Agenda item

To receive a report from the Leader of the Council in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.4.

The Leader, Councillor Everitt, gave his report making the following key points:

·  Ramsgate had been awarded an additional £20m as part of the extension of the long term plan for towns.

·  Thanks to officers working on Ramsgate regeneration programme were given. This was considered an exciting opportunity.

·  The Home Office had halted plans to build a secure removals centre at Manston.

·  It had been reported that rising numbers of migrants had been crossing the channel in 2024. The Home Office planned to upgrade the standard of its migrant reception facility at Manston, creating permanent structures to replace temporary ones. The council would continue to liaise with them about planning issues, although this council will not be the decision maker.

·  The marketing exercise for the Winter Gardens was being relaunched with the £4m town deal fund now attached.

·  The council had success regarding the push to expand the council’s affordable housing stock.

·  The home energy team had been doing great work which included helping residents access grants and learn about opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

·  The council had been awarded £675,000 from the Swimming Pool Support Fund, which would be used to pay for solar panels and variable speed filter pumps at Ramsgate Leisure Centre.

·  £200,000 in grants from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund had been granted to the council. Approximately, £194,000 of this went to 26 community, voluntary and social enterprise groups across the most deprived communities in the district, focused on Cliftonville West, Dane Valley and Margate Central, in Margate; and Newington and Northwood, and Central Harbour and Eastcliff, in Ramsgate.

·  It was pleasing that the Local Government Boundary Commission for  England supported the council’s recommendation that the council should move to 42 councillors in 2027.

Councillor Pugh, as Leader of the Conservative Group, made the following points:

·  The £4m funding for the Winter Gardens was welcomed.

·  Thanks to the home energy team was shared.

·  Levelling up deadlines were fast approaching, many aspects of the project should have been finalised by this point in time. It was questioned whether the council would commit to doing all the current open projects in Ramsgate and Margate.

·  The shared prosperity fund news was welcomed.

Councillor Everitt responded with the following points:

·  Levelling up deadlines were being work towards.

Councillor Garner, as Leader of the Green Group, made the following points:

·  All new money that the council was granted was considered a positive. Smaller communities would benefit from the funding.

·  The expansion of the council’s housing stock was positive. However, there was a need for more council properties.

·  Thanks to officers in the home energy team were given.

·  Keeping the districts streets cleaned was a hot topic, and increased spending was crucial.

Councillor Everitt responded with the following points:

·  The right to buy was a large part of the reason why there was a major housing crisis.

·  Tribute to Councillor Whitehead was paid for her contributions on the housing work.

Councillor Worrow was not present at the meeting.