Meeting Details

The Chair of the Council

The Chair welcomed the Chair of East Suffolk’s Youth Council and discussed the upcoming East Suffolk Youth Council meeting due to take place on Friday 27 February 2026 at Riverside. 

The Vice-Chair of the Council

 The Vice Chair had not attended any events since the last Full Council.

 The Leader of the Council

 The Leader announced that with effect from 12 February 2026, Councillor Paul Ashton replaced Councillor Tim Wilson on the Local Plan Working Group and with effect from 23 February 2026 Councillor Sarah Plummer would take a seat on Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 

Cabinet Members

Councillor Beavan updated Full Council on the recent developments with Access Community Trust (ACT). Council teams were very responsive to the difficult circumstances and were able to immediately address the 87 bed spaces that became at risk. A partnership approach was initiated to ensure no one was left without a home / bed space.  The teams had secured 75 bed spaces of 87 at risk, and work continued at pace to reach a solution for the remaining 12 beds. The teams had negotiated additional time so no one would have to leave their home. Councillor Beavan recognised that ACT were a significant local employer; and working in partnership, employees were offered the opportunity to get urgent advice and support regarding their options. The Community Hub ‘drop in’ would be made available on Friday 27 February 2026 for people to attend. Councillor Beavan thanked the teams involved in responding to the emerging issue and was proud of the Council’s response to a very difficult situation.

 The Chief Executive

Made no announcements. 

On the proposition of Councillor Topping seconded by Councillor Daly, it was unanimously

RESOLVED

 That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2026, be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Question from Councillor Graham Parker to Councillor Paul Ashton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

A significant number of residents in my ward have raised the issue of the lack of any accessible public conveniences in Lowestoft town centre. 

What progress has the Council made towards resolving this unacceptable situation for residents and visitors?

Response from Councillor Graham Parker to Councillor Paul Ashton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

 The Council was aware of the issue with lack of public convenience provision in Lowestoft. This had become particularly problematic during the period of the redevelopment of the Battery Green site. New public conveniences and a Changing Places facility would be a feature of the new Battery Green/ Cultural Quarter development – so there was a longer-term solution to this issue, however a medium-term problem exists and the Council had been working with partners to attempt to resolve this.

 In the first instance, the Council has worked with Evolve Estates, who own the Britten Centre, to share the costs of operating the public conveniences at the Bus Station. Unfortunately, these toilets have been the target of antisocial behaviour and vandalism which has led to them being frequently closed. 

 Councillor Ashton provided an overview of the number of times the toilets had been opened and closed due to vandalism. 

Refurbished/opened Easter 2025
Closed May due to vandalism 2025
Opened July 2025
Vandalised August 2025
Re-opened October 2025
Vandalised and closed October 2025
Reopened at some point late 2025 and closed again following vandalism.
Recently re-opened and still open at the moment

The Council had also engaged with Lowestoft Library to offer additional cleaning – however, there had been a concern amongst the operators of the library that the toilets are not designed to accommodate this amount of traffic. The facility was recently closed due to problems related to overuse.

In response to this, East Suffolk Council has therefore funded and installed three temporary toilets in the Clapham Road car park, one of which was fully accessible, and these were working well. In addition, we are in discussion with providers of modular units and are seeking a site that could provide a more substantial facility close to the town centre for public use.

 In terms of other facilities – East Point Pavilion has a public convenience at the southern end of London Road North, and the Town Council owns and operates a recently refurbished facility at the Triangle Market, at the Southern end of the High Street. 

The Council does acknowledge the crucial role that suitable public conveniences play in the town centre and the importance of these being accessible to all visitors. The Council was seeking to convert the current temporary facilities into a more suitable medium-term solution as soon as possible whilst we await a new, purpose-built unit as part of the Battery Green development.

Supplementary question from Councillor Parker to Councillor Ashton

The Councillor was concerned for elderly and disabled residents who may not visit the town due to a fear not being able to find a public toilet. Could Councillor Ashton advise what alternative provisions would be provided.

Councillor Ashton responded that he felt he had covered the supplementary question in his response, he was happy to continue the conversation with Councillor Parker offline. 

The Chair of East Suffolk’s Youth Council updated Members on their upcoming meeting and the discussion of a motion which related to the future of East Suffolk Youth Council.

The Youth Council had a trip to Parliament planned for Friday 6 March 2026, which the Chair was looking forward to. The Chair thanked the Officers involved in organising the trop and also his thanks to Councillor King for supporting the trip in his other role.

The Leader, Councillor Topping introduced report ES-2718 which related to the Calendar of Meetings for 2026 – 2027 and update on Motions passed at Full Council since May 2023.

The report sought approval for the Calendar of Meetings for the 2026 / 2027 municipal year. The Calendar of Meetings provided the framework for the democratic and decision-making processes that would underpin the delivery of the key priorities identified within the Council’s East Suffolk Strategic Plan.

The Chair of the Council / Chair of the Committees had the power to call additional or ‘Extraordinary’ meetings when required, to accommodate urgent or unscheduled items of business or to change a meeting date to reflect unexpected circumstances eg bad weather.

The Calendar (once approved) would be published on the Council’s website via CMIS. The meeting papers for Full Council, Cabinet and the Committees would also be available to view on the website. 

The meeting dates for the Community Partnerships and the Community Partnership Board would be populated and once confirmed, which would be shared with Members.

The report also sought agreement to dispense with the requirement that Annual Council be held on a Wednesday in May. The Constitution Review Working Group recommended that the requirement for it to be on a Wednesday be removed. The change allowed for more flexibility, although it was recognised the preferred meeting day would continue to be a Wednesday where possible.

In addition, the report sought approval to move the Annual Council meeting from Wednesday 20 May 2026 to Monday 18 May 2026 at Riverside.

At January’s Full Council meeting the Leader committed to providing an update on motions which have been passed since May 2023. That update was provided in the appendices of the report.

Councillor Byatt commented that the task and finish group referenced in the appendix was on-going rather than completed. Councillor Jepson supported Councillor Byatt’s point and a friendly amendment to change the status to on-going was agreed.

Councillor Bennett supported the paper and thought it was a great piece of work to follow up on motions which was presented in clear way.

On the proposition of Councillor Topping seconded by Councillor Bennett, it was unanimously

RESOLVED

That Full Council:

1. Agreed to amend Council Procedure Rule 47.1 to dispense with the requirement that Annual Council be held on a Wednesday in May.

2. Approved the Calendar of Meetings for the 2026/2027 Municipal Year (Appendix A), including agreeing to move the Annual Council meeting from Wednesday 20 May 2026 to Monday 18 May 2026.

3. Agreed to change in start time of Planning Committee North and South from 14:00 to 13:00.

4. Noted the update on Motions passed at Full Council since May 2023 (Appendix B).

Councillor Packard, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning and Coastal Management introduced report ES–2719 which related to the Aldringham cum Thorpe Neighbourhood Plan.

Aldringham cum Thorpe Parish Council commenced work on the Neighbourhood Plan in May 2016 and after a number of years of work from the Parish Council and the local community, the Neighbourhood Plan successfully passed its referendum on 12 February 2026.

158 people voted (22.8% turnout) and 149 voted ‘yes’ (which equated to 94% in favour of the plan). The Neighbourhood Plan had been built around wide engagement with the community and has undergone several rounds of consultation.

Officers at East Suffolk Council provided support and guidance to the Parish Council throughout the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan.

The Neighbourhood Plan set out a range of planning policies, including:

• Housing, including scale and location, housing mix, and a principal residence policy.
• Mitigating the impacts of large scale energy projects.
• Landscape Character and Important Views 
• Biodiversity
• Drainage and flooding
• Non-Designated Heritage Assets
• Design 
• Accessibility and connectivity
• Public car parking
• Leisure and recreation
• Community Facilities
• Local Green Spaces 
• Business and employment development

In addition, there was a section titled the ‘Coastal Protection’ which highlighted the coastal erosion issues faced by the Parish. The section did not contain a policy.

Councillor Daly supported the paper which had been ten years in the making. 

On the proposition of Councillor Packard, seconded by Councillor Daly, it was unanimously 

RESOLVED

That Full Council:

Made the Aldringham cum Thorpe Neighbourhood Plan (Referendum Version, received December 2025) part of the statutory Development Plan for East Suffolk for the whole of the Aldringham cum Thorpe Neighbourhood area.

Councillor Langdon-Morris, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Resources and Value for Money to introduced report ES-2712 which related to Treasury Management Strategy 2026/27 and Non-Treasury Strategy 2026/27 report.

As required by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) the professional accountancy body exclusively dedicated to the public sector, the Treasury Management Investment and Non-Investment Strategy 2026/27 was presented to Full Council following the Audit and Governance Committee review on the 8 December 2025.

The Treasury Management Investment Strategy at Appendix A provided members with details of the economic background that the Council had been operating in and the credit outlook and interest rate forecast along with the Treasury Management Indicators which aids the Council to measure and manage its exposure to treasury management risks.

The indicators covered:

• security, liquidity, and interest rate exposure, 
• maturity structure of borrowing, 
• principal sums invested for periods longer than one year, 
• operational boundary for external debt and authorised limit for external debt.

The Non-Treasury Investment Strategy at Appendix B provided members with details on non-financial assets that the Council holds primarily or partially to generate income for the Council.

The Strategy also provided the limits to minimise the Council’s exposure and risk in managing the assets. The report was presented to the Audit and Governance Committee on the 8 December 2025.

Councillor Jepson expressed gratitude to Councillor Langdon-Morris for his briefings and comprehensive information that had been provided. The Councillor commented on the uncertainty of the future. Councillor Jepson encouraged members to consider a number of questions in consideration of the budget papers on the agenda and their own ambitions and work in their roles as Councillors. Councillor Jepson challenged all members to consider their own pride in the work they are doing. 

Councillor Jepson commented on some of the initiatives the administration had been working on. He challenged a lack of innovation and emphasised that priorities should be focused on improving the quality of East Suffolk residents’ lives. The Councillor challenged a lack of ambition in the budget, but was clear to emphasise he was not criticising the work of Officers. Councillor Jepson recognised Councillor Ashton’s ambitions to improve various service areas in the Council. Councillor Jepson concluded to urge members to question if they truly understood the financial position and to raise questions or concerns to the administration during the agenda items being heard at the Full Council meeting.

Councillor Langdon-Morris thanked Councillor Jepson for his speech. The Councillor responded that Ernst and Young had gone through the Council’s accounts and the Internal Audit team had been working with the finance team also. Councillor Langdon-Morris commented that the Council had lost approximately two years of General Fund through austerity over the last ten years, which had put a lot of pressure on the Council’s budgets. Councillor Langdon-Morris considered the circumstances around LGR, Better Recycling and other pressures. There had been a huge amount of work carried out. He was passionate about his portfolio and liked to have a grasp of the detail. Councillor Langdon-Morris hoped all Members felt free to approach him with any questions. He would continue to provide Cabinet Briefings and wider updates where available. Councillor Langdon-Morris concluded that would challenge aspirations and it was a very complicated process to bring the budgets forward to Full Council.

On the proposition of Councillor Langdon-Morris seconded by Councillor Wilson it was 

RESOLVED

That Full Council:

1. Following review and recommendation from the Audit & Governance Committee approves the Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2026/27 and Treasury Management Investment Strategy for 2026/27.

Councillor Langdon-Morris Cabinet Member with responsibility for Resources and Value for Money introduced report ES-2713 which related to the Capital Strategy 2026/27.

The Capital Strategy gave a high-level overview of how capital expenditure, capital financing and treasury management activity contributed to the provision of local public services in East Suffolk, along with an overview of how associated risk is managed and the implications for future financial sustainability.

The Capital Strategy was a critical component in the delivery of the Councils capital programme which encompassed vital delivery of a vast range of service development and delivery initiatives.

The East Suffolk Capital Strategy for 2026/27 was provided as Appendix A of the meeting papers.  The strategy pulled together all the various policies and strategies of the Council in relation to capital expenditure and treasury management, such as:

• capital expenditure and financing, which relates to the Council’s capital programme.
• treasury management, covering borrowing and investments.
• investment for service purposes and regeneration.
• revenue implications of the capital programme.

Councillor Wilson seconded the motion. There was no question or debate.

Councillor Langdon-Morris thanked the Treasury Manager and the Chief Finance Officer for their work.

On the proposition of Councillor Langdon-Morris seconded by Councillor Wilson it was unanimously 

RESOLVED

That Full Council:

1. Approved the Capital Strategy 2026/27.

Councillor Langdon-Morris Cabinet Member with responsibility for Resources and Value for Money introduced report ES-2715 which related to the Capital Programme 2026/27 to 2029/30.

As part of the annual budget setting process, the Council was required to agree a programme of capital expenditure for the coming four years and any revisions to the current financial year.

The report set out the General Fund Capital Programme and the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme separately in appendices along with a brief description of each project.

On the 13 January 2026 Cabinet approved for the report to be reviewed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on the 29 January 2026.

Following the review by the Overview and Scrutiny meeting the report was presented back to Cabinet on the 3 February.

Cabinet on the 3 February approved the report to be presented to Full Council, recommending its approval.

The capital programme had been compiled taking account of the following main principles, to:

• maintain an affordable four-year rolling capital programme.
• maximise available resources by actively seeking external funding and disposal of surplus assets.
• not to anticipate receipts from disposals until they are realised. 
• To focus on the deliverability of the current projects within the programme; and 
• Minimise the impact of capital charges to the general fund revenue budget.

Financial Summary:

• The General Fund Capital Programme for 2025/26 through to 2029/30 has a total financing requirement of £107.87m 

• This will be financed by £46.21m (43%) of external grants and contributions, the use of £4.27m (4%) of reserves and a borrowing requirement of £57.39m (53%).

• The HRA Capital Programme for 2025/26 through to 2029/30 has a total budget requirement of £89.73m.

• This will be financed by £9.62m (11%) of external grants and contributions, the use of £49.78m (55%) of capital reserves & direct revenue financing (HRA), £14.13m (16%) of capital receipts and £16.20m (18%) of borrowing.

Councillor Deacon queried the addition of the small community improvement fund and if the Council was happy to be borrowing the additional £1million. Councillor Langdon-Morris responded that many of the Capital Projects put forward over the previous five / six years had not been achieved. The Capital Programme had been thoroughly looked at and some of the balances for those projects, not used had been allocated to the fund. There would be a process of governance and a business case which used existing mechanisms. The funding would be to support areas outside of those which have received more funding, such as Felixstowe and Lowestoft. The fund would be for towns and parishes and small investments in their infrastructure. Councillor Langdon-Morris concluded that he was satisfied it was value for money and nothing would be done unless the correct procedures and protocols were followed.  


Councillor Green queried the car parking values on pg232 of the meeting papers, under Operations and Assets. Councillor Green referenced the Call-In decision made in 2025 regarding car parking fees and charges, and that it was stated that the additional income would be used for reinvestment in car parking and its infrastructure.  Councillor Langdon-Morris responded that a written answer would be provided. Councillor Ashton reiterated that the income generated from car parking fees and penalty notices did not cover the operational costs of running the car parks and enforcement in the district.

Councillor Jepson queried the increase in funding for district wide play areas, which was included in pg234 of the meeting papers. Councillor Langdon-Morris responded that a written answer would be provided.

Councillor Byatt recognised he had been to the other Committees where the papers had been discussed and whilst he had a number of questions, he had them answered via email prior to the meeting. Councillor Byatt thanked Councillor Langdon-Morris and the team for all of their work. Councillor Byatt queried pg241 of the papers and what would be done with supplying the housing stock over the next couple of years and how many properties could be added to the housing stock. Councillor Beavan responded that £5million had been put in the budget and six houses could normally be procured for around £1million. There were some good deals taking place around S106 properties with some others coming up. Councillor Beavan added that it could be thirty houses for the budget line, which was just a start.

Councillor Ashton commented that the Capital Programme could historically be a ‘wish list’ of projects or work which the Council would like to do. That could often mean at the end of the financial year, monies had not been spent. Councillor Ashton added that they had tried to change that way of working this year. Work would still need to go through the proper approval processes with business cases. The Project and Programme Oversight and Investment group was in place to look at strategic programmes to ensure work was on track and if there were any issues. Councillor Ashton thanked the Chief Executive and Strategic Director for their work to look at improving governance and future planning.

Councillor Ashton concluded that a lot of what was done as a Council, with both the Officers and Administration was in the spirit of being cooperation and recognising each other's offerings. The Councillor recognised that he thought all councillors wanted to see the Council run efficiently and effectively, focused on key issues, which Councillor Ashton believed they were trying to do. He was pleased to see that reflected in the Capital Programme.

Councillor Beavan encouraged members to submit any questions before the meeting so answers could be researched prior to the meeting taking place. It was recognised that at times members wished to ask questions in the moment. However if information was required it would be more efficient for some notice to be provided. This could be before the meeting, as Councillor Byatt had done, or in the meeting where a full answer could be given to questions rather than them being circulated afterwards.  

Councillor Smith queried if questions and answers could be circulated. The Chair advised that if a question was asked in the meeting and an answer was required to be provided outside, these would be circulated as per the usual process. However, if a Member chose to ask a question and this was answered prior to Full Council, such as Councillor Byatt had done before the meeting, there would not be a requirement to share those unless that Councillor chose to do so.

Councillor Langdon-Morris concluded that there had been rigorous review of the Capital Programme and it had been made more realistic for the next two / three years. 

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

RESOLVED

That Full Council approved:

1. The General Fund Capital Programme for 2026/27 to 2029/30 including revisions to 2025/26 as shown in Appendix B.

2. The Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme for 2026/27 to 2029/30 including revisions to 2025/26 as shown in Appendix H.

Councillor Beavan Cabinet Member with responsibility for Housing to introduced report ES-2717 which related to Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Rent and Service Charge setting 2026/27.

The Government rent policy recognised that registered housing providers should have some flexibility over the rent set for individual properties to consider local factors. The council could therefore ensure income from rent and other charges were set at an optimum level and could balance the HRA budget whilst mitigating financial impact where possible. The paper provided an explanation on how it would be achieved; the rent service charges and how they will be determined. Changes in benefits and the impact of external requirements were also detailed.

Councillor Patience left the meeting at 19:31.

Councillor Langdon-Morris seconded the item. There were no questions or debate from Members.

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

RESOLVED

That Full Council approved:

 1. Proposed rent increase of 4.8% in line with the Rent Standard September 2025 CPI of 3.8% plus 1%

2. Service charges and associated fees for 2026/27 at Appendix A.

3. Rent and Service Charges to be charged over a 50-week period unless being used for Temporary Accommodation when a 52-week period will be applied.

Councillor Beavan, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Housing introduced report ES-2716 which related to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget Report 2026/27 to 2029/30

The report brought together the Housing Revenue Account Budget for the period 2026/27 to 2029/30, with a projected outturn for 2025/26 and a summary of its reserves and balances. 

The HRA budgets for Revenue and Capital made use of all available financing resources, however additional borrowing of £16.2 million was required across 2025/26 and 2026/27 to balance the budget. It was inclusive of £5 million for acquisition opportunities to increase housing stock over the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. If any underspends or other financing opportunities arise, this would be reduced where possible.

The budget proposals gave a forecasted HRA working balance that remains at the 10% minimum acceptable level over the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. The balance was predicted to be £2.773 million as at 31/03/30.

The report had already been reviewed by Cabinet and the Overview and Scrutiny committee, and no amendments were required to the report as a result of these meetings. However, Appendix F had been added to the report to address some of the questions raised in the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.

Councillor Jepson queried the P272 of the papers, under the level of Right to Buy which was fairly significant, 41 right to buy sales had been completed up to January and it was anticipated that 45-50 by then end of the financial year. Councillor Jepson noted that was a problem as the Council was not keeping up with the number of properties it was trying to buy. Councillor Beavan responded that Councillor Jepson was correct and it had decimated the Housing Revenue Account. The Council have ended up with old houses which were expensive to maintain. Councillor Beavan noted it should stop happening and the Council would be able to continue to invest more in its own housing stock. Councillor Beavon recognised the challenges of right to buy and the impact of the demolition of St Peters Court. The Councillor noted the ambition of the administration to turn things around.

Councillor Byatt sought clarification on P275 and debt levels up to 2029 which was a debt of £65.64 million. Councillor Byatt queried if this debt could be passed onto the successor Council(s). Councillor Beavan responded that yes, the debt could be passed on. However, there was a desire to ensure things were not handed over in a poor position. Councillor Beavan acknowledged that East Suffolk’s level of borrowing was a lot less compared to other Councils. Councillor Beavan discussed the historic cap on borrowing and return on investment for building homes.

Councillor Beavan concluded that there had been innovation in his portfolio with the Warm Homes plan, addressing fuel poverty, where it was the first time the NHS shared data with the local council. Councillor Beavan highlighted other work around the retrofit programme, compliance issues being addressed and investment in housing. 

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

RESOLVED

That Full Council:

1. Approved the draft Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2026/27, and the indicative figures for 2027/28 to 2029/30;

2. Approved movements in Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Reserves and Balances.

3. Noted the projected outturn position for 2025/26;

4. Noted the changes affecting public and private sector housing and welfare.

Councillor Langdon-Morris Cabinet Member with responsibility for Resources and Value for Money to introduced report ES-2714 which related to the General Fund Budget and Council Tax Report 2026/27.

The 2026/27 budget had been balanced by using £2.7m from reserves and built on the core principles of sound financial management, value for money, and long term sustainability.

In 2025 the Government announced significant national reforms of local government funding with effect from April 2026. The coming year would bring the first multi year Local Government Finance Settlement in a decade. The stability comes with major reforms that would change how councils are funded.

Key changes to funding included:

• A nationwide reset of business rates baselines – the first since 2013.
• A new funding formula more strongly linked to deprivation.
• Removal of the rural and sparsity adjustments, and current bespoke formulae and adjustments for flood defence and coastal protection, and reduced weight for visitor numbers, all of which disadvantage districts like ours.

For East Suffolk, the reforms mean that—unlike many areas—the Council have not benefited from additional resources. In fact, it was among a group of around 50 district councils that face a -5% cash floor rather than the 0% floor allocated to most authorities.

More significantly, the late change to the Final Local Government Settlement on 9 February has resulted in a £3.5m annual loss of funding from 2027/28 for the Council. The Council was protected for 2026/27 by a one off Adjustment Support Grant, but beyond that, the gap reopens sharply.

Councillor Langdon-Morris highlighted that the late change to the National Settlement created major pressures for the years ahead, widening budget gaps and increasing financial risk. As referenced in the Section 151 Officer’s report, without firm action, the Council could face difficult scenarios. The clear advice was that the council must drive efficiencies, boost income, and reduce costs to secure long-term sustainability and safeguard frontline services.

Councillor Langdon-Morris emphasised that whilst a balanced budget for 2026/27 was being presented, the outlook from 2027/28 onwards was extremely challenging.  The forecast budget gaps were:

• £12.3m in 2027/28
• £14.1m in 2028/29
• £25.2m in 2029/30

The figures illustrated a structural challenge that cannot be solved by efficiencies alone. The ending of transitional support in 2028/29 created a £5.6m drop in funding resources.

There were also additional pressures which included:

• Rising service demand

 • National economic uncertainty

• Inflationary pressures

• The cost of delivering major capital and regeneration programmes

• Anticipated costs from Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

Councillor Langdon-Morris stated it was therefore essential that the Council now begin to prepare to navigate the next three years.

The Cabinet, the Corporate Leadership Team, and Finance Officers had already set out the actions required for the next budget cycle, including:

• Maximising income, including Fees & Charges aligned to cost recovery. 
• Reviewing capital projects to ensure deliverability and reduce revenue pressure. 
• Targeted service efficiencies, including through East Suffolk Services Ltd. 
• Reviewing earmarked reserves, recognising that they cannot be relied upon to plug structural gaps. 
• Maximising external funding opportunities, a key part of our regeneration and economic strategy. 

The Council would need to make clear, strategic decisions in the coming year to ensure financial resilience through 2027/28 and beyond. Councillor Langdon-Morris highlighted that despite challenges, East Suffolk continued to lead the way in the following areas:

Climate and Environment

Funding the Cycling & Walking Strategy, supporting community energy and delivering on our Net Zero commitments.

Housing and Communities

 Investing in homelessness prevention, temporary accommodation, and supporting vulnerable residents through initiatives such enable community grants, community hubs and the Ease the Squeeze programme.

 Thriving Towns and Economy

 Continuing to deliver major regeneration in Lowestoft, Leiston, and Felixstowe, and create opportunities for young people, and support tourism—a sector worth £680m to the district. For 2026/27. The development of new Small Community Investment Fund.

Councillor Landon-Morris concluded that the budget protected today while preparing for tomorrow. It reflected prudent leadership, fiscal responsibility, and a commitment to local residents—but it also issues a clear warning: without continued Government support in 2027/28 and 2028/29, the financial sustainability of districts like East Suffolk would be under real pressure. The Council would continue to make that case nationally, while doing everything within its control locally to safeguard services and deliver on its ambitions. Councillor Langdon-Morris thanked the finance team for all of their support and work on a rapidly changing financial landscape.

Councillor Topping stated that she was proud of the Cabinet Members and recognised that a number of the GLI group had never been Councillors before. Councillor Topping was proud of the group’s transparent, collaborative and cross-party approach to being in Administration. Councillor Topping recognised a number of groups, projects and Boards which the Council were supporting. The Councillor noted that she had made the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny a member of opposition and thanked Councillor Deacon for his ongoing work as Chair of that committee. Councillor Topping thanked all members for the work that they do.

Councillor Lynch referenced p325 figure 16 and the importance of addressing the future challenges now. The Councillor recognised that the budget was balanced but was done so using reserves. Councillor Lynch queried where savings would be made and did not think the required savings could be achieved by efficiencies alone, querying what would be cut in the longer term.

Councillor Ewart raised that given the reputational impact of enforcement cases and the general increase in planning enforcement cases, would there be an uplift in the budget and if not how would it be funded. Councillor Langdon-Morris responded that the Head of Planning and Building Control would be able to provide a response to the question.

Councillor Byatt echoed concerns regarding future funding and the impact of LGR. The Councillor queried if there was consideration to build up reserves in case there was a change of course to LGR. In addition, Councillor Byatt asked if there were discussions regarding potential efficiencies and economies of scale taking place in preparation for there being the three unitaries Council had opted to support.

Councillor Ashton discussed efficiencies and the discussions that had started to take place. The Councillor acknowledged that financial pressure had been building which had been exacerbated by government decision making. Councillor Ashton recognised that running the Council was not ultimately sustainable in the current financial climate and that there was work happening on to address it. The Councillor stated that some efficiencies could be managed through the normal movement of people within the organisation. There would be requirements to look at fees and charges and possibly council tax in the future. Ultimately the Council would be looking seriously at all of the things it does. There were also lots of discussion with ESSL regarding phased efficiencies which were required to be delivered in the next year. 

Councillor Ashton referenced Councillor Ewart’s earlier question and stated that planning enforcement was not a resource issue, but a legalisation issue. The enforcement process could be challenging and lengthy. There would need to legislative change to take away some of the challenges in effective planning enforcement.

Councillor Ashton concluded that the Council was hoping to achieve lots and was looking at AI / customer service and experience. The Councillor was delighted with the data dashboards which could be taken forward through LGR. There was a lot happening with Assets team and it was hoped that there will be future announcements for innovation in utilising the power parks. Councillor Ashton was proud of the work being achieved.

Councillor Mallinder stated that whilst the Council was managing the books there was a risk of losing sight of what makes the district unique and exceptional. The Councillor referenced the Council Tax increase, the impact on residents and that the Council should give more in return. Councillor Mallinder felt there was a lack of clear funding for biodiversity and that projects needed to be delivered. The Councillor commented that the roll out of ‘Better Recycling’ was a difficult challenge for elderly community members. Councillor Mallinder stated that the Council needed to refocus and offer value for money, building on what makes East Suffolk wonderful. Councillor Mallinder concluded that he would not support the recommendations as they did not support residents. 

Councillor Beavan urged members to support the recommendations and to bring any issues forward to be discussed. Councillor Bevan urged members not to be afraid of investing into new things, such as how AI could support the work the Council does.

Councillor Whitelock outlined several projects and initiatives including the decarbonisation of leisure centres, Ease the Squeeze and the Community Help Hub. Councillor Whitelock commented on the cross party working taking place through Community Partnerships as well as other groups and committees which was something to be celebrated.

Councillor Noble noted the work taking place in the environment portfolio including the water quality project, implementation of the tree strategy, with trees already being planted. There was work taking place under Nature at Work and the cross-party Environmental Task Group which continues to meet regularly. Councillor Noble commented on the membership of the group and attendance.

Councillor Folley added that there was fantastic work taking place and queried if basic services were being delivered in the way residents would expect. Councillor Folley questioned if there was anything that the Council could be looking to lower to ensure that basic services were fulfilled.

Councillor Wilson was confused with tone that the Administration was not doing enough - or doing too much. There was a great deal of work taking place. The Council was the first local authority to step out and be the first movers on a landscape scale recovery programme, the work on the tree strategy, work with Green Light Trust, decarbonisation – which was funding the Council achieved to be able to deliver the work. Councillor Wilson referenced the work undertaken with PortHealth, the Developers Charter, Marmot Place investment, managing the energy projects among many other projects and initiatives.  Councillor Wilson welcomed the speech made by Councillor Jepson speech earlier in the meeting and that there was an on-going internal question of ‘are we doing enough’ and that any Councillor should ask themselves the same question as highlighted in Councillor Jepson’s speech. Councillor Wilson concluded that he hoped Councillors would take away the list of work he had highlighted with a sense of pride.

Councillor Langdon-Morris thanked Overview and Scrutiny and Audit and Governance Committees for their work reviewing the budget. The Councillor thanked the finance team and recognised challenges ahead. There would be ongoing work to scrutinise costs, negotiations and partnership working. There would be a review of assets, fees and charges along with an efficiency programme with ESSL. Councillor Langdon-Morris concluded that there would exploration of how to engage further in technologies to promote efficiencies. 

The vote was required to be a recorded vote. The Monitoring Officer conducted the vote, and 46 Members present voted in favour of the General Fund Budget and Council Tax Report 2026/27. Councillors present and voted ‘for’ were Councillor Ashdown, Ashton, Back, Beavan, Bennett, Byatt, Candy, Cawley, Ceresa, Clery, Daly, Deacon, Fisher, Folley, Gee, Gooch, Graham, Green, Hedgley, Jepson, Keys-Holloway, King, Langdon-Morris, Leach, Lynch, McCallum, Molyneux, Ninnmey, Noble, Packard, Parker, Pitchers, Plummer, Reeves, Smith, Robinson, Rumble, Smith-Lyte, Smithson, Speca, Starling, Thompson, Topping, Wakeling, Whitelock and Wilson.

 Councillors present and ‘abstained’ from voting was Councillor Ewart. Councillor Mallinder voted against.

 On the proposition of Councillor Beavan seconded by Councillor Langdon-Morris it was by majority vote 

RESOLVED

That Full Council:

1. Considered the Chief Financial Officer’s report attached at Appendix L

2. Approved the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2026/27 to 2029/30, including the proposed General Fund Revenue Budget for 2026/27; and forecast budgets for 2027/28 to 2029/30 as set out in Appendix C to E;

3. Approved the movements to and from earmarked reserves and the General Fund Balance for 2026/27 to 2029/30 as presented in Appendix G;

4. Approved the items to be treated as special items in 2026/27 – the precepts by Town/Parish Councils and parish meetings;

5. Approved a Band D Council Tax for East Suffolk Council of £197.82 for 2026/27, an increase of £5.67 (2.95%); 

6. Approvedno changes to the Council’s discretionary policy for Council Tax Discounts and Premiums for 2026/27 as set out in paragraphs 2.79 and 2.80;

7. Granted the Chief Finance Officer and Section 151 Officer delegated authority to award any further Council Tax Reliefs in 2026/27 arising from Government announcements under these powers;

8. Approved the Pay Policy Statement set out in Appendix J;

9. Approved the Council Tax Resolutions in Appendix K;

10. Approved the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy attached as Appendix I; 

11. Approved the award of rate reliefs under the Supporting Small Business (SSB) scheme using its discretionary relief powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended, as set out in paragraphs 2.56 to 2.60;

12. Approved the award of rate relief for Pubs and Live Music Venues using its discretionary relief powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended; as set out in paragraph 2.61;

13. Approved the award of rate relief for eligible Electric Vehicle Charging Points and Electric Vehicle only forecourts (EVCP relief) using its discretionary relief powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended, as set out in paragraph 2.62;

14. Granted the Chief Finance Officer and Section 151 Officer delegated authority to award any further business rate reliefs in 2026/27 arising from Government announcements under these powers.

On the proposition of Councillor Dr Speca seconded by Councillor Fisher it was it was recommended that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.