Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Duckworth.

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 March 2025, copy attached.

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

Report to follow

Cabinet received an update on the Plan for Neighbourhoods. In March this year, the central government announced the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme with government investment and support of up to £20m for Ramsgate.

Thanet District Council was required to submit a proposal to the central government by 22 April 2025 to include the governance arrangements, Board composition and geographical area to be covered by the programme. As part of the programme the council is required to establish a Neighbourhood Board. The Board was required to bring together those with a deep connection to the local area and to be led by an independent Chair in a voluntary capacity.

Neighbourhood Boards were being asked to consider the challenges and opportunities their communities faced in a more holistic way, with the scope to invest across a wider range of policy areas. The Ramsgate Board was required, in partnership with Thanet District Council, to develop a ten year vision, Regeneration Plan and four year investment plan.

The funding profile had already been set-out by the central government, and was for the whole area of Ramsgate. There were three strategic objectives to be accomplished and these were: thriving places, stronger communities and taking back control. The guidance outlines that the funding could be focussed on certain parts of the town based on evidence, need and the issues that mattered most to local people.

The Council would be working with key stakeholders and organisations in Ramsgate to ensure that the Plan objectives reached as many of Ramsgate’s communities as possible through the engagement activity. This development opportunity would provide another significant opportunity for Ramsgate, particularly with the mix of capital and revenue funding. This way of long term planning with funding should help really make a step change for the local area. Cabinet acknowledged that this report was not a decision making report on the basis of the timescales and that the deadline for submission was earlier the week of this Cabinet meeting. However but it was important for Cabinet to note:

• The report on the basis that the deadline from central government was 22 April 2025, future reports will come back to a Cabinet meeting for approval in relation to budget and governance arrangements;
• The submission to central government included a proposal to have an interim chair to support the council in forming the board, and engaging a permanent chair;
• The council will provide the secretariat for the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme;
• At a future meeting a report will go to full council to amend the budget on the basis of the external funding.

Councillor Austin spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor Bright seconded and Cabinet agreed to note the following:

1.  The report on the basis that the deadline from central government was 22 April 2025, future reports will come back to a Cabinet meeting for approval in relation to budget and governance arrangements;

2.  The submission to central government includes a proposal to have an interim chair to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119.

Report to follow

Cabinet discussed the Youth Service Provision Scrutiny Review report that was compiled by the Youth Service Provision Review Working Party for consideration by Cabinet after looking into youth service provision in Thanet and how Thanet Council could support such provisions in the district. Councillor Joanne Bright led the review for this piece of work and produced a comprehensive report. There was already a great deal of work undertaken by TDC officers with young people, which Cabinet would like to recognise. This included:

• £150K of UKSPF in grants given to organisations supporting young people;
• Teenage Market;
• Northdown Hub sports sessions;
• Open access weekly teens arts club;
• Thanet Youth Network;
• Street Sport Sessions;
• Skateboarding for All;
• Parkour Sessions;
• Knife Crime Awareness Programme;
• Thanet Youth Council;
• Parklife Community Hub;
• School interventions - Knowledge is Power, Ladder of Risk;
• Thanet Games;
• Active Together;
• Bikeability;
• Self-defence workshops for girls aged 11-17.

The next step was to build on what we do. The report provides a number of recommendations on how TDC can take its support for young people further. The corporate management team made comments on the report’s recommendations and the Cabinet Member for Community was going to work with officers to compile a full response to each of those recommendations. Those that require additional funding would need to go through the Star Chamber process when during the budget setting process for 2026/27. Cabinet thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Panel for the extensive piece of work.

Councillor Kup spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Keen proposed, Councillor Albon seconded and Cabinet agreed to consider the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review and respond in full to each recommendation in June.

Report to follow

Cabinet discussed proposals for a public consultation on Thanet Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (TCWIP). The purpose of this report that was presented to the meeting was to seek Cabinet’s agreement to consult on the draft Thanet Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan. The draft Plan was the consolidation of nearly three years’ work on developing a potential network of cycling and walking routes in the District and this report set out the need for and a recommendation to undertake wider public consultation on the draft Plan. The consultation would:

• Enable the Council to gather wider public views on the draft Plan;
• Give greater weight to the adopted TCWIP; and
• Provide essential support for ongoing bids for funding to deliver cycling and walking infrastructure in the district.

It was important to consult on the draft Thanet Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (TCWIP), to ensure that local people, and other key stakeholders, could comment on the overall network strategy, as this would form the basis for future funding bids for scheme projects. The development of the draft Plan had been informed by a significant level of engagement 2021. Stakeholder groups, including councillors met with Sustrans to help inform the initial urban audit in 2021.

It was proposed to run the consultation for a period of six weeks. In-person public engagement events would be arranged across Thanet during this period. There was a need to consult with other key stakeholders. It was proposed that Cabinet agree to publish the draft Thanet Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (TCWIP) for consultation for a period of six weeks.

Councillor Pugh spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor Yates seconded and Cabinet agreed to publish the draft Thanet Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (TCWIP) for consultation for a period of six weeks.

Report to follow.

Cabinet discussed the Warm Homes Local Grant (WHLG) proposals. This was a Government funded scheme with the ambition of upgrading five million homes over the next three-to-five years to cut bills for families and deliver warmer homes to reduce fuel poverty. This scheme would also help with reducing carbon emissions in support of the net zero target by 2050. Following a rigorous bidding process, Thanet District Council had been awarded £1.5m in grant funding.

WHLG was a fully funded scheme for eligible owner occupiers. Landlords will get one property fully funded and all other properties will require a 50% landlord contribution. Cost caps were £15,000 per home for energy performance upgrades, such as insulation, and £15,000 per home for low carbon heating, such as Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP). A possible £30,000 was achievable per home and these figures could be averaged out over the funding period.

Thanet District Council was a member of a framework that could enable it to call-off an established installer via a direct award (subject to council compliance with framework conditions). Cabinet was asked to approve the following recommendations:

1.  That Cabinet agrees officers accept and distribute the £1.55M (approx.) funding allocated in accordance with the eligibility criteria set out in this report;

2.  That delegated authority is given to the Head of Housing and Planning to agree with Procurement & Legal colleagues a direct award to appoint an installer by calling them off of a framework that the Council is a member of.

Councillor Bayford spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

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

1.  That officers accept and distribute the £1.55M (approx.) funding allocated in accordance with the eligibility criteria set out in this report;

2.  That delegated authority is given to the Head of Housing and Planning to agree with procurement colleagues a direct award to appoint an installer by calling them off of a framework that the Council is a member of.

Report to follow.

Cabinet considered the Tenancy Strategy and Tenant Management Policy which required regular updates to remain compliant with national legislation and to reflect local housing needs. The revised documents incorporate recent legislative changes, including the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and Awaab’s Law, while also updating social and housing data relevant to the district.

The Tenant Management Policy was required by all social landlords and should have regard to the contents of the Tenancy Strategy. The policy outlined what tenancy flexibility could be offered, how tenancies were managed, how tenancies were ended and the criteria for tenancy succession. Cabinet was asked the following recommendations:

1.  To approve the draft Tenancy Strategy and Tenant Management Policy for consultation.

2.  To authorise officers to undertake a consultation process with key stakeholders, including tenants, tenant representative groups, and Registered Providers.

3.  To delegate authority to the Director of Place to make any necessary minor amendments following consultation before final adoption by Cabinet.

Councillor Whitehead proposed, Councillor Yates seconded and Cabinet agreed the following, to:

1.  Approve the draft Tenancy Strategy and Tenant Management Policy for consultation;

2.  Authorise officers to undertake a consultation process with key stakeholders, including tenants, tenant representative groups, and Registered Providers;

3.  Delegate authority to the Director of Place to make any necessary minor amendments following consultation before final adoption by Cabinet.