Agenda and draft minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

Under the Code of Conduct members are reminded that in declaring interests you should make clear the nature of that interest and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest, registerable interest or other interest.

There were no interests declared.

There were no questions received.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 2025

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 2025.

It was moved by Councillor T Gillard, seconded by Councillor T Saffell and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 2025 be approved and signed by the Chair as an accurate record of proceedings.

Reason for decision: The Cabinet (Executive) Procedure Rules required that the minutes of the previous meeting are considered and confirmed as a correct record.

The report of the Strategic Director of Resources

Presented by the Corporate and Finance Portfolio Holder

The Finance and Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report.

It was moved by Councillor K Merrie, seconded by Councillor N Rushton and

RESOLVED THAT:

1) The supplementary estimates, detailed in Appendix 2 that are above £10K and below £250K, be approved.

2) The virements, detailed at paragraph 3.4 that are above £100K and below £250K, be approved.

3) The movement of Capital schemes, detailed in paragraph 4.2 from the Development Pool to Active Programme, be approved.

Reason for decision: The Council’s Financial Procedure Rules, Section 2, paragraphs A24 to A28 stipulate the procedures for virements and supplementary estimates, whilst the Council’s Capital Strategy sets out the Governance of the Capital Programme.

Report of the Strategic Director of Resources

Presented by the Corporate and Finance Portfolio Holder

The Finance and Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report.

It was commented that the report provided the Cabinet with good news and that normality, post-COVID, had been attained. The Director of Resources was commended for providing the Cabinet with ‘positive numbers’.

The report was noted.

Reason for decision: The Council’s Financial Procedure Rules state that the S151 Officer must monitor and control expenditure against budget allocations and report to Cabinet on the overall position on a regular basis.

Report of the Strategic Director of Resources

Presented by the Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

The Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder presented the report.

The report was noted.

Reason for decision:

The Council’s Financial Procedure Rules state that the S151 Officer must monitor and control expenditure against budget allocations and report to Cabinet on the overall position on a regular basis.

Report of the Strategic Director of Resources

Presented by the Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

The Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder presented the report.

Comments from Corporate Scrutiny Committee on the Customer Experience Strategy 2026-2028 report were considered and acknowledged in turn. It was added by a member that they were glad for the comments, as the item was important. All comments made by Cabinet would be received by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee.

It was moved by Councillor A Woodman, seconded by Councillor
T Gillard and

RECOMMENDED THAT:

The Customer Experience Strategy 2026-2028 be approved.

Reason for decision: The Council’s Constitution states that Cabinet is responsible for the development of strategy for the Council and reviewing strategies.

Report of the Strategic Director of Communities

Presented by the Community and Climate Change Portfolio Holder

The Community and Climate Change Portfolio Holder presented the report.

Members commented that the amount of work in the report was important as it provided the evidence to support successful provision of funding to the district’s leisure sector which would therefore lead to acquiring the facilities required by residents. It was added that the inclusion of all play areas was valuable.

It was moved by Councillor M Wyatt, seconded by Councillor N Rushton and

RECOMMENDED THAT:

The next steps highlighted in section 8 of the report be approved.

Reason for decision:

To allow for further engagement on the strategies so they can be refined and finalised prior to reporting to Cabinet on 28 April 2026 with a further report to seek approval for the strategies to be adopted by the Council and used as an evidence base in the revised Local Plan.

The officers consider that the press and public should be excluded during consideration of the following items in accordance with Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 as publicity would be likely to result in disclosure of exempt or confidential information.  Members are reminded that they must have regard to the public interest test and must consider, for each item, whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption from disclosure outweighs the public interest in making the item available.

RESOLVED THAT:

In pursuance of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the business to be transacted involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and that the public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Reason for decision: To enable the consideration of exempt information.

Report of the Strategic Director of Communities

Presented by the Community and Climate Change Portfolio Holder

The Community and Climate Change Portfolio Holder presented the report.

It was moved by Councillor M Wyatt, seconded by Councillor K Merrie and

RESOLVED THAT:

The recommendations in the report be approved.

Reason for decision:

To procure and award a contract for waste and recycling containers in compliance with the Council’s contract procedures rules and overarching legislation.