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.

Councillor Scott informed Members that he had recently accompanied the Chief Executive of Arts Council England, Darren Henley, on a visit to a number of iconic locations in Harwich, including its newly refurbished library. He expressed his thanks to Mr Henley and his staff for their continued support of Tendring District Council and the wider District in relation to the arts and expressed the hope that Mr Henley would visit the area again in the future.

During this point, Councillors Bray and Harris joined the meeting.

Councillor Scott further informed Members that he had recently visited Biberach, Germany, one of the District’s official twin towns, as part of its three-week celebration of Britain. He advised that the following year would mark 60 years of town twinning and that he, together with other Councillors, would be invited to participate in the associated celebrations.

Councillor Scott added that, during his visit to Biberach, he had conveyed the best wishes and thanks of the Chairman of the Council to the Mayor.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor M. E. Stephenson, informed Members that, following Councillor Scott’s visit to Harwich, a letter had been received from Darren Henley in which he commended Councillor Scott’s leadership in promoting the arts within the District. Mr Henley had also conveyed his thanks to Councillor Scott and the Council’s Officers for their work and support.

Tendring4Growth Business Fortnight

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

“Chairman,

I would like to take a few moments to update Council on the success of this year’s Tendring4Growth Business Fortnight.

During the fortnight, businesses, entrepreneurs, jobseekers, training providers and partner organisations have come together through a programme of events focused on supporting economic growth across out district.

The fortnight included workshops on procurement, business start-ups, funding opportunities, human resources, content creation and event planning. It has provided practical advice and support to established businesses and those looking to take their first steps as entrepreneurs. Though these events, local businesses have had the opportunity to learn, share experiences, build new connections and access expert support.

I particularly enjoyed the Championing Startups event run by Colbea at the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club. The event bought together 20 small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to hear some inspiring local success stories. We heard from young entrepreneur Dan Loveless, who at just 21 years old runs Forge Fitness in Little Bentley, alongside Abbie Harley, founder of the marketing and branding agency JA Social Suite, and Jamie Spears of Rebel Money, who has recently expanded by taking on two high street units in Dovercourt. The event wrapped up with a panel discussion and Q&A, where speakers shared their experiences and discussed why Tendring is such a great place to start and grow a business. It was encouraging to hear first-hand how local entrepreneurs are finding opportunities here and investing in our communities.

I would also like to highlight the Tendring Jobs and Skills Fair, which once again bought together employers, training providers and residents looking for new opportunities. There was a real buzz of energy in the Princes Theatre with just under 1,000 residents attending and 53 businesses on hand to talk about jobs, skills and career pathways available. On the day there were 135 live vacancies, opportunities with the RAF, Army, Royal Navy, around 70 training opportunities including teacher training, apprenticeships, voluntary roles and a wide range of skills development programmes.

It was great to speak with both employers and job seekers throughout the day. I also had chance to try some of the activities on offer, including a reaction test involving catching falling sticks. I’m happy to say I passed with flying colours, albeit at the second attempt. Clearly, all that multitasking as Councillors has its benefits!

The fortnight concluded with the Tendring4Growth Business Awards, where the Council celebrated the innovation, commitment and enthusiasm that exists across our district from businesses. I was very sorry to miss the evening as I was unwell – but I heard great things from the Members who attended about the breadth of businesses celebrated across Tendring. I was delighted to hear about so many people getting involved. We had 3,897 nominations for our People’s Choice Award, which was a new category for 2026 and was won by Precision Optics Eyewear. I would also like to thank Councillor Mark Stephenson for stepping in at short notice close to the event.

I would like to thank the Economic Growth Team. The fortnight would not have been such a success without their energy, enthusiasm and pride. I would also like to thank our partners, sponsors, speakers and exhibitors and all those businesses and residents who took part. Their contribution has helped make this year’s Business Fortnight another great success.

Tendring has ambitious businesses, talented people and strong partnerships. Tendring4Growth continues to bring those strengths together, helping to support and to celebrate our thriving businesses. It was a great success.

Thank you.”