Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies received at the meeting.

To receive any declarations of interest. Members are advised to consider the advice contained within the Declaration of Interest advice attached to this Agenda. If a Member declares an interest, they should complete the Declaration of Interest Form

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the summary of recommendations and decisions of the Cabinet meeting held on 20 February 2025, copy attached.

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor Yates seconded and Members agreed the minutes as a correct record of the meeting held on 20 February 2025.

Cabinet discussed updates on the housing development and acquisition programme that was agreed by Council in 2023. In July 2023 Council approved an affordable homes delivery target of at least 400 homes by 2027. This target included a mix of new build acquisitions, refurbishment, and our own construction programme. The Council developed its own definition of affordable rent for the programme; being the lower of an affordable rent or the relevant Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate. To acquire and or build homes for affordable rent and charge an affordable rent, in a sustainable way, it was projected that subsidy would be needed at around 40% of the overall cost.

In December 2024, Cabinet approved an accelerated temporary accommodation programme, to purchase a further 170 homes. Slightly different from the published report, there were currently 263 households in TA, with 122 of those outside of Thanet. The temporary accommodation programme is accounted for within the council’s General Fund, along with all homelessness related costs. The tables shown within the Cabinet report show that 343 units had been secured and 67 delivered against the target of 400 set in July 2023. The units included the Council’s own new build programme Phase 4, market acquisitions and units agreed as part of S106 agreement. The council was in the process of developing three further schemes for development. All were complex brownfield sites or refurbishments and these three further schemes would increase the current HRA programme pipeline to a total of 442 homes.

The capital cost of the HRA programme was estimated at £100m over 4 years and this was included within the council’s approved HRA capital programme. It was funded from a combination of capital borrowing, supported with subsidies from a range of sources. The Council successfully completed the development of its first temporary accommodation scheme in December 2022. Three further temporary accommodation schemes were approved by Cabinet in March and November 2024. Cabinet was also considering the proposals for the development of the Grosvenor Place.

Cabinet recommended, to a meeting of the Full Council, the required General Fund capital budget of £38.762m be approved for the direct provision of Temporary Accommodation, as part of the annual budget setting process across the financial years 2025/26 and 2026/27.

Councillor Bayford spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Whitehead proposed, Councillor Albon seconded and Cabinet agreed to note the progress of the HRA development Programme and the Temporary Accommodation Programme.

Cabinet considered proposals for the granting of a repairs and maintenance contract for the operation of the Council’s CCTV system. CCTV was at the forefront of crime prevention within Thanet. The Council worked tirelessly with partner agencies to try and keep Thanet safe and wanted to keep improving year on year, by updating the system. Making vast improvements to infrastructure and cameras would help towards achieving this aim. The Council was also trying to streamline the service and bringing video and audio data security under one department. This would provide consistency of service in this important and highly regulated area. It would also ensure that data was secure and reduce the chances of video and audio data breaches.

In order to make these improvements, approval to procure a repairs and maintenance contract for CCTV to cover all of Thanet District Councils current and future CCTV cameras and systems was required. These improvements would include the installation of new items relating to CCTV and other technologies including but not limited to cameras, infrastructure, software, hardware and control room expansion. This contract had both revenue and capital budget elements. The capital works cost was anticipated to be just over £1.1m and the table at section 7.1.7 of the Cabinet report provides details of the funding sources. The majority of the funding was from the approved General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital programmes.

The revenue cost of the contract would also be funded from a number of revenue budgets as set out in section 7.1.4 of the report. These allocations represented the various service areas with CCTV requirements that would be brought under the proposed single contract. The Cabinet Member for Community proposed that Cabinet agrees to the four recommendations set out in the report as follows:

1.  For the Authority to use Crown Commercial Service Framework, Network Services 3 RM6116, Lot 3a: IoT and Smart Cities (Smart shared and connected spaces) to procure a repairs and maintenance contract with British Telecommunications Public Limited Company;

2.  To allow the procurement and award of a contract (under the above framework), to implement a repairs and maintenance contract, installation of new items relating to CCTV and other technologies including but not limited to cameras, infrastructure, software, hardware and control room expansion;

3.  To update current additional CCTV equipment for the efficient running of CCTV;

4.  The necessary supplementary budget amendments, as set out within the Financial Implications sections, be recommended to Council for approval.

Councillor Keen proposed, Councillor Duckworth seconded and Cabinet agreed the following:

1.  For the Authority to use Crown Commercial Service Framework, Network Services 3 RM6116, Lot 3a: IoT and Smart Cities (Smart shared and connected spaces) to procure a repairs and maintenance contract with British Telecommunications Public Limited Company;

2.  To allow the procurement and award of a contract (under the above framework), to implement a repairs and maintenance contract, installation of new items relating to CCTV and other technologies including but not limited to cameras, infrastructure, software, hardware and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 108.

Cabinet considered proposals for the purchase of replacement vehicles and equipment for the Open Spaces Service area. The purpose of the Cabinet report was to propose to Cabinet the approval of a planned purchase of vehicles and equipment for the Open Spaces Service to the value of £1,277,850. As part of the budget setting process each year the Council approves a capital budget for new vehicles and equipment. The purchases identified in this report could be funded from the Open Spaces Service allocation within the Vehicle and Equipment Replacement Programme capital budget.

The Council replaced vehicles and equipment that were over their useful economic life because older vehicles had more regular breakdowns, which led to increased service interruption down time and a greater cost of maintaining the vehicles. The ideal replacement life for a vehicle was every seven years. The Council had 36 vehicles and equipment that were used to deliver the Open Spaces Service effectively. They were used to deliver grass and hedge cutting, weed control, graffiti removal, tree management and infrastructure minor repairs and works. The majority of these vehicles were over seven years old.

In 2024/25 the Council replaced 7 of these items at a cost of £203,500. A further 12 of the existing vehicle fleet now require replacement and were being proposed to be purchased as part of this 2025/26 vehicle and equipment replacement programme. A further 6 vehicles were additional purchases based on both 2024/25 and 2025/26 growth item budgets related to weed and graffiti removal. This would bring the total number of vehicles and equipment used by the Open Spaces Service to 42.

As part of the Council’s climate control commitment, it was the intention to purchase an electric vehicle where a suitable vehicle was available and 11 Electric vehicles (EVs) would be purchased in 2025/26. EVs did not have suitable carrying capacity for some of the work required to be undertaken by the service. In this situation the use of a trailer with the EV could resolve this issue. Where this was necessary, this additional cost had been accounted for within the purchase budget.

Five 7KWh EV charging points were already installed at the Open Spaces Depot. Due to the anticipated range and daily mileage of the vehicles being purchased, it was expected each vehicle would need charging once a week. This provided a capacity at the depot for up to twenty five vehicles to be charged each week. Where there were no EVs on the market capable of meeting the requirements of the service, vehicles suitable to run on Hydro treated Vegetable Oil (HVO) would be purchased instead. It was expected that seven vehicles would be run on HVO.

Councillor Rogers and Councillor Rattigan spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Albon proposed, Councillor Keen seconded and Cabinet approved the following:

1.  The purchase of the vehicles and equipment listed in 3.1 of the Cabinet report at a cost of £1,277,850, funded from the Vehicle and Equipment Replacement Programme.

Cabinet discussed proposals for the 2025-28 UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme. The report set out the request for officers to commence delivery of the extended phase of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme for the 2025-2026 financial year. Thanet had been awarded £546,557 of funding to deliver projects within the priorities of Community and Place; Support for Business; and People and Skills.

During the first round of UKSPF monies we had just over £1.1m with a number of priorities. The team has delivered a variety of grants programmes where we awarded grants to over 30 not for profit organisations totalling £344,089. This included the following:

26 small grants up to £10,000;

9 development grants for business plans;

7 development grants of up to £20k for pilot projects;

The team also delivered the Thanet Lotto grant programme, with a contribution from the UKSPF to fund youth projects.

A number of Big Ideas Conversation events were commissioned which happened in the five priority areas and in some cases directly funded local organisations to deliver the events. The ambition was to engage with local communities, start conversations and use the information gained to develop further stages of the programme. The number and types of organisations supported through the programme in the last couple of years was vast, either through the grants, the direct commissioning of services, or support directly to the sector from the Community Champions programme.

The Community Champions Programme was set up to support Thanet’s voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, by creating opportunities for networking, training and funding support, as well as working with the sector to help build capacity and promote collaboration. The Council had a fantastic day on 12 March celebrating with the sector at the Community Champions Conference. The Council heard about some of the delivery work and celebrated some of Thanet’s people and organisations who had been supporting communities and helping to make Thanet a great place to live. It was an inspiring and overwhelming day and a fantastic opportunity to hear what had been delivered through this funding.

At the end of this current programme the Council would be producing an evidence and impact report on the last two years, and this information would be shared publicly. At the beginning of the current programme the Council carried out data research into the not for profit sector, as well as carrying out a survey with the sector. This information helped inform the delivery of the funding. Information gathered over the last two years of delivery, with the evidence base helped to scope out what to deliver in the next programme during 2025-26.

The council once again would be the lead local authority for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with the specific focus of helping to kick start economic growth and promote opportunities in the district. For this round, the Fund had a light-touch approach with a delegated delivery model to enable local authorities to invest in local priorities and target funding where it is needed most.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 110.

Cabinet considered proposals for the development of the Grosvenor Place for temporary accommodation. This report discussed at the meeting sought approval to reconfigure 38-40 Grosvenor Place, Margate, a property in Thanet District Council’s General Fund. Subject to planning permission being granted, this development would transform an empty premises into 11 x 1-bed properties for temporary accommodation (TA) as well as providing a permanent base for the RISE service, which would move from Edgar Road in Cliftonville. The new RISE accommodation provided at 38-40 Grosvenor Place would include sleeping accommodation for up to 8 people. The anticipated cost of the conversion and refurbishment was £2.87m.

It was proposed to complete the project in two phases. The first phase would be the conversion of the single storey extension to enable the relocation of the RISE project. The second phase would be the conversion and refurbishment of the remainder of the building to provide 11 self-contained flats. Both proposals are subject to planning approval. In December 2024 Cabinet agreed a programme to acquire or develop up to 170 homes for use as TA. This required a General Fund capital budget of £38.762m as part of the annual budget setting process across the financial years 2025/26 and 2026/27. The capital cost of the TA element of this proposal was estimated to be £2.3m, funded from General Fund Borrowing. This scheme was within that approved programme.

Councillor Bayford spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Whitehead proposed, Councillor Albon seconded and Cabinet is being asked to agree:

1.  That the Council approves the project to refurbish and reconfigure Grosvenor Place, at an estimated cost of £2.88m as outlined in this report.

2.  The letting of these homes will be in accordance with the Council’s Temporary Accommodation Policy, approved by Cabinet in July 2024.

3.  Cabinet notes that the intention is to complete the project in two phases, with two separate planning applications.

Councillor Whitehead proposed, Councillor Albon seconded and Cabinet agreed:

1.  That the Council approves the project to refurbish and reconfigure Grosvenor Place, at an estimated cost of £2.88m as outlined in this report;

2.  The letting of these homes will be in accordance with the Council’s Temporary Accommodation Policy, approved by Cabinet in July 2024;

3.  To note that the intention is to complete the project in two phases, with two separate planning applications.

Cabinet discussed proposals on the future of the Winter Gardens. The Council was committed to securing a long-term future for the Winter Gardens as a multi-use leisure and entertainment venue. The Winter Gardens was a much-loved grade II listed building of significant local community and heritage value and was a key part of Margate’s history. Securing a viable and sustainable proposal for the Winter Gardens had been a challenge, both because of its listed status and because of an identified ‘heritage deficit’ in the form of extensive refurbishment and repair costs.

In September 2022, the Cabinet approved a range of surveys and studies into the condition of the Winter Gardens and approved the principle of marketing to identify a suitable commercial partner. This was supported by a public engagement exercise in January 2023 that attracted 167 participants, demonstrating the level of public interest in the venue. Cabinet then commissioned specialist international marketing agents, Colliers, to market the Winter Gardens, with the aim of securing a suitable commercial partner. A two stage marketing campaign was launched in November 2023, with expressions of interest invited for 22 February 2024. From this first round of marketing it was clear that financial support to tackle the heritage deficit would be required to make the refurbishment and reopening viable; And on 14 March 2024, this cabinet reallocated £4m of Margate Town Deal capital funding to the Winter Gardens.

Cabinet was delighted that the second round of marketing, supported by the allocation of £4m of Margate Town Deal funding, had enabled the Council to identify a preferred partner for the refurbishment and reopening. Westwood One Theatre was a committed and entrepreneurial local company with a track record of both building refurbishment and commercial theatre operations, alongside a range of other local services. Since the announcement of Westwood One Theatre as the Council’s preferred partner, Cabinet had also been delighted to see the level of public support for the proposal, expressed through local social media channels.

It was important to note that, like any construction project, particularly those involving historic, listed buildings, the refurbishment and reopening of the Winter Gardens was not without a level of risk. The Cabinet report proposed that more detailed work be completed to manage these risks, both for the Council and for Westwood One Theatre and that this work be supported by a grant from the Council. This detailed work would include the following:

1. Architectural plans to RIBA Stage 2 level, with input from a conservation architect, structural engineer and mechanical and electrical engineer.
2. A linked specification of works with a cost estimate prepared by a quantity surveyor.
3. A detailed accompanying business plan, prepared with the advice of an experienced business planner.
4. Advice from a planning consultant together with formal Pre-Application advice from the council’s Planning Service.
5. Proof of the necessary funding in place.

The recommendations included authority to proceed with a lease and grant agreement with Westwood One Theatre, once the due diligence set out above is completed to the satisfaction  ...  view the full minutes text for item 112.

Report to follow

Cabinet discussed the new policy and procedures for the Water Users and Barrier Users Groups. The purpose of the report was to agree the policy and procedures for the water user and barriers users groups, to ensure that controls were in place with regard to authorised access to the water via Thanet coasts barriers and slipways. There was a need to ensure controls were in place, through a policy, with regard to access to the coast in order to promote safety and for counter terrorism, immigration, crime reduction and coastal environment protection reasons. The council owned, provided and maintained a number of slipways and access points around the Thanet coastline which were controlled by secured barriers.

In 1997 the Council set up a water users group. The current membership consists of fishing clubs, yacht clubs, water ski clubs, a jet ski concession, windsurfing clubs, RNLI, Coastguard, the Police and other such groups. In order to gain access to the slipways and promenades all users needed to be authorised and in possession of an approved barrier key. This key would enable the user to unlock the security padlock to the barrier and be allowed entry onto the promenade.

The policy provided for the payment by water users of a membership fee to be a part of the Water User Group and be a barrier user. This payment covered various expenses such as the maintenance and repair of barriers and signage in and around the water ways, and the changing of locks and keys to barriers annually. The Beach and Coast team had been working hard to ensure that there was no misuse of barriers and keys but there were still examples of misuse and unauthorised access. For this reason the Water User Group/Barrier User Policy and Procedure was vital as it set out to partners the correct use of and access to areas along the district coastline and allowed the Council to remove access if misuse could be proven.

Councillor Davis spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Albon proposed, Councillor Keen seconded and Cabinet agreed the following:

1.  To approve the Water User Group/Barriers Users Policy and Procedure for 2025.

Report to follow

Cabinet was asked to agree that officers go out to consult on a new Public Spaces Protection Order. The order had been drafted after careful consideration of evidence obtained from various sources including the police and the Council’s community safety team as to the issues of anti-social behaviour across the district. Ward Councillors from all parties had helpfully contributed and provided evidence which supported the need for an order in the form drafted.

Members were asked to note that the decision being sought at this March Cabinet meeting was only a decision on the consultation. As the report set out there were statutory requirements in relation to the consultation and these included consultation with the Police, appropriate community representatives and those who owned or occupied land within the restricted areas. Officers intended to carefully plan the consultation and ensure that those statutory requirements were fully satisfied.

The proposal was then for officers to give careful consideration to the results of the consultation. Having done so it may be that it would be appropriate for some amendments to be made to the Order. A further report would then be presented to both the Overview and Scrutiny Panel and Cabinet with final proposals in relation to the implementation of the Order. Members were then asked to note that a detailed equality impact assessment on the proposals for this Order had also been produced for this report. This assessment would also be reviewed following the results of consultation.

Councillor Dawson spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Keen proposed, Councillor Yates seconded and Cabinet agreed the following:

1.  To consult on the proposed PSPO in accordance with the statutory requirements, that is to say to consult with the local chief officer of police; the police and crime commissioner; owners or occupiers of land within the proposed affected area, appropriate community representatives and the relevant local parish councils;

2.  To note that if Recommendation 2 is agreed, consultation will commence immediately after the pre-election period.

Cabinet discussed the report that contained proposals for the interim submission by Thanet District Council that was meant to be submitted to the Government on or before the deadline of 21 March 2025. These interim submissions were in response to the letter from the Minister State for Local Government and English Devolution who formally invited all 14 Kent and Medway Leaders to work together in order to submit proposals for local government reorganisation (LGR). This was a follow up letter to the one received by The Leaders of Kent County Council and Medway Council dated 5 February from the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim MacMahon MP, that stated that Kent and Medway had not been selected to be part of the Devolution priority programme.

The Leaders of Kent County Council and Medway Council wrote to the Government asking to be considered for the DPP. However, this request was not accepted. One of the reasons given by the government for rejecting Kent’s application was the ‘mixed’ nature of local government in Kent. There are 12 Districts, 1 County, and 1 Unitary. Only the County and Unitary would be entitled to take part in the Strategic Authority, thereby disenfranchising all the Districts. That was a clear signal to develop proposals for LGR.

The report considered by Members sought a decision by Cabinet to decide whether to be associated with a proposed submission by the Kent Councils, and additionally with a range of suggested geographical models for possible new unitary councils in Kent which the Government would consider in line with the set criteria.

Councillor Pugh and Councillor Garner spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Cabinet agreed the following:

1.   To approve in principle the proposed general submission on behalf of the Kent Councils for Local Government Reorganisation set out at Appendix 2 of the Cabinet report, and delegates authority to the Leader to agree any final amendments before submission on 21 March;

2.   To note the detailed additional submission related to possible geographical models for new Unitary Councils set out at Appendix 3 of the Cabinet report, as it is currently drafted, and agree, for the reasons set out in this report, that at this stage the Council should not be associated with this additional submission;

3.   To note that the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive have, in accordance with their powers, sought to progress negotiations and develop the attached plan for LGR in the interests of the District;

4.   That the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive continue to progress negotiations and the development of plans in order to be in a position to submit more detailed plans for LGR in accordance with the guidance set out in the letter referred to above from the Minister.