Meeting Details

On the proposition of Councillor Langdon Morris, seconded by Councillor Candy it was unanimously

RESOLVED

 That the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 July 2024 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair

The Leader of the Council

The Chair announced that Councillor Wilson had taken the role of Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Transport. Councillor Topping thanked Councillor Hammond for all of the work he had done in the role.

Councillor Beavan the Cabinet Member with responsibility for housing introduced report ES/2067 which related to Rogue Landlord Policy and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.

The report proposed that the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) and Rogue Landlord Policies were adopted to provide guidance to officers in the Private Sector Housing (PSH) team on how to apply the legislative tools available to them when regulating the private rented sector, and to provide transparency to tenants and landlords in the sector on how the work will be achieved.

The Head of Housing advised that there would be stronger powers to take action against landlords who do not act legally. There was a discussion about energy standards in homes and funding options available to get rented properties up to a good standard.

Councillor Jepson queried if there was sufficient resilience within the existing staff team to manage additional work generated.  Councillor Beavan responded that there could be the need for additional staff in the future. The Head of Housing added that there were a number of staff who can enforce notices. If there was a need for additional staff it would likely be cost neutral.  

Councillor Byatt queried if staff from other authorities could be utilised to support any work in East Suffolk. The Councillor asked if powers of entry had been used and if there was data available for rogue landlords that had issued enforcement notices.

Head of Housing responded that rogue landlords were few and far between and the vast majority wanted to work positively with the Council.  

 Powers of entry were utilised frequently. Each district and borough employ their own staff, however the team work closely with other Councils. 

 On the proposition of Councillor Beavan, seconded by Councillor Langdon-Morris it was unanimously.

 RESOLVED

 That Cabinet adopts:

 1. The ESC Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) Policy; and

 2. The joint Suffolk Rogue Landlords Policy

Councillor Yule, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning and Coastal Management introduced report ES/2068 which related to CIL Funding Bids 2024-25, the updated CIL Spending Strategy and the Infrastructure Funding Statement 2023-24.

Councillor Yule outlined several projects which benefitted from the CIL as outlined the report.

The Chair thanked the CIL working group and Supporting Officers for the work they do. 

Councillor Candy requested information regarding the ring-fenced money for education. 

The Head of Planning and Coastal Management outlined that the infrastructure funding statement which was published every year. It provided the infrastructure needs of the district. Both local plans had a strong infrastructure understanding underpinning them and had an infrastructure delivery plan at the back of them which was annually reviewed.

There was a big education component included. The team meet with the County Council on a monthly basis to review where the needs are coming from and what the capacities and requirements for expansion were. The County Council had been asked to think longer term to ensure that the money can be ringfenced and planned for in advance. It was anticipated that there would be some larger education projects coming forward in the next few years. 

There was discussion regarding the CIL money being separate from East Suffolk Council’s budgeting process and the potential opportunities to use CIL funding for some young people focused projects and initiatives. 

 The Chair advised that it was down to local communities to bid to the CIL working group for funding. Contact was made with town and parishes providing details on how much money there was available.

 Councillor Yule added that there had been Parish Forums, and most are well versed in CIL spending. If any parish council needed further information or training, it could be provided.

Councillor Yule highlighted that the working group were looking for good business cases to be put forward for funding requests. 

 The importance of play spaces was highlighted and CIL could be used for both district owned play facilities and town and parishes who wish to improve sites or initiate projects.

 The Head of Planning and Coastal Management outlined that when CIL was collected the main amount of it would be district CIL which would be used in the main for essential infrastructure projects.  When a town or parish council had a neighbourhood plan in place before planning permission was granted, 25% of the money received would go to the town or parish council and that was called neighbourhood CIL. If there was no neighbourhood plan then 15% would go to the town and parish.

 Local CIL was a term established in East Suffolk, which complimented the neighbourhood CIL. If there was projects with neighbourhood CIL investment and some district CIL was requested, it would fall within the scope of Local CIL. 

 There was a discussion regarding local health provision and the challenges of getting match funding from local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). 

 Chief Executive Officer advised that East Suffolk Council was involved in a variety of governance arrangements with ICBs and various boards. There were complexities to GP surgeries and them being individual businesses. Lobbying continued to give consideration longer term strategic plans for surgeries and the delivery of primary care. 

 The red flagged projects were aligned with the delivery of growth to local plans and would be implemented over the next 15 / 20 years. 

 On the proposition of Councillor Yule, seconded by Councillor Whitelock it was unanimously 

 RESOLVED

 That Cabinet:

 1. Approved the recommendations of the CSWG within the CIL spending Report and to approve funding for the District CIL bid projects proposed to support the planned new housing developments across the East Suffolk area.

 2. Noted the ringfencing of £13m District CIL by the CIL Spending Working Group to secure Health  and Education projects proposed to be delivered in the 5-year period.

 3. Approved the CSWG recommended amendments to the CIL Spending Strategy, namely:

a) The new annual allocation of 3% of the financial year District CIL receipts to create a new Local  CIL Play Fund (for funding of play park improvement projects in areas of growth, in line with the existing allocation criteria of Local CIL Bids - £50k max match funded projects).

b) For the CSWG to approve the requested sums for forward funding of Neighbourhood CIL allocations, subject to officer verification and recommendation to a maximum value of up to £1m. (including the required updated Terms of Reference to clarify and update the CIL Spending Strategy to provide for annual reporting on this to Cabinet)

c) The addition to the Strategy of new actions to ensure the ongoing review of ringfencing needs and affordability from CIL is considered across future years and to include the reporting of ringfenced sums to Cabinet.

4. Approved the draft Infrastructure Funding Statement 2023-24 (Appendix C) for publication, subject to minor amendments to be approved through the Chair of the CIL Spending Working Group/Cabinet Member for Planning. Publication to be made by 31 December 2024 statutory deadline.

Councillor Noble, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Environment introduced report ES/2069 which related to Simpler Recycling: Decision on a collection model for East Suffolk.

The government had legislated for Councils to align their waste and recycling services with new nationwide Simpler Recycling requirements by 31 March 2026. The council would need to vary the existing dry recycling collection service to include glass, cartons, and plastic film (2027). This is in addition to the requirement to provide all households with a weekly food waste collection by 31 March 2026, as previously approved by Cabinet.

 The report considered the requirements and opportunities around the future recycling and refuse collections from households and sought to provide future waste services that deliver the best outcomes for the public purse, recycling performance and the environment and crucially, resident satisfaction, engagement and understanding.

The preferred option would be twin stream with a three weekly collections for general waste.

 There was a considered debate which raised potential issues of clinical waste, disposal of nappies, types of caddies available and the limitations of space for some communities, those who live in flats / apartments or in properties where bin storage is not available.

 Members queried where refuse would be taken with the new legislation. There would be specific sites and if required Suffolk County Council would need to build an additional site. Food waste would be taken to an aerobic digestion site. 

 The importance of a good communication strategy for the community was highlighted. Home composting would be promoted as part of a campaign and it was hoped that dividing home waste in the new proposal would show households how much food waste was being produced.

 Councillor Noble reassured Members that there would be further exploration regarding the detail and logistics of how the operational delivery would work. The purpose of the report before Cabinet was to decide which option the Cabinet would support and recommend to Full Council.

Councillor Noble concluded that there was significant opportunity to lead the way and make a difference.

 On the proposition of Councillor Noble, seconded by Councillor Ashton it was unanimous

 RESOLVED

 That Cabinet:

1. Recommended Option C in the report to Full Council i.e. the introduction of twin stream recycling along with 3 weekly refuse collections in conjunction with weekly food waste collections.