Agenda and decisions

Visitor Information Service 

Executive Summary

As part of the 2025/26 budget process consideration has been given to possible financial savings from some discretionary service areas including the visitor information service operated by the Council and the options that exist for alternative service provision. The review looked at the opportunities for operating the service from alternative premises and also, providing it in conjunction with other external organisations.

Having considered the available service options, and trends in how visitors access tourist information via smartphones and other devices and the closure of Visitor Information Centres by many local authorities around the country; it is not considered that these offer sufficient benefit or value for money for the Council. Ceasing the operation of the service will yield a significant financial saving and presents options for the future use of the building it currently occupies, thus generating rental income.

Options considered

A review was undertaken that considered a range of alternatives both for the service and for the building from which it operates, these included:

1. Outsourcing – not considered to yield sufficient immediate savings.
2. Greater commercialisation - not considered to yield sufficient income to offset the costs.
3. Delivery in partnership with an externally run facility – not considered to represent value for money.
4. Replacing the service by digital provision – insufficient certainty about set up and future costs or benefits.

Consultation(s)

The service review and subsequent draft business case that led to the recommendations in this report involved relevant staff from the following teams: Customer Services, Economic Growth, Estates, Finance and Human Resources. Its contents were also informed by input from the potential delivery partners.

A report on the possible closure of the Visitor Information Service was discussed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 13 November 2024, when the Committee resolved to make the following recommendations to Cabinet: -

That Cabinet consider: -

• The building being made available for an alternative income generating use. 
• What provision can be made to continue a tourist information service – be that through an enhanced online presence, electronic information boards or physical leaflet stands at prominent locations within Cromer such as the Pier and other visitor attractions.
• Relocation of the current Deep History Coast display housed within the North Norfolk Visitor Centre to a suitable alternative location, possibly Cromer Museum.

Recommendations

That Cabinet agree to the Council withdrawing from the provision of a physical Visitor Information Service from the North Norfolk Information Centre building at The Meadow Car Park, Cromer (these proposals do not involve the closure of the public toilets also provided from the building) to deliver a financial saving of approx. £93,000 for the 2025/26 budget.

If Cabinet are minded to agree with the above recommendation, it is also recommended that they agree to: -

• Advertise the premises occupied by the Visitor Information Centre service as available for let with expressions of interest invited by Friday 28 March 2025.

• Officers considering alternative means of providing visitor information within the town and  ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

Delegated Decisions (December 2024 to January 2025)

Executive Summary

This report details the decisions taken under delegated powers from December 2024 to January 2025.

Options considered

Not applicable – the recording and reporting of delegated decisions is a statutory requirement.

Consultation(s)

Consultation is not required as this report and accompanying appendix is for information only. No decision is required, and the outcome cannot be changed as it is historic, factual information.

Recommendations

To receive and note the report and the register of decisions taken under delegated powers.

Reasons for recommendations

The Constitution: Chapter 6, Part 5, sections 5.1 and 5.2 details the exercise of any power or function of the Council where waiting until a meeting of Council or a committee would disadvantage the Council. The Constitution requires that any exercise of such powers should be reported to the next meeting of Council, Cabinet or working party (as appropriate)

Section 2.1 sets out the requirements regarding the reporting of conditional delegated decisions.

Background papers

Signed delegated decision forms.

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Leader, Cllr T Adams

Contact Officer

Cara Jordan, Monitoring Officer

Cara.jordan@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Council Tax Support Scheme: Final scheme for working age people for 2025/26

Executive Summary

NNDC operates a scheme which reduces the council tax bills of eligible working age people on low incomes known as the Council Tax Support (CTS) scheme. NNDC is free to decide the rules for its own CTS schemes for working-age people in our area, taking into account certain government requirements. There are national regulations for a CTS Scheme for customers who have reached pension age. This report only refers to NNDC’s CTS Scheme for working-age people.

NNDC’s CTS Scheme is reviewed annually, and the rules can only be amended from the start of a financial year. The initial stages of the setting the Council’s 2025/26 budget identified a £1.8m deficit.

Services were asked to consider where savings could be realised, and the annual review of the CTS scheme presented an opportunity to potentially achieve some savings. A working party was formed to review proposals to the CTS scheme for 2025/26. 

The working party came up with a revised scheme and agreed to go to consult the public about the proposed changes. The public consultation ran from 24^th October 2024 to 24^th November 2024. A total of 96 responses were received and the results are summarised at Appendix D.

No further changes are proposed to the draft scheme following the consultation.

Options considered

The working party were presented with the proposed changes to the CTS scheme.

The draft scheme is largely a continuation of the 2024/25 CTS scheme for working-age people. The proposed changes align the scheme with Universal Credit, to simplify the process of claiming, and to bring efficiencies in the administration of these CTS claims.

A summary of the scheme rules is included in the report to the working party and is included at D.

The CTS Scheme rules will also continue to reflect any relevant welfare benefit changes made to the working-age Housing Benefit scheme or Pension Age CTS scheme.

Consultation(s)

The CTS regulations state that the Council must consult our major preceptors, then draft a CTS Scheme to go to public consultation.

Norfolk County Council (NCC) and Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) were consulted. NCC have confirmed they agree with the proposed changes.  We did not receive a response from the PCC.

The public consultation ran for four weeks from 24^th October 2024 to 24^th November 2024. A total of 96 surveys were completed, an increase of 80% compared to the consultation run in 2021.

The full results of the survey, including all the comments, are included in the CTS Consultation Evaluation which is shown at Appendix E. This report should be read in conjunction with the evaluation.

The responses show that most people agreed with the proposed changes.

Recommendations

Cabinet is asked to note the consultation responses and to recommend to full Council that the CTS scheme for 2025/26 is implemented as the final working-age CTS Scheme for 2025/26. This must be agreed by full  ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Future Coastal Management Arrangements

Executive Summary

In 2016 NNDC entered into a Partnership agreement (under Section 113 of the Local Government Act 1972) with Suffolk Coastal District Council, Waveney District Council (now East Suffolk Council) and Great Yarmouth Borough Council to share resources and prioritise activities relating to coastal matters. This created “Coastal Partnership East”.

In the intervening years each Council has faced significant demands relating to coastal change, climate change and competing pressures of project delivery and bidding for funding. As a result, it is a prudent time for each partner Council to consider its future coastal management resourcing requirements and approach to ensure local priorities are met.

This paper discusses these pressures and provides proposals for the dissolution of the partnership and North Norfolk District Council’s future approach.

Options considered

1)    Request a continuation of the current partnership arrangement (N.B. This is not an option with which NNDC has any direct control)

2)    Agree to disband the partnership and put in place service level agreements between each Council, hosted by East Suffolk Council, to deliver engineering and consultancy services to partners (and other Councils as requested) – N.B. This was not an option as East Suffolk Council did not feel that this could be adequately resourced

3)    Agree to disband the partnership, appoint a Coastal Management Team at NNDC, and retain/explore alternative service level agreements with other Local Authorities as appropriate.

Consultation(s)

PH for Coast

Coastal Partnership East Partner Local Authorities

Recommendations

That Cabinet:

1. Note the contents of this paper
2. Approve the dissolution of the Coastal Partnership known as Coastal Partnership East with effect from 20^th January 2025 (taking into account the appropriate notice period to end the Section 113 agreement).
3. Continue to support partnership working and retain/explore service level agreements with other Local Authorities as appropriate.

Reasons for recommendations

To ensure that the Council has effective coastal management arrangements in place.

Background papers

N/A

Wards affected

Districtwide

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Harry Blathwayt

Contact Officer

Martyn Fulcher, Director for Place & Climate Change, martyn.fulcher@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Draft Revenue Budget for 2025-26

Executive Summary

This report presents the latest iteration of the budget for 2025/26. It is intended to present the position as we currently know it and it will need to be updated as more information becomes available e.g. the impact of the final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26.

Options considered.

No other options have been considered as it is a legal requirement to calculate “the expenditure which the authority estimates it will incur in the forthcoming year in performing its functions” and then subtract “the sums which it estimates will be payable for the year into its general fund”. This is required to set a balanced budget before 11 March 2025.

Consultation(s)

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee will have the opportunity to review this report at its meeting on 22 January 2025. It will be able to make recommendations that Cabinet will be able to consider at its meeting on 3 February 2025.

Budget consultation is taking place on the Council’s website currently for anyone to share their views. Consultation with Business Rates payers is also being undertaken. The results of both these consultations will be included in the report being presented to Full Council on 19 February 2025.

Recommendations

1. That Cabinet consider the list of proposed savings and agree on which ones should be taken so that a balanced budget can be recommended to full Council.
2. That an alternative option for balancing the budget should be agreed to replace savings not taken if there are any.
3. That Cabinet agree that any additional funding announced as part of the final Local Government Settlement announcement be transferred to reserves.
4. That Cabinet decide which proposed new capital bids should be recommended to full Council for inclusion in the Capital Programme.

Reasons for recommendations

To enable the Council to set a balanced budget.

Background papers

2024/25 Budget report presented to full Council on 21 February 2024.

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Lucy Shires

Contact Officer

Tina Stankley

Director of Resources and s151 Officer

tina.stankley@north-norfolk.gov.uk