establish the Youth Mental Health Issues Task & Finish Working Group and make the necessary arrangements for that Working Group to meet; and

(ii)              formally appoint Councillor Chapman BEM to the membership of the ‘Joint Working with Parish and Town Councils’ Task & Finish Working Group.

To enable the Committee to note and endorse the establishment of a Carnarvon Terrace Regeneration Project Task and Finish Working Group, and its appointed membership.

To authorise, in view of the restricted timescales involved, the Assistant Director (Corporate Policy & Support), in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, to directly report to the Cabinet meeting to be held on 27 February 2026 the outcome of the Task and Finish Working Group's enquiry together with its recommendations and/or comments et cetera.

It was moved by Councillor Davidson, seconded by Councillor Griffiths and:-

RESOLVED that the Committee –

(a)   notes and endorses the establishment of a Carnarvon Terrace Regeneration Project Task and Finish Working Group, and its appointed membership; and

(b)   authorises, in view of the restricted timescales involved, the Assistant Director (Corporate Policy & Support),  in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, to directly report to the Cabinet meeting to be held on 20 March 2026 the outcome of the Task and Finish Working Group's enquiry together with its recommendations and/or comments et cetera.