The Chairman will welcome those present to the meeting and the Board will discuss any feedback from its visit to the Clacton Town Centre.

The Board’s Chair, George Kieffer, welcomed those in attendance.  As the meeting did not have the minimum required number of Board Members in attendance to make it quorate (as defined in its Terms of Reference), to confirm or amend the decisions reached at this meeting ahead of the next meeting of the Board there would need to be a further use of the process for reaching decisions between meetings.  The decisions reached would then be binding.

There were some new attendees at the Board’s meeting and, in view of this, attendees were invited to introduce themselves.  The Chair also advised the Board of the birth of Billy Ball’s baby child and the attendees asked for their congratulations to be passed on to him in relation to this news.  Lastly in relation to Board Members, the Chair advised attendees of the unfortunate fall by Craig Newnes whose leg was now in plaster and meant he had severe impediments to his normal mobility.  Attendees gave their best wishes to Craig for his recovery.

Immediately prior to this meeting, Board members had been invited to undertake a visit to a range of sites around Clacton-on-Sea town centre.  The aim of the visit was to look at a range of the intended investments and interventions in the town centre under the Government Funded Community Regeneration Partnership and Levelling Up Fund and thereby help to inform further the discussion around the possible areas of focus for the Regeneration Plan that would be developed by this Board for the next 10 years.   During the visit it was also possible to share some of the initial feedback views from the community engagement work that was underway.  Lee Heley was thanked for his work and the work of others in making the visit that took place a success.

There was then a broad discussion around some points that attendees had taken away from the visit to the Town Centre. 

Those in attendance agreed that the pack of material provided to them to support their visit to the Town Centre should also be provided to all Board Members and that Board Members be requested to submit their feedback on the content and discussion points to feed into the development of the Regeneration Plan.

The Secretary to the Board will report any apologies for absence received for this meeting.

The Board was advised of the apologies for absence of Billy Ball, Ian Davidson, Nigel Farage MP (who was represented by George Ivil from his office), Neil Gallagher, Roger Hirst (who was represented by Deputy Commissioner Jane Gardner), Dr Emily Murray, Cllr. Mark Stephenson, Laura Taylor-Green and Cllr. Lesley Wagland.

To receive and to approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 23 May 2025 and to consider the actions contained therein.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 23 May 2025 were submitted to the Board for confirmation.

It was AGREED by the attendees present that the Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 20 March 2025 should be received and confirmed as an accurate record of that meeting.

In relation to the required actions, it was noted that the intended consideration of the Government funded Community Regeneration Partnership (Minute 63 of 20 March 2025 refers) and the schemes it was proposed to pursue in Clacton-on-Sea through that Partnership had been addressed through the visit to the town centre immediately prior to this meeting.  It was further noted that the envisaged plans in respect of town centre enforcement improvements would be considered by the Board’s Enforcement Sub-Group ahead of the next meeting of the Board.

Board Members are invited to make any necessary Declarations of Interest in accordance with the adopted Board’s Code of Conduct.

Attendees were invited to make any declarations of interest in respect of the matters to be considered at this meeting.  No such declarations were made.

It was also noted that not all Board Members had submitted their general notice of interests.  The Secretary to the Board further encouraged those needing to submit general notices of interests to do so as swiftly as possible.

The Board will formally note and endorse, as necessary, any decisions taken between the last meeting of the Board and this one including the unanimous approval of the Board to reverse its decision of 20 March 2025 to expand the area/boundary of the Board and to re-adopt the area/boundary originally adopted for the Long-Term Plan for Towns.

Those in attendance were reminded of the outcome of a decision on which Board Members had been consulted outside of a Board Meeting since the last meeting of the Board.  Such a report back to the Board was part of the protocol that concerned such decisions.

In this particular case, the decision was to confirm the area of the Clacton Town Board and thereby the Government Plan for Neighbourhoods area for Clacton.  That area was the area set out below and authority was given to communicate this area to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) by the deadline set by MHCLG of 4 July 2025.

Those in attendance were content to note the decision.  The Chair also wished to have recorded his gratitude to all Board Members for their unanimous consideration of the proposal, in what was a narrow timeframe, and for approving the area. 

To consider whether the Board wishes to express a view as part of the consultation being undertaken as to whether a town council or councils should be established for the Clacton-on-Sea, Holland-on-Sea and Jaywick Sands review area.

It was reported to the meeting that Tendring District Council was undertaking a community governance review of the Clacton-on Sea, Holland-on-Sea and Jaywick Sands areas.  The review was following a statutory process and would consider whether there was support among local government electors in the area and other stakeholders for a town council or councils across that review area. 

The Board had been identified in its own right as a stakeholder in the area, separate from the organisations from who the Board Members were drawn.  On this basis, the Board was invited to submit its views in (what was) the first phase of consultation as part of the community governance review process.  Views could be expressed in that first phase from 1 July to 30 September 2025.  

The discussion around this item identified that the Board’s area did not cover Jaywick Sands and, as such, the Board would not seek to comment in respect of Jaywick Sands.  There were common views expressed that the position currently meant that there was a democratic deficit for those residing in the review area when compared to every other town and village in Tendring where parish and town councils were in place.  Attendees considered that there was an opportunity for a town council covering both Clacton and Holland to provide a focus for local community feelings to be expressed and a community voice to be heard more loudly. 

In respect of the Plan for Neighbourhoods work, a town council could perhaps be a vehicle through which the envisaged community engagement through the life of the Regeneration Plan could be supported.

The attendees were minded to support a response in favour of a Town Council for the areas it had an established interest in (namely Clacton-on-Sea and Holland-on-Sea).

The report will include the guidance on the Regeneration Plan (for which the deadline to submit is 28 November 2025), the data packs for the Board’s area provided by MHCLG and by Essex County Council.

Board Members were advised that, since the meeting of the Board on 23 May 2025, MHCLG had published the official guidance and submission timeline for the Regeneration Plan to be produced locally as the cornerstone of the Plan for Neighbourhoods’ programme.  The Regeneration Plan must now be considered, refined, adopted and submitted by 28 November 2025; which was a shorter timeframe than had previously been anticipated previously. The Regeneration Plan would be comprised of a 10-year vision, which was intended to be a broadly fixed statement of intent for the area built on a solid evidence base, and a four-year investment plan which would flex and adjust as circumstances required.  The submitted Regeneration Plan would then be subject to a “light-touch assessment” by MHCLG with the intentions then that funds would be released to commence the implementation of the initial investment plan in April 2026.  One area that could assist in the progression of the Regeneration Plan through this “light-touch assessment” would be the interventions proposed and whether those interventions were within the pre-approved list from MHCLG. Interventions not on that pre-approved list could require reference to the Minister for authorisation.

Based on the guidance requirements and the 28 November deadline, the following timeline was being applied to the development of the Regeneration Plan:

In order to meet the (shorter than previously anticipated) deadline of 28 November, ‘We Made That’ had been appointed as consultants to undertake key work in the drafting and refinement of the Regeneration Plan for the Board.  The appointment had followed a procurement process overseen by the Tendring District Council and the funding of the cost of the work to be undertaken by ‘We Made That’ had previously been agreed by the Board.

‘We Made That’ would specifically also look at engaging with, and hearing from, young people in the Plan for Neighbourhoods Area. 

There was also an update provided on the ‘Residents’ Engagement’ activity undertaken by CVST (on behalf of the Board) which, at the time of the meeting, had generated over 400 survey responses from the engagement work delivered through CVST.  This was aimed to conclude at the end of July 2025. The promised ZenCity survey results had not been received and would need to be analysed once received.  ZenCity had been commissioned directly by MHCLG.

From the business engagement, being undertaken directly by Tendring District Council, some initial feedback was provided.  Issues such as levels of anti-social behaviour, empty shops, lack of parking, pavement conditions and cleanliness were common among the feedback received. The business engagement activity was continuing with an envisaged conclusion point in mid-August 2025.

The report would include the guidance on the Regeneration Plan (for which the deadline to submit was 28 November 2025),  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

To report expenditure and commitments to this point against the approved Budget (as amended by the Board from time to time) (Minute 60 of 20 March 2025 refers).

The report provided set out that capacity funding for the Board had been provided for 2024/25 in the sum of £250,000, that a further provision of £200,000 for 2025/26 had been approved and would be received shortly and that for 2026/27 the sum of £150,000 would be provided (subject to the normal caveats).  This was in addition to the up to £10 million of funding to deliver the Regeneration Plan vision.  The report also confirmed for Board Members that while the allocations of capacity funding were related to specific financial years there was the ability to carry forward unspent capacity funding between years. 

In respect of the £200,000 approved capacity funding, it was reported that the Tendring District Council (as Accountable Body for the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme locally) had (earlier that day) approved receipt of the sum and the mechanisms within the Council for those sums to be committed.  These included, specifically, approval by the Clacton Town Board for such commitments to be made. 

The Board’s approved Budget (Minute 60 of 20 March 2025 refers) was as below:

*Includes shop front wrapping & decorative street banners.

The submitted and approved Budget above did not include the £150,000 anticipated in capacity funding in 2026/27.

In relation to the above Budget, expenditure, carry forward between 2024/25 and 2025/26 and commitments were set out for Board Members as follows:

*The Board support budget line was showing a variation to that reported to the last Board meeting. Tendring District Council had provided benefit in-kind support for 2024/25 and had therefore not claimed against this budget line.

It was AGREED by the attendees present that the report should be noted and the current budget position, including the impending receipt of the addition £200,000 capacity funding, variations, expenditure and commitments to date, be approved.

The intention is for the next meeting to be held in October 2025.  This would be followed by a meeting in November 2025 and then March 2026.

The meeting was advised of the intention for the next meeting of the Board to be held in late September (not 26 September) or in early October 2025.  Possible dates would be explored with a view to that meeting progressing further with development of a draft of the 10-year Vision for Clacton-on-Sea. Following that meeting, there would need to be another Board meeting in early-to-mid November2025 that would consider the draft final 10-year Vision prior to submission to Government.  As referenced earlier, alongside the 10-year Vision, the Regeneration Plan would include an initial 4-year Investment Plan.  Details of the meetings to be arranged would be circulated as soon as practicable.

Attendees noted the position in relation to forthcoming meetings of the Board.