There were no apologies for absence given at the meeting.

Councillor Candon, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, declared a personal interest in Item number 6, as he was the Chair of Equinox Property Holdings Ltd.

However, in accordance with the Council's Constitution, was allowed to both speak and vote on the item.

The Leader reported that there were no urgent items to be considered at Cabinet this afternoon.

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 4 November 2025 were confirmed as a true record.

The Leader reported that this report provides an update on the Council’s performance for the second quarter of 2025/26 where progress is assessed against targets which were set at the start of the financial year. 

The report also provides an update on the position of key projects that are linked to the corporate priorities from ‘The Plan 2025-2030’. A summary of progress for the suite of key projects, and individual highlight reports for each of these key projects are presented in Appendix 1 of this report. Out of the eight projects, five have a current green status and three an amber status.

The performance measures detailed in Appendix 2 give a comprehensive overview of how the authority as a whole is performing and cover most Council functions. In total there are 39 targeted and 24 monitored measures reported in the performance report. Information was not provided for 1 of the targeted measures. Out of the 38 targeted measures, 20 have met or exceeded target, 9 are within agreed tolerance of set target and 9 are below target and tolerance. 

A short commentary explaining the performance and corrective action being taken is included beneath each of the measures that are below target and tolerance.  

The Leader recommended that Cabinet agree: -

• All measures to be monitored during the next quarter. 

• All key projects will continue to be monitored over the next quarter with the aim of maintaining a green status and where possible attaining a green status for those key projects which are currently amber.

Councillor Wainwright asked in regard to HN01 (c) Housing Rents; the number of tenants in arrears over £1500 which has increased to 116 in this quarter. The Leader reported that this had been noted and raised with officers.

The HRA Income Manager reported that officers worked with tenants to agree a payment plan and that repossession via the courts was the last resort.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:- 

(i) Agree that all measures to be monitored during the next quarter; and

(ii)  Agree that all key projects will continue to be monitored over the next quarter with the aim of maintaining a green status and where possible attaining a green status for those key projects which are currently amber.

The Leader advised that he had been asked by James Crickmore, from the Eastern Landlords Association, to read a question out to Cabinet, on his behalf.

Councillor Wells, Portfolio Holder for Environment & Sustainability, Licensing & Waste reported that there was an error in the report in paragraph 7.2, appendix 6, it was not a general fund fee proposed at 5.1, as this included contingency costs for the contractors for this work.

Councillor Wells reported that this report seeks approval for the designation of new selective licensing scheme in part of Great Yarmouth, covering the Nelson Ward, Southtown and Cobholm, Central and Northgate and a few streets in Yarmouth North.  This scheme if delivered would aim to improve the condition of the private rented sector housing stock in the area proposed, improving the living conditions for the residents. The scheme area would mean approximately 5000 private rented properties would be licensed which is about 50% of the overall rented stock in the Borough. The report presents evidence supporting the proposal and includes the outcome and response to the public consultation with residents and stakeholders. 

Councillor Wells reported that the Council received over 270 responses to the consultation the majority being from landlords, the answers to the questions asked showed considerable disagreement with the proposed scheme, its fee and the licensing conditions. Despite these responses there is still a need to act in these areas to improve the conditions of the rented housing stock and as detailed in the report there is sufficient evidence to progress with the proposed scheme.

The scheme if designated would look to meet the following objectives:-

• Improve housing standards
• Improve property management
• Increase landlord accountability

The Leader read out the question from Mr Crickmore, Eastern Landlords Association. Councillor Wells responded to the question and the Leader reported that the response would be sent to the Eastern Landlords Association.

Councillor Plant spoke in favour of the scheme as it would result in quicker interventions with landlords and would benefit the residents of the borough who lived in rented accommodation as they would live in safe, decent homes covered by the required certification.

Councillor Candon reported that a few unscrupulous landlords were spoiling it for the majority of good landlords. However, poor housing conditions needed to cease. Important lessons had been learnt from the previous scheme, the Council should not have to take a stance and adopt this scheme and he understood the concerns of the Eastern Landlords Association but housing standards in the borough needed to be brought up to a decent standard.

Councillor Williamson reported that Scrutiny Committee had scrutinised the report at their last meeting and fully supported it by an unanimous vote.

The Leader thanked the Head of Environment & Sustainability and his team for all their hard work and that the Council had learnt from the last scheme and put all the issues to bed. Councillor Wells reported that he had attended the Scrutiny Committee and echoed that the committee had been fully supportive of the scheme. The Leader reported that this was an excellent example of cross-party working.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:-

(1) Note and consider the supporting evidence for selective licensing report which
includes the consultation outcome, in Appendix 1,

(2)  Agree the Council’s response to the consultation in Appendix 2 for publication,

(3)  Agree the license conditions in Appendix 3,

(4)  Approve the making of a selective licensing designation as shown in Appendix 4,

(5) Note the proposed delivery model detailed in Appendix 5,

(6) Note the award of the application management and monitoring contract to Home
Safe Ltd,

(7) Agree the proposed fee structure, and

(8) Delegate any future changes to the licence fee or licence conditions, following a
review or legislative change, to the Head of Environment and Sustainability in
conjunction with the Executive Director for Place and the Portfolio Holder for
Private Sector Housing.

Councillor Flaxman-Taylor reported that each financial year, Council approve an over-arching Affordable Housing Programme budget. A delivery programme funded by this budget, is agreed by Cabinet.

This important work-stream aims to deliver much needed affordable and specialist housing, utilising grant funding where possible, and supports objectives within the Housing Strategy 2024-2029 and Homelessness Strategy 2024-2029.

This report provides Members and the public with an update on current Council housing development programme. These projects highlight the ongoing efforts of the Council to deliver additional housing to meet housing need.

Councillor Candon reported that it was important that the Council allocated the right accommodation to the right people via a scheme which operated as a level playing field.

Cabinet RESOLVED to :-

(1) Note the updates to the Affordable Housing Delivery Programme; 



(2) In order to support delivery of the Office Conversions and bespoke adapted accommodation, approves the submission of a Social Housing Grant bid to Homes England, and acceptance of grant funding if successful. 



(3) Delegate authority for the acquisition of properties part funded by 1-4-1 Right to Buy Receipts to the Executive Director – People and the Section 151 Officer in consultation with portfolio holders for Housing, Health and Communities, and Operational Property and Asset Management. 



(4) Acknowledge the successful Council House Building Support funding bid for £245,000 and the requirement of £195,000 match funding to be allocated from the Affordable Homes Programme agreed budget; and



(5) Agree to increase the current revenue grant for the costs of establishing a community housing organisation as set out within the Community Housing Fund Policy from £5,000 to £20,000 with authority delegated to the Head of Strategic Housing in consultation with the portfolio holder for Housing, Health and Communities. 

The Leader reported that this report presents the month 6 budget monitoring position for financial year 2025/26 for both the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) including the respective capital programmes and financing. It includes explanations for significant variances to the budgets currently forecast for the full year. 

Councillor Wainwright highlighted the Garden Tea Rooms which continued to loose in the region of £500 a week and asked how much longer this would be allowed to carry on before there was an intervention and the Tea Rooms be put out for rent on the general market. The Leader reported that this had been raised during budget discussions and Cabinet had asked the same question.

Councillor Plant reported that he agreed with Councillor Williamson and that the Tearooms should be offered for rent in the general market in the hope that it would generate a profit.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:-

The Leader reported that this report provides a monitoring position for the first six months of the 2025/26 financial year. The national context and background has been included at Appendix A of the report.


The Leader reported that this report presents for the 2025/26 financial year the following:-

1. The mid-year position for treasury management;

2. The borrowing requirement and debt for the current financial year;

3. The mid-year borrowing position; and

4. Reporting on quarter 2 2025/26 treasury and capital prudential indicators compared with the Treasury Management Strategy and Investment Strategy



The Leader reported that it is recommended that Cabinet note the treasury management half yearly report for 2025/26.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:-

Note the Treasury Management half-yearly report for 2025/26.

The Leader reported that this report presents an update to the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for the period 2026/27 to 2027/28.

The update of the Medium Term Financial Strategy provides a key document to inform the forth coming budget setting process. It presents member with an overview of the latest financial position and the priorities for setting the budget. The forecasts have been updated in light of known spending pressures taking into account the wider economic context including revised interest and inflation forecasts and known impacts from the October budget announcements. 

 The MTFS sets out the context within which the financial planning for the Council is undertaken and the priorities (the business strategy) that will mitigate future funding gaps. The MTFS also includes the latest financial projections for the three years from 2025/26 that are covered by the strategy and have been informed by known pressures in the current year and levels of inflation and interest rates. This is ahead of the provisional settlement announcement which is expected ahead of Christmas and the detailed work on the service budgets for 2026/27.

 The outcomes of the Fair Funding Review and the Policy announcement, along with the recent budget announcement will all inform the provisional finance settlement to be announced later in December. These will see the most significant changes to local government funding and re-allocation of resources for over ten years. Whilst the reviews have announced re-allocation of funding to high need areas, there are many factors that will impact on the funding allocation formula which has seen significant funding being shifted from Shire Districts. 

 Therefore, the MTFS has continued to identify savings targets as well as a need to use reserves in the short term to address the budget gap.

The Leader reported that Cabinet, as detailed on page 384 of the agenda report, are asked to recommend to Council the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and the key themes of the business strategy as outlined at Section 8 of the report.

Councillor Plant referred to paragraph 1.4 on page 384 of the agenda report, Fair Funding Review, where it highlighted the significant changes to Local Government funding for ten years.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:-

Recommend to Council the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and the key themes of the business strategy as outlined at Section 8 of the report.

The Leader reported that Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) has secured Town Deal Funding and Levelling Up Funding (LUF2) to support the regeneration of North Quay. As the Master Developer has progressed the scheme’s Masterplan over recent months, it has been identified that, in order to maximise the site’s potential as a distinctive mixed-use destination (leisure, retail, residential), the previously agreed in-principle Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) red line boundary will need to be extended to include additional land parcels located to the north of the existing red-line demarcation.

The Leader reported that extending the in-principle CPO boundary to include additional land parcels north of the current red line boundary will:-

• Enable a coherent “Northern Gateway”, connecting North Quay to the Railway Station side of the river to create a more cohesive and enhanced arrival experience.

• Improve the street scene along New Acle Road (a key approach to Fuller’s Roundabout and Great Yarmouth). 

The Leader reported that given these additions were not included within the original in-principle CPO boundary, nor in previously approved budgets, an additional £500,000 is required to acquire interests (purchase or lease termination) within the enlarged area. In parallel, GYBC has extended the Incentivised Negotiation Window to 29th May 2026 to conclude voluntary acquisitions wherever possible. Following this period, it is intended that GYBC will submit the CPO application (if necessary), to be progressed concurrently with the Planning Application.

Cabinet RESOLVED to :

1) Subject to Council approval of the related budget:

Approve an extension to the land previously approved for in-principle CPO, as per Appendix 1

Approve the acquisition of all land within the extended land boundary by voluntary agreement (in consultation with previously delegated authority) and confirm that the existing incentive offer (currently only applicable to the original in-principle CPO boundary land) shall also apply to the extension land, noting the extension of the Incentivised Negotiation Window to 29th May 2026.

2) Recommend to Council the reallocation of £500,000 within the current Capital Programme to support acquisitions within the enlarged in-principle CPO area