The Council is asked to note any statements made by members of the Cabinet (Portfolio Holders).

Councillors may then ask questions of the Portfolio Holders on their statements.

Brooklands, Jaywick Sands – Emergency road repairs

The Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration & Tourism (Councillor I J Henderson) made the following statement:-

“I want to briefly update Members on the emergency repairs currently underway at Brooklands in Jaywick Sands. As Members will be aware, the road, running parallel to the seafront, is unadopted and so not the responsibility of any Council to maintain.

However, following extensive engagement with residents in Jaywick Sands, it became clear that addressing the condition of this road was their highest priority for investment from the Community Regeneration Partnership funding that the Council has received from Government.

In response, Cabinet took the decision at the end of March to authorise emergency works. I am pleased to confirm that contractors are now on site, filling the potholes, with the work expected to be completed within a week. The works will cost up to a total value of £10,000.

This intervention is about doing the right thing – improving safety for residents and visitors and preventing damage to vehicles – while recognising that we are not in a position to adopt the road on an ongoing basis.

Members should note that there will be some temporary disruption while the works are carried out, including changes to the number 4 bus route.

This project reflects the progress we are making in listening to and responding to residents’ concerns. Thank you.”

Active Lives in Tendring

The Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm (Councillor Barry) made the following statement:-

“Many of you will know that Tendring has faced persistently low levels of participation in sport and physical activity and this has been reflected in time and again in the national data we receive from Sport England.

Today, I am genuinely delighted to share news that represents a real turning point for our District. The latest Active Lives results, covering November 2024 to November 2025, show a statistically significant 9.5 percentage points increase in activity levels, alongside a 5.6 percentage point reduction in inactivity. This means around 13,500 fewer adults in Tendring are inactive compared with when this data started to be collected around ten years ago. Tendring is now in line with England, the east of England and Greater Essex and our reduction in inactivity is the third highest improvement in the entire country.

These figures reflect extensive partnership working across the District, including collaboration with Active Essex, health partners, sports clubs, community organisations and volunteers. This shift should not be underestimated. Active Lives is the nationally recognised benchmark for physical activity, and these improvements come at a time when there is widespread concern about declining healthy life expectancy and the growing societal cost of inactivity. Against that backdrop, the scale of Tendring’s improvement is both timely and deeply meaningful.

We see this too in the growth of our sports facilities, where the number of memberships has risen from 1,800 before the pandemic to over 6,000 today. Alongside the impact of the Local Delivery Pilot, these efforts are reshaping activity levels across the District and improving quality of life for our residents.

Our Sport and Activity Strategy has been central to this progress. It focuses on behaviour change, widening access to opportunity and improving access to diverse and rich sport and activity sessions closer to where our residents live. Over the past year alone, the Council has awarded £55,000 in grant funding to 41 community groups in all parts of our District. This funding has supported:-

·      after school activities for young people;

·      local sports clubs offering opportunities for residents of all ages;

·      targeted club subscription support schemes for young people who would otherwise be unable to participate; and

·      training and qualifications for members.

A powerful example of what these sessions can deliver can be seen in the supported walking programme we recently funded in Jaywick for residents recovering from cancer. This isn’t simply a walk; it is a structured, confidence-building activity led by trained facilitators. Participants are supported to rebuild stamina at their own pace, connect with others who understand their journey and regain independence in a safe and encouraging environment.

Sessions such as these, together with continued investment in our sports facilities, the delivery of play zones and reduction in energy costs, will further support our drive towards sustaining and increasing the opportunities for our residents to be active where they live. Thank you.”