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

There were no apologies for absence submitted on this occasion.

To confirm as a correct record and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Cabinet held on Friday 19 December 2025.

It was moved by Councillor Stephenson, seconded by Councillor Hendersonand:-

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet, held on Friday 19 December 2025, be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman.

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.

In relation to agenda item 16, report of the Leisure & Public Realm Portfolio Holder – A.8 – Sport & Activity Strategy Update and insofar as the report proposed Council expenditure of £3,600 towards a feasibility study for an ‘Active Track’ at Cliff Park, Harwich, Councillor Henderson declared for the public record that he was the Ward Member for that location.

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

Community Governance Review – Second Phase of Public Consultation

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Stephenson) reminded residents that the Community Governance Review for Clacton-on-Sea, Holland-on-Sea and Jaywick Sands was now in its second consultation phase. This was an important opportunity for residents to shape how their local area would be represented in the future. He urged residents to submit their views as they genuinely mattered and they would influence the Council’s decision making.

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

Orwell Place Car Park, Harwich – National Award

The Leisure & Public Realm Portfolio Holder (Councillor Barry) was pleased to announce that Orwell Place Car Park, Harwich had been awarded the Pass Mark Plus national award. It was rare for a local authority car park to be so awarded.

The Leader of the Council, on behalf of the Cabinet, asked the Portfolio Holder to pass on thanks and congratulations to Parking Services.

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

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

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

There were 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.

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

To agree that determinations and internal reviews for future applications for Assets of Community Value be delegated to Officers, under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation for Executive Functions and that the Monitoring Officer amend Part 3, Schedule 3 of the Council’s Constitution accordingly.

To determine whether Great Bentley Footpath 2 meets the criteria set out in the Localism Act 2011 (“the Act”) and the Assets of Community Value (England) Regulations 2012 (“the Regulations”) following its nomination as an Asset of Community Value by Great Bentley Parish Council.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)       approves that the determination and internal review process for Assets of Community Value be delegated to Officers in line with the process identified within the report for future nominations received;

b)       requests the Chief Executive to identify the relevant directorate and Officers to exercise the delegations and agrees that the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for the oversight of assets of community value should be the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Community Safety;

c)       requests the Monitoring Officer, following consultation with the Chief Executive on the relevant service area, to make the necessary amendments to the Responsibility for Executive Functions section within Part 3, Schedule 3 of the Council’s Constitution;

d)       following consideration of the contents of the report, formally determines that Great Bentley Footpath 2 going through land at Crabtree Farm, Colchester Road, Great Bentley, and land lying to the north of Sturrick Lane, Great Bentley, does not meet the definition of an Asset of Community Value as set out in Section 88 of the Localism Act 2011; and

e)       determines therefore that the asset should not be added to the Council’s list of Assets of Community Value for the reasons set out in the report and which shall be notified to the nominating body.

Cabinet considered a report of the Corporate Finance & Governance Portfolio Holder (A.1) which sought Cabinet’s agreement that determinations and internal reviews for future applications for Assets of Community Value be delegated to Officers, under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation for Executive Functions and that the Monitoring Officer be requested to amend Part 3, Schedule 3 of the Council’s Constitution accordingly. 

The report also sought Cabinet’s determination whether Great Bentley Footpath 2 met the criteria set out in the Localism Act 2011 (“the Act”) and the Assets of Community Value (England) Regulations 2012 (“the Regulations”) following its nomination as an Asset of Community Value by Great Bentley Parish Council.

Members were made aware that, following a review undertaken by the Council’s Corporate Director (Law and Governance) in accordance with a former decision of Cabinet, best practice indicated that decisions on listing nominations for assets of community value should be determined by Officers and that an internal review was undertaken by a director not previously involved with the decision.  Consequently, Cabinet’s authority was sought for the Scheme of Delegation for Executive Functions (Part 3, Schedule 3) of the Council’s Constitution to be amended to include the determinations and review process at Officer level.

It was reported that a valid nomination to register an asset of community value had been received for Great Bentley Footpath 2, as identified in the plan included within Appendix A to report A.1.

Cabinet was reminded that, if a local authority received a valid nomination, it must determine whether the land or building nominated met the definition of an Asset of Community Value, as set out in Section 88 of the Localism Act 2011 and The Assets of Community Value Regulations 2012.

Cabinet was requested to consider the content of the nomination assessed against the statutory criteria (and no other factors) and determine whether the asset should be included within the Council’s List of Assets of Community Value.

Taking the evidence provided into account and following the assessment undertaken by Officers it was recommended by the Portfolio Holder that Cabinet determine that the land nominated did not meet the criteria set out Section 88 of the Localism Act 2011 for the reason set out in the report and therefore it should not be listed as an Asset of Community Value.

The reasons for the Portfolio Holder’s recommendations to Cabinet on this matter were:-

Procedures:

Cabinet had previously acknowledged that since the legislation and regulations came into force, guidance, case law and application of the Assets of Community Value framework had developed and that the functions could effectively and efficiently be undertaken at an operational level by suitably identified Officers. 

Nomination:

It was felt that the nomination did not satisfy the criteria set out in Section 88(2)(a) of the Localism Act 2011, as outlined in the Assets of Community Value Assessment Criteria, for the following reasons:

“The land over which the nominated footpath/bridleway runs is currently designated as agricultural land.  The inclusion of only the footpath/bridleway on the register  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.

Within the context of developing the final budget proposals 2026/27 for recommending to Full Council on 17 February 2026, to seek Cabinet’s approval of a number of associated recommendations that include:

·      approval of the latest financial forecast / budget proposals and council tax amount for 2026/27;

·      agreement to 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 17 February 2026; and

·      an acknowledgement of the Statutory Officers’ and Council’s obligations to a successor Unitary Council as part of the current LGR proposals, including those that are expected to emerge within legislation / associated structural orders along with the Council’s initial ‘in principle’ approach set out within the main body of this report.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)       approves the updated financial forecast, as set out in Appendix A to report A.2, along with savings, cost pressures for 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28, and the proposed transfers to / from the Corporate Investment Fund(s), as set out in Appendices B, C and D respectively that form the firm proposals for the 2026/27 budget and recommends to Council a Band D Council Tax for district services of £205.48 for 2026/27 (a 2.99% increase), along with the associated council tax requirement of £11.244m.

b)       authorises the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance, to agree the ‘technical’ appendices and resolutions associated with the budget proposals for recommending to Full Council on 17 February 2026;

c)       authorises the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance, 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;

d)       authorises the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance, to agree / adopt any necessary local business rate relief schemes for 2026/27, including where changes to reliefs may be necessary to reflect further Government decisions / announcements;

e)       notes the revocation of the Essex Business Rates Pool in 2026/27, due to the significant risks introduced by the Government’s Business Rates ‘Reset’ and decision-making timescales associated with the Local Government Finance Settlement; 

f)         in respect of the cost pressure of £0.300m in 2026/27 relating to the Investment in Assets (General R&R Priority Items), as set out within Appendix C, authorises the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance to allocate this funding across the various associated schemes;

g)       in respect of the existing budget in 2025/26 that was identified to support the delivery of highlight priorities, agrees that £0.450m be set aside to provide the necessary additional resources to support the successful delivery of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) activities and objectives, whilst safeguarding continuity of the Business as Usual (BAU) operations of the Council;

h)       in respect of g) above, agrees that the allocation of this funding be delegated to the Chief Executive to enable any associated recruitment / procurement activities to be undertaken; and

i)         acknowledges this Council’s and its Statutory Officers’ obligations to a successor Unitary Council as part of the current LGR proposals, including those that are expected to emerge within legislation / associated structural orders along with the Council’s proposed in-principle response as set out within the main body of the report (A.2).

Cabinet considered a report of the Corporate Finance & Governance Portfolio Holder (A.2) which, within the context of developing the final budget proposals 2026/27 for recommending to Full Council on 17 February 2026, sought Cabinet’s approval of several associated recommendations that included:

·      approval of the latest financial forecast / budget proposals and council tax amount for 2026/27;

·      agreement to 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 17 February 2026; and

·      an acknowledgement of the Statutory Officers’ and this Council’s obligations to a successor Unitary Council as part of the current LGR proposals, including those that were expected to emerge within legislation / associated structural orders along with the Council’s initial in principle approach set out within the main body of the report.

It was reported that the financial position of Tendring District Council remained sound and the proposed budget assessed how the Council could successfully address future key cost pressures, with the budget proposals outlining a two-year approach which aligned with the revised key priorities to 2028, and along with associated business plans, they formed an holistic approach to a two-year window leading up to 1 April 2028 (the potential vesting day for the new Unitary Authority should Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) proceed on the Government’s current timetable for Greater Essex).

Cabinet was informed that the approach proposed, which included balancing the forecast risk fund and the Corporate Investment Funds, was aimed at providing the Council with the necessary flexibility to adequately address associated challenges and obligations over the next two years. The proposals set out within the report therefore in effect formed part of a series of activities / decisions over the next two years as part of the wider LGR framework.

Cabinet recalled that, at its meeting on 19 December 2025, it had considered the updated financial forecast, within the above context, which had acknowledged that there was an underlying and critical need to revisit / revise the Council’s financial plans and that Portfolio Holders and Officers would be undertaking a number of activities to enable the necessary detailed information and a two year financial plan (2026/27 and 2027/28) to be presented to Cabinet.

It had been recognised that such an approach would enable the Council to bring together a number of potential risks and opportunities that could be considered collectively and would place the Council in a strong position to support the continued protection of front line services, timely investment in priorities, alongside meeting any emerging statutory obligations relating to the incoming new Unitary Authority.

Members were made aware that the above included the identification of savings and responding to cost pressure and investment priorities. Although a significant amount of work had been completed to date, activities remained on-going that would culminate in final budget proposals being presented to Full Council in February 2026.

Notwithstanding the above, since the Cabinet’s meeting on 19 December 2025, additional  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103.

To seek Cabinet’s approval of the updated HRA Business Plan for 2025/26 and 2026/27 along with final HRA budget proposals for 2026/27 (including fees and charges, capital programme and movement in HRA Balances) for recommending to Full Council on 17 February 2026.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     approves the updated HRA Business Plan, which includes the revised position for 2025/26 along with the proposed budget for 2026/27, as set out in Appendix A to report A.3;

(b)     approves the detailed HRA Budget proposals for 2026/27, as set out in Appendices B to E;

(c)     authorises the Corporate Director (Finance & IT), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning and the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance, to adjust the forecast / budget, including the use of reserves, if the financial position changes prior to Full Council considering the HRA budget on 17 February 2026; and

(d)     acknowledges the Statutory Officers’ and this Council’s obligations to a successor Unitary Authority as part of the current LGR proposals, including those that are expected to emerge within legislation / associated structural orders as set out within the main body of the report.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that a 4.8% increase in dwelling rents in 2026/27, along with the detailed HRA budget proposals for 2026/27, as set out in Appendices B to E, be approved.

Cabinet considered a joint report of the Housing & Planning Portfolio Holder and the Corporate Finance & Governance Portfolio Holder (A.3) which set out and sought Cabinet’s approval of the updated HRA Business Plan covering 2025/26 and 2026/27 along with final HRA budget proposals for 2026/27 (including fees and charges, capital programme and movement in HRA Balances) for recommending to Full Council on 17 February 2026.

Cabinet recalled that, at its meeting on 19 December 2025, it had considered the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan which had included proposed budget amendments in 2025/26 and budget proposals for 2026/27. The updated HRA Business plan / budget proposals at that time had provided for a deficit of £1.278m in 2025/26 and a deficit of £0.650m in 2026/27.

Those initial budget proposals had been subject to consultation with the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which had met on 14 January 2026 to consider them.

It was reported that no budget amendments for 2025/26 and 2026/27 had been required since Cabinet’s meeting on 19 December 2025 and therefore the annual budget deficits highlighted above had remained unchanged.

For completeness, the Business Plan position for 2025/26 and 2026/27 had been restated within Appendix A, withAppendix B setting out the more detailed position for both years.

As set out within the report to Cabinet in December 2025, it was proposed to fund the estimated deficits highlighted above by calling down money from HRA balances as an alternative to reducing expenditure.

Cabinet was informed that, as had been the case in previous years, this formed part of a managed approach with the use of reserves to maintain the necessary balance of ‘protecting’ the investment in tenants’ homes whilst recognising the need to use reserves to respond to the on-going financial challenges that the HRA continued to face. It was however recognised that this was not a sustainable long-term solution, but it enabled the Council to continue to meet its key priorities in the immediate term whilst acknowledging that future years of the forecast were expected to deliver offsetting annual surpluses from as early as 2028/29. Those future forecast surpluses would be primarily achievable via the planned reduction in debt and interest costs, as outstanding loans were repaid and the longer-term certainty provided by the Government’s commitment to a ten-year rent setting policy of CPI + 1%.

Members were made aware that the proposed average weekly rent remained unchanged to the figure reported in December 2025 at £108.46, an increase of 4.8% over the comparable figure of £103.49 for 2025/26.

Appendix C to the joint report set out the proposed fees and charges for 2026/27, which broadly reflected inflationary uplifts of 4.8% where relevant or other inflationary changes to better reflect the cost of providing the associated service.

Cabinet was advised that the proposed HRA Capital Programme for 2026/27 was set out in Appendix D, which reflected the commitment to maintain the necessary investment in the existing homes of tenants along with the increased flexibilities relating to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.

To provide Cabinet with an update on the Council’s use of the Better Care Fund allocation and to seek approval of the Financial Assistance Policy for Housing, this policy being an update to the Financial Assistance Policy for Private Sector Housing that was previously approved by Cabinet in 2020.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     notes the update on the delivery of financial assistance via the current Financial Assistance Policy for Private Sector Housing;

(b)     approves the Financial Assistance Policy for Housing, as appended; and

(c)     authorises the Corporate Director (Operations & Delivery), in consultation with the Council’s Section 151 Officer and with the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for housing, to make future amendments to the policy.

Cabinet considered a report of the Housing & Planning Portfolio Holder (A.4) which provided it with an update on the Council’s use of the Better Care Fund allocation and sought Cabinet’s approval of the Financial Assistance Policy for Housing, this policy being an update to the Financial Assistance Policy for Private Sector Housing that had been previously approved by Cabinet in 2020.

It was reported that the Council had had a Financial Assistance Policy for Private Sector Housing in place for many years with the last significant revision of the policy approved by Cabinet in 2020. Minor amendments to the policy had been made since that date via delegation.

Cabinet was informed that the policy set out how the Council would deliver the mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) and other discretionary forms of financial assistance that we`re all currently funded via the Council’s allocation from the Better Care Fund (BCF). The DFG and other forms of assistance on offer funded home adaptations such as wet rooms, stairlifts and ramps and could include works to prevent hospital admissions such as replacing heating systems. In 2024/25 155 applicants had benefitted from such assistance.

Members were made aware that, in 2025/26 the Council had received an allocation of £2.879m from the BCF for spending on the DFG and other forms of discretionary assistance aimed at supporting residents to continue living independently at home and preventing hospital admissions. This funding was spent by way of awarding grants to those who applied for assistance.

Cabinet was advised that those who applied were subject to means testing in most cases and had their application approved if the work they were applying for met the criteria as set out in the policy. The applicant was then responsible for having the work undertaken and on satisfactory completion the Council would pay the grant.

In 2024/25 the Council had agreed grants totalling £1.480m. In this financial year up to November 2025 £1.426m has been agreed/committed with £2.700m worth of grants at other stages within the system.

Cabinet noted that the Council’s annual spend through the policy had for many years been lower than the BCF allocation and consequently, via the addition of amounts carried forward at the end of year, there was currently a budget of approximately £10.000m, as reported earlier in the year.

In order to better align the actual support that was made available via the policy with the annual BCF allocation (including the budgets carried forward) and therefore maximising the number of Tendring residents who could benefit it had been necessary to review the policy to identify potential amendments to meet this aim.

It was highlighted that the policy must prioritise the DFG and other forms of discretionary assistance before other potential Social Care Capital projects could be considered.

Following a review of the policy, which had included reviewing the historic reasons why residents might not have sought support or declined an offer of support, the resulting proposed revisions to the policy had been put  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105.

To provide Cabinet with an update on homelessness and temporary accommodation in the district along with seeking delegation for future decisions. This update follows on from the report presented to Cabinet on 11 April 2025 and in particular the resolution at that meeting to set up a Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation Working Group and to report back to Cabinet within six months setting out the initial outcomes from the activities of the working group.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     notes the update provided in this report on the activities and initial outcomes of the Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation Working Group;

(b)     authorises the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for housing to approve any future revisions to policies associated with temporary accommodation provision and the granting of financial assistance to homeless households;

(c)     agrees in principle, as set out in the main body of the report,  the proposed use of the Council’s existing housing stock or other assets as temporary accommodation, and requests the Corporate Director (Operations & Delivery), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing & Planning, to explore such opportunities for implementation along with undertaking any associated decision making as necessary; and

(d)     requests Officers to undertake a procurement exercise to identify future providers of high-quality temporary accommodation within the private sector aimed at improving quality whist providing price certainty.

Cabinet considered a report of the Housing & Planning Portfolio Holder (A.5) whichprovided it with an update on homelessness and temporary accommodation in the District along with seeking a delegation for future decisions. This update followed on from the report presented to Cabinet on 11 April 2025 and, in particular, the resolution at that meeting to set up a Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation Working Group and to report back to Cabinet within six months setting out the initial outcomes from the activities of that working group.

It was reported that this update was being provided beyond the originally indicated six months due to capacity and resourcing challenges and to ensure the report’s recommendations aligned with the Housing Strategy 2026-30, that had been developed during the overlapping period.

Cabinet was cognisant that homelessness and temporary accommodation provision continued to place significant pressure on the Council’s general fund budget – there had been an associated net spend of £2.539m in 2024/25.

In terms of further background and context, the Council had received 2190 approaches from homeless households during 2024/25. 475 households had been placed into temporary accommodation of which 215 had been households either with children or expecting a child. Temporary accommodation placements in previous years had been 412 in 2023/24 and 363 in 2022/23. Placements in 2025/26 to 31 December 2025 had been 358.

A summary of some key points, actions and outcomes form the Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation Working Group was as follows:

1.       The group had met on a total of 12 occasions since April last year with a clear focus and agenda, including looking at risks, demand and supply.

2.       Attendees not only included key Housing Staff but also included Senior Officers, including the Council’s three Statutory Officers as necessary. The Leader had also attended regularly, showing a strong interest in the work of the group.

3.       Additional officer resources had been identified and put in place including a Homelessness Early Intervention Officer and an Officer focussed on supporting those seeking or who had sought asylum in the country.

4.       A review and reintroduction of appropriate service charges for those placed / living in temporary accommodation.

5.       Reviews of two policies associated with temporary accommodation and rent deposits aimed at reducing expenditure and encouraging self-sufficiency from those who sought help from the Council.

6.       Legal research and advice on MHCLG’s Guidance: Retained Right to Buy receipts and their use for replacement supply.

7.       Review of temporary accommodation procurement arrangements and proposals to undertake a procurement exercise to ensure compliance with the Procurement Act 2023.

8.       The review and drafting of a revised homelessness and rough sleeping strategy.

9.       Monitoring of national developments such as the changes to the way Government would award homelessness, rough sleeping and domestic abuse funding to local authorities from 2026/27.

10.    Although the work of Group would continue to support the Council in responding to the on-going challenges and the delivery of the Homelessness Strategy, there was now a prioritised focus on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 106.

To seek Cabinet’s approval of a Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026 - 31.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     formally adopts the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026 – 2031;

(b)     authorises the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for housing to make amendments to the strategy, if needed, after it is adopted; and

(c)     requests that the Portfolio Holder for Housing & Planning provide an annual update to Cabinet on progress with delivering the Action Plan set out within the strategy.

Cabinet considered a report of the Housing & Planning Portfolio Holder (A.6) which sought its approval of a Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026-31. The Council’s current Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy had been approved in 2020 and had been a four-year strategy running until 2024.

Cabinet was cognisant that homelessness was a significant pressure for the Council, as it was for most Councils. Given this significance it was important that the Council had a clear strategy on how it intended to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping in the District.

Sustained high levels of homelessness approaches had led to a high demand for temporary accommodation as the Council sought to comply with its statutory duties. Whilst privately rented accommodation was available in the District and the Council had good relationships with local landlords a general shortage of affordable housing meant that it was taking longer to move households out of temporary accommodation. This meant temporary accommodation use was increasing even though homelessness approaches had not necessarily increased in the last year or so.

It was reported that the Council’s Housing Solutions service had experienced a 104% increase in the number of households being placed in temporary accommodation between 2018/19 and 2024/25. The numbers of single homeless had risen more sharply than households with children and this had been therefore prioritised for intervention in the new strategy.

Members were informed that the strategy included three priority areas:-

(i)       improving access to services;

(ii)      working in partnership; and

(iii)    increasing options for the single homeless.

Cabinet recognised that Local Government Reorganisation made a view into the future less certain, with the knowledge that this Council would merge, on the Government’s current timetable, into a new Unitary Authority from 2028.

Cabinet noted that this strategy also aligned with the Housing Strategy 2026-30 that had been adopted by Full Council at its meeting held on 27 January 2026.

The Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder made the following statement:-

“Leader, I am pleased to introduce the proposed Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026–2031.

This strategy comes at a time when homelessness pressures are rising both locally and nationally. As Cabinet will be aware from the previous report the challenge continues to grow. As I have said, demand on our services has increased year?on?year, the cost of temporary accommodation places significant strain on our budget, and the complexity of individual cases continues to deepen.

Against this backdrop, it is essential that we set out a clear, forward?looking and deliverable approach. The strategy before Cabinet today does exactly that.

A Strategy Grounded in Evidence and Local Need

The draft strategy has been developed following:

·      the work of the cross?party Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation Working Group,

·      updates previously reported to Cabinet, and

·      analysis of the pressures being felt across the District.

·      Consultation with partners & stakeholders

It recognises not only the scale of the challenge but also the changing nature of homelessness. The issues we face are not limited to rooflessness; they include family breakdown,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 107.

To consider the prepared Lift and Lifting Equipment Policy and the prepared Water Hygiene Policy in relation to the operation of the Council’s retained housing stock.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     formally adopts the Lift and Lifting Equipment and Water Hygiene Policies for its housing stock and authorises their direct and immediate implementation; and

(b)     authorises the Corporate Director (Operations and Delivery), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder responsible for Housing, to make future updates or amendments to those Policies.

Cabinet considered a report of the Housing & Planning Portfolio Holder (A.7) which enabled it to consider the prepared Lift and Lifting Equipment Policy and the prepared Water Hygiene Policy in relation to the operation of the Council’s retained housing stock.

Cabinet was reminded that the Council had a retained social housing stock of a little over 3,085 dwellings, in addition to significant numbers of leasehold flats, garages and community property. The Council had historically attained high tenant satisfaction levels with strong compliance with the decent homes standard.

It was reported that the installation, control and management of lifts, lifting equipment and water services were regulated and were important elements in the safe management of the Council’s housing stock and demonstrating compliance in general and in relation to the overall regulation of the housing service.

Members were reminded that the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 had been enacted on 1 April 2024.  The Act allowed the Regulator of Social Housing to take action against social landlords by holding such landlords to account with regular inspections.  Through the introduction of the new social housing Consumer Standards, the Secretary of State had power to require social landlords to investigate and rectify serious health hazards.  Those Consumer Standards contained specific expectations that registered providers of social housing had to comply with and detail the outcomes providers were expected to achieve.  Therefore, as a social housing landlord, it was important that Tendring District Council was fully equipped to meet the increased demands and the need to establish a proactive consumer regulation regime with active oversight on its performance.

Cabinet was made aware that, although the adoption of these policies was not of itself mandatory, there were legal and regulatory standards for performance which these policies aspired to formalise compliance with and were therefore intended to augment the Council’s other corporate policies.

The Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder made the following statement:-

“I am pleased to present this report for Cabinet’s consideration, to approve the adoption of the Lift and Lifting Equipment Policy and the Water Hygiene Policy for our Council’s retained housing stock.

As a responsible landlord, Tendring District Council has a duty to ensure the safety, wellbeing, and dignity of our tenants. These policies are a vital part of that commitment.

The Lift and Lifting Equipment Policy sets out clear procedures for the regular inspection, maintenance, and risk assessment of all lifts and lifting equipment in our properties. This ensures that any issues are identified and addressed promptly, minimising risk to residents and staff.

Similarly, the Water Hygiene Policy provides a robust framework for managing the risks associated with legionella and other water-borne hazards. It includes regular risk assessments, monitoring, and swift action where necessary to protect our tenants’ health.

Both policies have been developed in line with current legislation and best practice, and they reflect the enhanced expectations set by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. They have been shaped with input from tenant representatives and staff, and they will help us maintain  ...  view the full minutes text for item 108.

To seek Cabinet approval to enter the Grant Agreement for the funding received confirming Tendring District Council as the Delivery Partner.

Identify the projects to which the funding will be directed through the Sport England Place Partnership initiative, and to allocate resources from the Sport and Activity Strategy budget, to deliver priority actions set out in the associated Action Plan.

Provide an update on significant progress made in implementing the Strategy since its publication in September 2024.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)       recalls that £210,298 of grant funding from Sport England to support the Place Partnerships scheme was accepted by Cabinet on 19 December 2025, to deliver further priority projects from the Sport and Activity Strategy action plan;

b)       following accepting the grant funding, agrees to enter into a grant agreement with Active Essex, Essex County Council, with Tendring District Council named as the Delivery Partner for the Place Partnerships funding on the terms and conditions, as set out in Appendix B to the report (A.8);

c)       authorises the Assistant Director (Sport, Culture and Health), in consultation with Legal Services, to complete the Grant Agreement with the detail of the Project Outputs and Outcomes as identified within this report;

d)       agrees to allocate the budget across the three schemes set out in the Executive Summary of this report;

e)       supports the appointment of two fixed-term Active Wellbeing Activators funded from the Place Partnerships funding, to facilitate and support additional community activity, as set out in the Sport and Activity Strategy Action Plan;

f)         allocates £3,599 from the Sport and Activity budget to engage ‘PLAYED Ltd’ for the development of advanced analytics dashboards for the 'Find Your Active' platform hosted by Active Essex;

g)       allocates £3,600 from the Sport and Activity budget towards a total project cost of £9,600 as a contribution towards a feasibility study for an Active Track at Cliff Park, Harwich; with the balance being paid by England Athletics; and

h)       notes the progress made to date on the projects contained in the Sport and Activity Strategy.

Earlier on in the meeting, as detailed under Minute 96 above, and insofar as this report proposed Council expenditure of £3,600 towards a feasibility study for an ‘Active Track’ at Cliff Park, Harwich, Councillor Henderson had declared for the public record that he was the Ward Member for that location.

Cabinet considered a report of the Leisure & Public Realm Portfolio Holder (A.8) which:-

(1)     sought Cabinet’s approval to enter the Grant Agreement for the funding received confirming Tendring District Council as the Delivery Partner;

(2)     identified the projects to which the funding would be directed through the Sport England Place Partnership initiative, and to allocate resources from the Sport and Activity Strategy budget, to deliver priority actions set out in the associated Action Plan; and

(3)     provided an update on significant progress made in implementing the Strategy since its publication in September 2024.

The report informed Cabinet on the following matters:-

(a)     Sport and Activity Strategy;

(b)     Sport England Place Partnerships;

(i)         Activation of the Community Ride and Play Facility (£50,000);

(ii)       Active Wellbeing Programme (£100,298); and

(iii)      Community Sport and Activity Manager (£60,000).

(c)     Other Priority Sport and Activity Strategy Projects;

(i)         Active Track Feasibility Study; and

(ii)       Find Your Active Platform.

The reasons for the Portfolio Holder’s recommendations in the report were as follows:-

“The Council is required to enter into a Grant Agreement, as Delivery Partner of the projects for which the funding being allocated to.

Allocation of the £210,298 Sport England Place Partnership Grant Funding is recommended to deliver significant health and wellbeing outcomes which have been previously approved by Cabinet through the Sport and Activity Strategy.  This will ensure that strategic priorities of the Council can be completed, without using direct funding and protect the balance of the strategy budget to deliver further objectives. Further to this, the recommendations in this report will continue to deliver approved actions and support local people to become more active.

The report also provides an update on the progress made with meeting the work highlighted in the Sport and Activity Strategy delivery plan.”

It was moved by Councillor Barry, seconded by Councillor Scott and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)       recalls that £210,298 of grant funding from Sport England to support the Place Partnerships scheme was accepted by Cabinet on 19 December 2025, to deliver further priority projects from the Sport and Activity Strategy action plan;

b)       following accepting the grant funding, agrees to enter into a grant agreement with Active Essex, Essex County Council, with Tendring District Council named as the Delivery Partner for the Place Partnerships funding on the terms and conditions, as set out in Appendix B to the report (A.8);

c)       authorises the Assistant Director (Sport, Culture and Health), in consultation with Legal Services, to complete the Grant Agreement with the detail of the Project Outputs and Outcomes as identified within this report;

d)       agrees to allocate the budget across the three schemes set out in the Executive Summary of this report;

e)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 109.

To seek Cabinet’s approval and formal adoption of the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures (2026-2027) as the Council’s safeguarding framework, in line with Cabinet’s constitutional responsibility for strategic policy.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     formally adopts the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures (2026-2027) as the Council’s formal safeguarding framework, in line with its executive responsibility for strategic policy;

(b)     notes that the Safeguarding Handbook for Staff and any associated staff-related safeguarding procedures will be presented to a future meeting of the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee for approval, in accordance with its constitutional remit; and

(c)     authorises the Assistant Director (People), in consultation with the Portfolio Holders with responsibility for safeguarding and the Head of Paid Service, to make any further amendments to the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and associated policies as may be required to ensure compliance with future changes to safeguarding legislation.

Cabinet considered a joint report of the Corporate Finance & Governance Portfolio Holder and the Assets & Community Safety Portfolio Holder (A.9) which sought Cabinet’s approval and formal adoption of the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures (2026-2027) as the Council’s safeguarding framework, in line with Cabinet’s constitutional responsibility for strategic policy.

Members were reminded that the Council had a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people, and adults with care and support needs. The updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures (2026–2027) established the Council’s strategic approach to fulfilling those duties in line with the Children Act 1989, the Care Act 2014, and other relevant legislation.

The Policy was reviewed annually by Officers to ensure compliance with current legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice. This review also considered enhancements to strengthen governance and operational clarity. The latest update reflected recent changes in safeguarding legislation, guidance from the Essex Safeguarding Boards, and recommendations from the Independent Review of Prevent (2023). In developing and delivering safeguarding training, the Council would continue to work closely with Essex County Council to ensure content reflected practical, up to date guidance, including areas such as safeguarding considerations for children who might be missing from education.

Cabinet was informed that mandatory safeguarding training continued to be delivered via the Council’s e-learning platform, alongside Prevent Awareness Training for all staff. The Policy applied to all Council services, staff, volunteers, contractors, and grant funded organisations. It embedded safeguarding within recruitment processes, including DBS checks for identified roles, and formed part of the employee induction programme. The Assistant Director (People) remained the named Senior Officer for whistleblowing complaints, working with Designated Safeguarding Lead(s) and senior management on formal safeguarding referrals. The Corporate Director (Operations and Delivery), continued to hold the statutory Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) role for children and a non-statutory role for adults, in line with Essex County Council procedures.

It was reported that the accompanying Safeguarding Handbook for Staff provided detailed guidance on recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns, reporting procedures, whistleblowing protocols, and staff responsibilities. It promoted a multi-agency approach and reinforced the role of Safeguarding Champions across directorates.

Cabinet was responsible, under the Council’s Constitution, for determining and approving strategic policies. In line with this responsibility, Cabinet was asked to approve and adopt the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures as the Council’s formal safeguarding framework. The Human Resources and Council Tax Committee would subsequently consider and approve the Safeguarding Handbook for Staff and related employment procedures at a future meeting, ensuring consistency with Human Resources governance arrangements.

Adoption of the revised Safeguarding Policy and Procedures was essential to ensure the Council remained compliant with current statutory requirements and the updated framework provided Officers with clear authority and accountability for consistent application across all services, reinforcing the Council’s commitment to being a fair, supportive, and legally compliant employer, and therefore:-

It was moved by Councillor Kotz, seconded by Councillor Placey and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     formally adopts the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures  ...  view the full minutes text for item 110.

Essex County Council Elections – May 2026

The Chief Executive (Ian Davidson) informed the Cabinet that a Government Minister had formally confirmed that the Essex County Council elections would be taking place on 7 May 2026.

Leader’s Urgent Decision – Authorisation of the submission of responses to the UK Government in response to its statutory consultation on local government reorganisation proposals for Greater Essex and for Suffolk

The Chief Executive, on behalf of the Leader of the Council and the Council as a corporate body, confirmed that the Assistant Director (Corporate Policy & Support) (Keith Simmons) had submitted this Council’s formal responses to the UK Government in response to its statutory consultation on local government reorganisation proposals for Greater Essex (four proposals) and for Suffolk (two proposals) by the deadline and as authorised by the Leader on 7 January 2026.

The Chairman of the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Councillor Steady), to achieve the deadline for those comments to be submitted, had approved the use of the Constitution’s urgency provisions and an exemption from call in.  All concerned were grateful for his assistance.

Leader’s Urgent Decision – Authorisation of a virement of £60,000, to increase the Clacton Leisure Centre Swimming Pool Heating System Replacement Capital project budget

The Chief Executive, on behalf of the Leader of the Council and the Council as a corporate body, confirmed that this decision taken on 24 December 2025, acknowledging that the agreement for the external funding included rigid timescales for drawing down the money so as to keep on track with the project milestones, had enabled the Council to be in contract with the  approved  supplier  by  the deadline of 31 December 2025. Any delay in signing the agreement could have resulted in the Council losing the significant external funding secured.

The Chairman of the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Councillor P Honeywood), to achieve the deadline for the contract to be entered into, had approved an exemption from the call in procedures.  All concerned were grateful for his assistance.

The Constitution (Article 12.03(a)) requires the Monitoring Officer to report to Cabinet (or to Council for non-executive functions) if any decision or omission has given rise to maladministration. This report concerns cases where, separately, the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and the Housing Ombudsman have determined maladministration/service failings by the Council.

This report is also required under section 5A of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 in view of the aforementioned decisions in the matters referred to by, separately, the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and the Housing Ombudsman.

RESOLVED that Cabinet formally receives and notes this report, and particularly the findings/orders/recommendations from the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and Housing Ombudsman in the cases covered by this report; the compliance with those matters by the Council; and the wider learning points set out within the report.

Cabinet was aware that the Council’s Constitution (Article 12.03(a)) required the Monitoring Officer to report to Cabinet (or to Council for non-executive functions) if any decision or omission had given rise to maladministration. This report concerned cases where, separately, the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and the Housing Ombudsman had determined maladministration/service failings by the Council.

This report was also required under section 5A of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 in view of the aforementioned decisions in the matters referred to by, separately, the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and the Housing Ombudsman.

The Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder made the following statement:-

“Leader, this report is for noting by Cabinet in regard to two findings of maladministration by this Council, by, firstly, the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and, secondly, the Housing Ombudsman. The full recommendation is shown on Page 285 of the Agenda.

The very brief circumstances of each are as follows:

Firstly, A parent with two children who was facing eviction approached the council, in the late summer of 2024, and within that period exchanges occurred between them and the Council. The Ombudsman criticised the council for a gap in that exchange of 18 working days.

At the time, and in view of the difficulty in finding suitable private rented or social

housing to meet the family’s needs, the parent and children were placed in bed and

breakfast accommodation.

Their stay in this accommodation was for 8 weeks and 1 day, which as Cabinet will know, is over the maximum of 6 weeks allowed by law and Government guidance.

As a result the Ombudsman found maladministration by the Council in respect of the 2 weeks and 1 day period, and recommended that an apology be provided, as well as a payment of £600 to be made.

Both the apology and payment have been actioned, and payment was made in November 2025. In addition, officers have been reminded of the expectations around timescales for correspondence exchanges with homeless applicants to address the concerns in this case as raised by the Ombudsman.

Since the date of this event, Spendells House has come online, and currently this Council has no families in bed and breakfast, and has not used any for some time.

The second finding is in relation to a leaking roof at one of the council’s properties and the significant delays in completing the repairs, as well as a lack of regular updates to the tenant. The repair works were completed satisfactorily.

The Council recognised the issues raised in this complaint, and that the delays were unreasonable. There have been lessons learned from this complaint and the Council has said how it would improve things in the future. An offer of £900 compensation was offered, which the Housing Ombudsman has considered to be reasonable.

The Council also issued its final response to the tenant’s complaint outside of the timescales within its Complaints process, and did not acknowledge this delay, despite the tenant having to chase the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 112.