Meeting Details

On the proposition of Councillor Gandy seconded by Councillor Gee it was unanimously 

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 February2024 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Chair  

 The Chair announced he had been pleased to attend the production of Draining the Swamp at Beccles Public Hall and Theatre on 4 March 2024.

Vice-Chair 

 The Vice Chair announced he had attended the following events:

 St Johns Ambulance Annual Awards Ceremony in Ipswich on 2 March 2024

 Suffolk Community Foundation’s Annual Review 2022/23 and High Sheriff Awards at Trinity Park on 12 March 2024

 The Suffolk Justice Service Choral Evensong at St Edmundsbury Cathedral on 17 March 2024

The Vice Chair was due to attend ‘Understanding Ramadan Iftar’ at Suffolk One on 15 March 2024, unfortunately the event had to be cancelled due to a fire the day before.

Leader

The Leader announced that with effect from 6 March 2024 Councillor Noble replaced Councillor Candy on the Environmental Task Group.

With effect from 23 April 2024 Councillor Bennett would replace Councillor Graham on Planning Committee South.  On the same date Councillor Graham would replace Councillor Hammond on Planning Committee North.

Councillor Bennett would be replacing Councillor Grey on the Police and Crime panel and Councillor Ninnmey replaced Councillor Grey on Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Leader added a second announcement which was related to East Suffolk Trust.

‘East Suffolk Trust is the environmental charity being set up by Sizewell C with funding of c£80m during the construction and operation of SzC. The Deed of Obligation requires six founding members – 2 each to be appointed by SZC Co., Suffolk County Council (SCC) and East Suffolk Council (ESC). 

SZC Co. have appointed their two members:

Steve Mannings, employed by SZC Co as their Sizewell Environment lead

Julian Roughton, former CEO of Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

 Following discussions with myself, Cllr Daly, Officers, and SCC it was decided that ESC and SCC appoint non-political individuals external to the two Councils. This allows the opportunity to bring in people with relevant experience and skills, to bring new ideas and challenges to maximise the effectiveness of the Trust across East Suffolk.

ESC appointments have now been made following a short recruitment campaign and I am delighted to advise Council we have appointed:

Professor Lynn Dicks, Professor of Ecology, Cambridge University Heather Broughton, current (retiring) board member of National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Midlands and East Committee

SCC appointments:

 Clare Matterson, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society

 Dr Zorzeta Bakaki, University of Essex, Dept of Government

 The first meeting of the Trustees has taken place to prepare the formal submission to the Charity Commission.

Councillor Whitlock highlighted the successful annual Community Partnership Forum which was held at Trinity Park on Friday 22 March 2024. It was attended by 200 delegates from 97 organisations including voluntary, faith, local government and community organisations. 

The focus was on growing inequalities and there was a range of workshops. In addition there were 30 market stalls offering information on services provided in the district. Feedback received to date had been positive with 92% of respondents stating the learnt something that would change the way they work. 100% of respondents states the event was useful overall. 

Councillor Whitelock thanked the Communities, Democratic Services and Events teams along with the EELGA Trinity Park Events team for their work on organising and delivering the Forum. 

Councillor Langdon-Morris updated that a Green Investment account with Barclays had been identified, which the Treasury Manager was comfortable met the required criteria. The modalities for the management of the fund were ongoing with upcoming meetings to finalise, before sharing with Members to agree the future management of the fund. 

Councillor Smith-Lyte summarised her attendance at the Ipswich Ramadan Iftar at Ipswich Mosque, the hospitality was very generous, and it was a great event. Councillor Smith-Lyte thanked Councillor Candy for substituting her place on the Environmental Task Group for Councillor Noble.

Councillor Candy added that the Iftar event was excellent and there were interesting talks throughout. 

Chief Executive 

The Chief Executive announced the retirement of Strategic Director, Andrew Jarvis who would be leaving the East Suffolk Council during July 2024 after 40 years working in local government and 9 years with East Suffolk. The Strategic Director would continue to work in his role with East Suffolk Services Limited (ESSL). There would be a recruitment process, which would commence after the Easter break. 

The Chief Executive announced that the Head of Planning and Coastal Management would be moving into the role of Head of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Planning on 1 April 2024. The recruitment for the Head of Planning and Coastal Management would also commence after the East Break. 

The Chief Executive concluded his announcements to highlight the East Suffolk Council Staff Awards which took place on 26 March 2024 and shared the names of the award winners and congratulated all who were nominated. 

Question from Michael Warren to Councillor Tom Daly, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Energy and Climate Change

 
A Council meeting was held on Wednesday 24th July 2019 during which a climate emergency was declared. Since that time nearly five years have passed, but from my observations of our environment in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, little or nothing has changed. What, in our surroundings, would we have to observe to conclude that there was/is no emergency, and that the declaration can be withdrawn? 

Response from Councillor Daly, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Energy and Climate Change 

 ‘Thank you for this question with its local emphasis. Climate change is a multi-decade and global process where anecdotal observations within narrow timeframes and geographies could be unhelpful. That said though, from a local perspective, I would invite a view from the lane of the garden of Red Lodge in Thorpeness. So recently a large house, now a cliff edge. All predictors are of increasing coastal erosion as sea levels rise as SZC and all other coastal interests must now account for.

 I spoke to a farmer last week who told me that heavy rain events that he would expect at most twice a year are now coming ten times a year. We all should know, to the cost of our communities, the heavy toll of flooding this winter with some still not able to access their homes. The weather and our climate is changing. The cause, the independent variable, is by huge scientific consensus, the carbon loading of our atmosphere. This crisis is already burning parts of our world.  This is not going away.

East Suffolk Council declared a climate emergency as part of Local Authorities’ commitment across the country to address this challenge. The Climate Change Act commits the UK government by law to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% compared to 1990 levels by 2050. 

Local Authorities have a duty to help achieve this national target. Locally, East Suffolk Council and Suffolk as a whole has set a 2030 target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions. We must play our part.

Many of the anticipated effects of climate change are already ‘baked-in’ due to the rapid release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution, and positive feedback loops such as thawing tundra releasing carbon which thaws more tundra which releases more carbon. Impacts are predicted to be felt throughout the century and beyond nationally and internationally. Computer modelling is proving disturbingly accurate on this. Therefore, our climate may continue to be in an ‘emergency’ situation way beyond 2050. 

May I also refer the constituent to the wider positive benefits from addressing the climate emergency. These include improving air and water quality, restoring our lost biodiversity, reducing reliance on finite fossil fuel reserves and improving energy security. Therefore, addressing the climate emergency is a sound use of public resources and funding in many different ways, beyond our duty to help meet the nation’s legally-binding target. There are multiplier benefits to changing the way we use and consume resources and our behaviours and making them more planet centred. This administration is absolutely committed to this.’

Question from Kate Stott (Member of Use Your Voice Lowestoft) to Councillor Caroline Topping, Leader of the Council

 
In light of the recent decision by East Suffolk Council to halt work on the Lowestoft tidal barrier, could the Council provide an update on how it sees this project being completed and by when?

In the meantime, how will ESC now respond to planning applications for new developments in areas at risk of flooding due to the lack of the barrier? In particular, given that potential purchasers are likely to be able to secure neither insurance nor mortgages for new properties in these areas.

Given the threat to future jobs and businesses in Lowestoft, what cost-benefit analysis has been done as regards not investing in a tidal barrier?

Response from Councillor Topping, Leader of the Council

Funding for flood defence schemes is awarded through the Environment Agency’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid and on the basis of not securing the necessary funding from this or other sources within Central Government, East Suffolk Council had no choice but to halt the work. Conversations have continued with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency in an attempt to secure this funding, and were this achieved, we would look to restart the project, with consideration for the impact caused by the delay and re-profiling of the project. However, we also have to be realistic and develop our plans based on the likelihood that this funding will not be forthcoming - which is, of course, something which no-one in this Chamber wanted. 

In May 2023, while building the business case for the Barrier, the Council commissioned additional economic assessments of the scheme and the benefits to wider partners and government departments. It considered the 100 year economic benefit of the scheme which covered both the positives and negatives. The Council widely shared this prospectus in Summer 2023, including with the Environment Agency, other government departments and potential funders. And, together with the MP, we used this to lobby Central Government.  We had hoped our discussions would lead to positive outcomes for the barrier project in either the Autumn Statement or Spring Budget given the wider benefits, but sadly this has not happened. 

I would like to reassure residents and businesses that in the meantime 1.4km of temporary defences would be deployed along Lake Lothing in the event of a tidal surge. These will work in conjunction with the completed £28.8m Tidal Walls on Hamilton Road, Waveney Road, Station Square and along the South Pier, to provide better protection from the risk to tidal flooding to some of the most vulnerable areas of Lowestoft. This is already a significant improvement from the situation in 2013. And in the likelihood of this being the main additional form of defence into the future, we will continue to ensure that this deployment is well rehearsed and as effective as possible.

However, while the absence of funding for the Barrier is disappointing, it was one of many investments in the future of Lowestoft and we will not let this setback define the outlook for the Town. Lowestoft’s flood protection is much better than it was in 2013 and there are other projects which highlight why Lowestoft has such a bright future. I know everyone in the Chamber recognises the importance of a thriving Lowestoft to East Suffolk. The Gullwing Bridge is nearing completion, there is visible investment in the Outer Harbour and ‘Power Park’ and the Towns Fund projects are progressing well. The Council is currently consulting on its Masterplan for Kirkley Waterfront, work on the Jubilee Seafront is underway and both the Post Office project and the Town-Council led Town Hall project have recently passed significant milestones. 

This Council will continue to work with residents, businesses and partners to promote Lowestoft, to invest in the Town and bring forward projects that will attract future jobs and businesses - creating a thriving economy for local people.

Question from Councillor Amanda Folley to Councillor Toby Hammond, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Economic Development and Transport

 
As you will be aware, a parking  review has recently been completed for Felixstowe. As we all appreciate, tourism is an important source of income for the town, and we want to encourage as many visitors to come here as possible. Is it now the intention of this Council to introduce parking charges along the length of Sea Road, and if that is so, what provision will we make for long-term parking around the town as we need to support the local economy?

Response from Councillor Toby Hammond, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Economic Development and Transport

'There is a strong connection between parking policy and the economic success of the high streets.

We are carrying out a series of town-by-town parking reviews to ensure that our on-street parking arrangement best supports the changing needs of our towns.  As part of this process, we have carried out three meetings with Felixstowe town and district Councillors to understand what issues are currently presented by local parking regulations.  To date there have been three meetings, most recently on 28 February 2024 East Suffolk Council presented a range of options to Felixstowe town and district Councillors to address some of the issues we’d been told about in previous sessions.  

The option of paid on-street parking or time limited parking on Sea Road was presented as one possible approach to better regulate parking in that area.  We discussed the advantages and disadvantages, and also suggested alternative approaches which were comprehensively discussed. There was not much support for chargeable parking on sea road at the meeting. 

The next stage of this process is to agree which of these options East Suffolk Council and Felixstowe Town Council want to go out to public consultation on.  No decisions have been made and the parking review is an ongoing process with opportunity for continued consultation.  Once the two Councils have agreed jointly, what the correct approach is to support the town, its residents and its businesses, we will start the legal process to apply for changes to the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).

Councillor Folley asked the following supplementary question:

The attendees were told that it was the final meeting and there would not be anymore opportunities to put forward concerns or points of view. Councillor Folley questioned how the consultation could continue if there were no more meetings to be arranged. 

Councillor Hammond responded to state that Officers would be going back with some information regarding the recommendations which were drawn from what was discussed and this would be forthcoming in the next week.

There may not be another physical meeting, however it was not a unilateral process and was a to be a collaborative process working with Felixstowe Town Council and other stakeholders. Councillor Hammond reassured there would be opportunities to discuss the issues further. 

Motion from Councillor Peter Byatt, to be seconded by Councillor Mike Deacon

This Council notes that: 

1. It declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019 and a Biodiversity and Ecological Emergency in February 2024;

2. The Strategic Plan, Our Direction, includes the Environment as one of only four themes, promising several active programmes that should deliver positive climate, nature and environmental impact;

3. The budget confirmed vast sums of taxpayer money will be allocated to meet our aims, including the bulk of a new Reserve, The Strategic Plan Reserve, at £6 million and

4. A number of other Councils at town, District and County level in the UK that have also declared a Climate Emergency and Biodiversity Emergency have created new Committees to give this topic the weight and importance it deserves.

This Council resolves to:

1. Consider the establishment of a new Committee of Full Council, the Environment Committee, that would replace the Environmental Task Group. This Committee would advise Cabinet and Full Council on the policies, actions and resources required to deliver on our climate change and environmental ambitions and to provide progress on achieving agreed targets and outcomes that will include

- Continuing our commitment to net zero by 2030;
- Supporting sustainable transport;
- Restoring ecosystems and biodiversity;
- Supporting, promoting and implementing green tech;
- Working in partnership to manage coastal adaptation and resilience;
- Focusing on reduction, re-use and recycling of materials;
- Encouraging food self-sufficiency and
- Preserving and maintaining the District’s beauty and heritage.

2. Request that the Constitution Review Working Group works out the detail of the Environment Committee, to be agreed by Full Council, such as its terms of reference, membership, how often it meets etc.

Councillor Byatt introduced the Motion and outlined that the Council had shown admirable foresight by declaring a climate emergency in July 2019 and a biodiversity and ecological emergency in February 2024.

The GLI group had established a new strategic plan ‘Our Direction’ which had the environment one of its four pivotal themes with significant funds allocated to deliver the programmes within ‘Our Direction’ 

Councillor Byatt highlighted that other authorities had implemented committees to tackle environmental issues.

 The new committee would serve as the beacon for delivering action on tackling environmental matters. The committee would have a much broader responsibility. The current Environmental Task Group (ETG) does not hold meeting in public, which would allow observers and did not currently have the breadth of influence a committee structure could. 

The motion was seconded by Councillor Deacon who reserved his right to speak. 

Councillor Jepson supported the motion and expressed his concern from recent Overview and Scrutiny meetings where a lack of strategic vision and direction was evident. Councillor Jepson echoed that Members wanted to see change.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Topping outlined the Terms of Reference from the ETG and welcomed intention of the motion. Councillor Topping outlined that transparency was important to the administration, the agendas, and minutes from the ETG meetings were available for Members to access.

Councillor Topping advised that the group's terms of reference would be adjusted to allow members to attend and contribute to the meeting at the discretion of the Chair.

Councillor Hammond proposed an amendment to three parts of the motion 

Under the ‘Council notes that’ the amendment would strike the word only from point two

It would read 

2. The Strategic Plan, Our Direction, includes the Environment as one of four themes, promising several active programmes that should deliver positive climate, nature and environmental impact; 

The second amendment would strike the words ‘vast sums of taxpayers money’ from point three and replace with the word ‘funding’

It would read 

3. The budget confirmed funding will be allocated to meet our aims, including the bulk of a new Reserve, The Strategic Plan Reserve, at £6 million and

The proposed amendment would see clause two of ‘The Council resolves to’ be removed. 

Councillor Hammond talked to the rationale for the proposed amendments.  The removal of clause two under 'This Council Resolves To' connected to governance model of operation at East Suffolk Council being a Leader and Cabinet one. Councillor Hammond summed up that the appropriate place for environmental policy decisions would be with Cabinet. 

Councillor Deacon raised a point of order querying that the removal of clause two would negate the motion itself. 

The Chair advised that as clause one stated 'to consider the establishment of' not 'to establish a new committee' it would it would not negate the motion to remove clause two. 

The proposed amendment was seconded by Councillor Smith-Lyte who stated that the motion seemed a rhetorical one, the ETG was transparent and had recently appointed Councillor Gooch from the Labour group with a cross party approach. The group was inherited from the previous administration in its current form and changes could be made. Councillor Smith-Lyte stated the group was working through priorities and she would be taking recommendations to cabinet.

Councillor Rivett agreed with Councillor Deacon that removal of part two would  fundamentally change the principle of motion and he would not support the amendment. 

The Chair reiterated that the removal of clause two would not undermine the motion because the motion was asking Council to consider forming a committee. 

After a considered debate across the chamber the proposed amendment to the motion was passed with 27 members voting in favour of the amendment and 19 against. 

Councillor Deacon proposed a further amendment, seconded by Councillor Byatt. The amendment proposed under clause one of ‘This council resolves to’ 

1, ‘Establish a new committee.’

Councillor Byatt highlighted the importance of Full Council being able to have robust debate and felt strongly that a Committee was needed. 

Councillor Jepson reiterated the concern regarding the strategic direction of the ETG in it's current form and stated he would be supporting the amendment. 

Councillor Deacon summed up the debate for the amendment.

The amendment was put to a vote, 19 Members voted in favour, 27 opposed and the amendment did not pass

Full Council considered the substantive motion and Councillor Byatt summed up that Councillor Topping, in her inaugural speech in May 2023 stated ‘this new Council was a great opportunity to establish a new way of doing things’ and the intention of the motion was talking about a new way of doing things.

Councillor Byatt wanted to see transparency with environmental matters at the core. The environment was a concern of everyone. 

The substantive motion as amended was put to a vote with 27 Members voting in favour and 19 against. 

 It was therefore 

RESOLVED:

This Council notes that:

1. It declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019 and a Biodiversity and Ecological Emergency in February 2024;

2. The Strategic Plan, Our Direction, includes the Environment as one of four themes, promising several active programmes that should deliver positive climate, nature and environmental impact;

3. The budget confirmed funding will be allocated to meet our aims, including the bulk of a new Reserve, The Strategic Plan Reserve, at £6 million and

4. A number of other Councils at town, District and County level in the UK that have also declared a Climate Emergency and Biodiversity Emergency have created new Committees to give this topic the weight and importance it deserves.

This Council resolves to:

1. Consider the establishment of a new Committee of Full Council, the Environment Committee, that would replace the Environmental Task Group. 

This Committee would advise Cabinet and Full Council on the policies, actions and resources required to deliver on our climate change and environmental ambitions and to provide progress on achieving agreed targets and outcomes that will include; 

- Continuing our commitment to net zero by 2030; 
- Supporting sustainable transport; - Restoring ecosystems and biodiversity; 
- Supporting, promoting and implementing green tech; 
- Working in partnership to manage coastal adaptation and resilience; 
- Focusing on reduction, re-use and recycling of materials; 
- Encouraging food self-sufficiency and 
- Preserving and maintaining the District’s beauty and heritage.

The Chair introduced the report which related to the Review of East Suffolk’s Model District Council (MDC) on 9 February 2024, and recommendations to establish a permanent East Suffolk Youth Council.

Councillor Speca stated that Councillors would have been aware of MDC which took place on 9 February with 53 students attending the Riverside Officers to play the role of Councillors for a day. The Chair offered his thanks to the Monitoring Officer for the report presented, and Democratic Services and Communities Teams for their work on the project to date.

An outcome of the day was to put forward consideration to establish a Youth Council. There would be no budgetary impact with funding coming from the Civic Budget to support the implementation of a new Youth Council for East Suffolk. 

The Youth Council could not have the same legal processes as Full Council, however Councillor Speca would be working to ensure there was a mechanism for the work of the Youth Council to be heard at Full Council. 

Councillor Speca moved the recommendations which were seconded by Councillor Whitelock and Councillor Byatt.

Councillor Whitelock stated that future lies in hand of young people and it was important they understand democratic process. Councillor Byatt added that it was a brilliant event and he looked forward to seeing the development of a Youth Council. 

Councillor Ashdown recalled there was a Youth Council with Waveney District Council which worked well. Councillor Ashdown remembered the work of Councillor Mortimer working with the Youth Council at the time. The youth council used to provide updates to Full Council. Councillor Ashdown supported the recommendations. 

Councillor Gandy supported the paper and raised that it would be helpful to look at lessons learned from previous versions of local youth councils.

Councillor Speca confirmed that the Waveney Youth Council continues to exist and there would be a plan to expand it to cover the south of the district and it was important to build in effective lines of communication between the Youth Council and East Suffolk Council. 

Councillor Smithson queried if there would be connection with Suffolk Youth Parliament.

Councillor Speca responded there was a wider context, which would consider connections to Suffolk Youth Parliament and there was a likelihood that some of the young people who become involved would participate in both. 

The Leader, Councillor Topping stated that  theday was brilliant and recognised the importance of engaging young people in local government, voting, and providing opportunities for them to understand the work of the Council. Councillor Topping supported the recommendations.

Councillor Gooch endorsed Councillor Topping and commended the design of the participant guides which were produced for the MDC.  With a great deal of voter apathy during difficult circumstances for people both nationally and internationally increasing voter turnout and engagement was needed. Councillor Gooch stated she would love to be involved and commented on the poor delivery of political education. 

Councillor Bennett discussed the use of technology in the voting process from registration to physically voting and was interested to see how young people would feel about the modernisation of voting when currently it is done with paper and pencil.  

Councillor King commented that voter turnout was 47% for the youngest demographic in the 2019 and over 65s was 74%. Councillor King stated the work being done was brilliant. Councillor King queried if the Youth Council would be able to push for motions to Full Council which could be voted on, and if there would be a link to support young people to register to vote in the packs. 

Councillor Speca took the second question as an excellent recommendation to carry forward. 

Regarding the connection to Full Council, Councillor Speca favoured a robust connection within the legal parameters available in the Local Government Act 2000. There was a mechanism for the public to participate, one of which could be deputation. With agreement, there could be a change to the constitution to include petitions being a way for the Youth Council to engage. 

Councillor Langdon-Morris said he recently attended a local school and observed that the young people there did not seem aware of government structure and operation. There was an opportunity for young people to shadow Councillors, which would be something to consider in the future, if possible. 

Councillor Grey very much aligned with what had been said and seconded Councillor King in supporting the youth council to feed back and there was a lot that would be done within boundaries of creativity, drawing experience from his previous work with NATO.  

Councillor Plummer had a young person shadow her for a week’s work experience and recommended this opportunity.

Councillor Speca was heartened to hear the support of members in the chamber and the ideas present. 

On the proposition of Councillor Speca seconded by Councillor Whitelock it was unanimously

RESOLVED

 That Full Council

1. Welcomes and acknowledges the motion unanimously passed by youth participants in the Model District Council of 9 February 2024, calling on East Suffolk Council to establish a permanent East Suffolk Youth Council for youth at secondary-school, and further to establish lines of communication and exchange between the East Suffolk Youth Council and East Suffolk Council.

2. Establishes a permanent East Suffolk Youth Council as soon as practicably possible.

3. Delegates to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services the authority, in consultation with the Chair of East Suffolk Council, the Constitution Review Working Group and in partnership with the Head of Communities and Leisure, to develop and implement plans for a permanent East Suffolk Youth Council.

Full Council received report ES/1904, which was presented by Councillor Topping, the Leader of the Council, and provided individual Cabinet Members' reports on their areas of responsibility, as well as reports from those Members appointed to represent East Suffolk Council on Outside Bodies. The Leader stated that the written reports could be taken as read and he invited relevant questions on their contents.

Clerk's Note:  After the meeting, an error was noticed in the figures used within the Housing Needs update, in relation to the number of successful prevention and relief cases.  In the report, it stated: “Since April 2023 we have been able to prevent 513 households from becoming homeless and an additional 517 where homelessness has been relieved. This is an average of 103 cases per month with a positive outcome”.   The error was that this was the number of cases where we had accepted either a ‘Prevention’ or ‘Relief’ Duty.  The correct sentence should read:  "Since April 2023 we have been able to prevent 285 households from becoming homeless and an additional 150 where homelessness has been relieved. This is an average of 36 cases per month with a positive outcome."  This is a total of 435 successful outcomes. For comparison, last year it was 469. 

Councillor Deacon asked a question to Councillor Topping relating to page two of the report and asked if the Leader could expand on the paragraph which stated: ‘providing advice on contracts for Felixstowe Socio-Economic Analysis and Land Use Strategy’ and outline who was undertaking the analysis and strategy, on whose behalf and why. 

Councillor Topping responded that she would find out the answer to the question and feedback. 

Councillor Jepson referenced the section on housing needs, and asked if Councillor Beavan could expand on the context of the figures provided in 4th paragraph relating to how the council had prevented 513 households from becoming homeless.

Councillor Beavan responded that the team were working hard with small recourses. It was especially challenging when people have to move out of their area. There was a recognised need to up the numbers of local temporary housing options and Councillor Beavan was hoping to bring something Cabinet in the coming months. 

 Councillor Jepson stated he would like more context about what the housing team are doing to prevent people from being homeless.

 Councillor Beavan responded that there was the prevent and relief duty and summarised both.  

Councillor Jepson would continue the discussion outside of the meeting. 

 Councillor Ashdown referenced the upcoming conclusion of Lowestoft Rising and queried if the Council was going to recognise the excellent work that Phil Aves had done working in the Lowestoft area. 

 Councillor Whitelock commented that Phil Aves name comes up in many forums, his work and contribution would be recognised and he would be missed. Councillor Whitelock assured colleagues that the Lowestoft Place Board, The Waveney Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board and Lowestoft and other Villages Community Partnership were all in place and would provide ongoing work to deliver the aims of Lowestoft rising. 

Councillor Folley referenced the Safer Suffolk renters conference on page 68 of the report and asked if there were the right delegates in attendance and were there any solutions identified during the day.

Councillor Beavan responded that there are continued discussions with responsible landlords who want to the right thing by their tenants, and Councillor Folley was likely correct in the more ‘rogue’ landlords not attending the Conference. Councillor Beavan requested Members to continue to email him directly with concerns.

Councillor Gooch asked a question relating to paragraph three of page 67 of the report concerning housing and temporary accommodation. The report stated that there was 132 households in temporary accommodation and 24 placed under the Rough Sleeping Initiative.  Of those currently under a statutory placement, 85 households are families with dependent children and 47 are single households.

Councillor Gooch drew light to BBC Radio 4 programme which highlighted the mental health issues effecting young people who are living in temporary accommodation. Councillor Gooch questioned what the Council was doing to support the mental health of children in temporary accommodation.

Councillor Beavan responded that parties and all politicians had failed on housing and continued to recognise the need cross party support; the hot house was still planned to discuss housing needs further. Councillor Beavan stated he would speak with the Housing Needs Team and find out what was in place to support young people’s mental health. 

Councillor Byatt referenced the new Procurement Strategy and queried if there was a means to measure social value, which should be embedded across council activities.

Councillor Langdon-Morris responded to state he would get back to Councillor Byatt.