To formally report the receipt of a petition submitted requesting the Council to continue to fund Citizens Advice Tendring and the Mental Health Hub and to invite Cabinet to determine its formal response to that petition, which will then be reported to Full Council at its meeting due to be held on 25 March 2025.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)    notes 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; and

(b)    recommends to Council that having considered the petition and having reviewed the assessment and advice set out within the Head of Democratic Services & Elections’ report (A.8), Cabinet believes the right approach is to test which is the best organisation to provide advice in Tendring through the procurement process, as was set out in the January 2025 report to Cabinet.

Cabinet considered a report of the Head of Democratic Services & Elections (A.8) which formally reported the receipt of a petition submitted requesting the Council to continue to fund Citizens Advice Tendring and the Mental Health Hub and invited Cabinet to determine its formal response to that petition, which would then be reported to Full Council at its meeting due to be held on 25 March 2025.

Cabinet was informed that a paper petition submitted by Danny Mayzes as lead petitioner, had been received on Friday 21 February 2025. Following a partial check carried out by Officers in Electoral Services, the petition contained at least 514 names and addresses that were legible and those persons were included on the electoral register.

The text of the paper petition stated:-

“We the undersigned petition Tendring District Council to continue to fund Citizens Advice Tendring and the Mental Health Hub to ensure this vital advice service can continue to support the residents, families and small businesses of the Tendring District. The core grants of £144,000 and £28,000 per annum should be reinstated for 2025/2026 and beyond. Citizens Advice is a national treasure and a staple of UK life, and we want this protected locally for the people of Tendring at all costs.

The Council has stated publicly that it would not be able to deliver the same level of advice for less cost, and that Council staff would not have the knowledge to deliver the advice required in-house. The Council praises Citizens Advice Tendring as value for money, and despite core funding not having increased in 10 years, the advice service by Citizens Advice Tendring is better than ever and must be retained.”

In addition, the Lead Petitioner, Danny Mayzes, had submitted an E-Petition with the same text. That E-Petition had been e-signed by 349 individuals who had gave an address within the District.

Members were reminded that this matter was an executive function (Partnerships Portfolio) and therefore the Cabinet was the appropriate body to consider this matter.

It was reported that Section 2 of the Council’s adopted Scheme for Dealing with Petitions stated, inter alia,:-

“(b) A valid petition containing 501, or more signatures from Tendring residents or non-residents who can be clearly identified as either working or studying in Tendring, will be reported to Council to advise that the petition has been received.  Once it has been investigated, a report will be prepared and presented with the petition at the next meeting of the Council for consideration. If it relates to a matter that is an Executive function under the law the petition will also be presented to the first practicable meeting of the Cabinet and any views, comments or recommendations made by Cabinet will be incorporated into the aforementioned report to Council.”

Therefore, having discussed the petition it would be for Cabinet to decide what views, comments or recommendations it wished to be incorporated into the report to Full Council. That report would be submitted to the meeting of the Full Council on 25 March 2025.

The report (A.8) contained the written advice of the Corporate Director (Place & Economy) which was as follows:-

“The petitioner highlights the importance of providing a vital advice service.

Cabinet decided on this matter on 31 January 2025 with the report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder: Procurement of information and support service. The advice to Cabinet is drawn from that report, which sought 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. […] This approach ensures a joined-up approach across the various sectors within the area with the underlying aim of maximising the use of the Council’s resources.  

Citizens Advice Tendring have been made aware of the proposed approach set out above and they may consider submitting their own ‘bid’ for the work the Council is seeking to procure and respond to the outcome of that process.

In summary, Cabinet has approved the provision of an information and advice service to local residents, which it will procure via a modular approach to determine who is best placed to deliver the services required and provide best value for the taxpayer.  There is a process in place to determine the best provider of advice services for residents. As such, Cabinet should enact the recommendations made in the January 2025 report.

In relation to the Mental Health Hub, the funding for the Mental Health Hub run by Citizen’s Advice Tendring remains in the Council’s budget and continues.”

In addition, the report (A.8) set out the written comments and recommendations of the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships as follows:

“I believe passionately in the importance of advice and information to enable residents to make the best decisions and navigate the systems that provide financial and other support. That is why the Council extended the funding to Citizens Advice Tendring for six months to ensure there is no gap in provision and why we want to go through a process to test the best value provision of advice in the District.

Having considered the petition and reviewed the assessment and advice set out in this report, I believe the right approach is to test which is the best organisation to provide advice in Tendring through the procurement process, as was set out in the January 2025 report to Cabinet.”

In accordance with the Petitions Scheme, Danny Mayzes, as Lead Petitioner attended the meeting and addressed the Cabinet, outlining the reasons for the submission of the petition and what action the petitioners wanted the Council to take.

To comply with the adopted scheme for dealing with petitions, as set out in the Council’s Constitution:-

It was moved by Councillor M E Stephenson, seconded by Councillor Barry and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)    notes 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; and

(b)    recommends to Council that having considered the petition and having reviewed the assessment and advice set out within the Head of Democratic Services & Elections’ report (A.8), Cabinet believes the right approach is to test which is the best organisation to provide advice in Tendring through the procurement process, as was set out in the January 2025 report to Cabinet.