Agenda

Executive Summary

The Corporate Plan 2023-27 Action Plan 2024/25 has largely been delivered as planned and work has started on a significant number of actions in the 2025/26 Action Plan.

Options considered

This is a report on the progress being made to deliver against the Council’s Corporate Plan.

Consultation(s)

The named officer for each action in the annual action plans has been asked for their assessment of progress, to identify any issues impacting on anticipated delivery and to propose actions they will take to address any slippage or uncertainty around delivery in the coming months.

Recommendations

Cabinet is invited to comment on this report.

Reasons for recommendations

13 actions in the 2024/25 Action Plan have been completed.

The remaining 31 actions have been carried forward, updated or amended to reflect changed circumstances and been included in the 2025/26 Annual Action Plan which was agreed in March 2025 and the implementation of which has started.

Background papers

Corporate Plan 2023-27

Annual Action Plan 2024-25

Annual Action Plan 2025/26

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Tim Adams

Contact Officer

Steve Hems, Director for Communities and Chair of the Performance and Productivity Oversight Board

Email:- steve.hems@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Executive Summary

This report provides an update on the Council’s financial performance and projected full year outturn position for 2025/26 for the revenue account, capital programme, reserve statement and budgeted savings performance as at the end of July 2025.

As at 31 July 2025, the General Fund projected surplus £0.138m for the full year 2025/26. This is after adjusting for all known variations and full year forecasting by service managers.

Options considered

This is an update report on the Council’s financial position and so no other options were considered.

Consultation(s)

This is an update report on the Council’s financial position and no other consultations  were considered.

Recommendations

Members are asked to consider the report and recommend the following to full Council:

a)       Note the contents of the report and the current forecast year end position.

b) Approval is  requested from Full Council to decrease the 2025/26 capital budget for the Mundesley Coastal Defence scheme to £1,139,806 to reflect the apportionment of £250k from external contributions to the Cromer Scheme.

c) Approval is requested from Full Council to increase the 2025/26 capital budget for the Cromer Coastal Defences scheme to £1,096,067 to reflect the apportionment of £250k from external contributions from the Mundesley Scheme.

d) Note the contents of the Q1 Treasury Management update report, appendix F.

Reasons for recommendations

To update members on the current budget monitoring position for the Council.

Background papers

Budget report, Budget Monitoring reports

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Lucy Shires

Contact Officer

Daniel King

Assistant Director Finance & Assets

daniel.king@north-norfolk.gov.uk

01263 516167

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Lucy Shires

Contact Officer

Daniel King

Assistant Director Finance & Assets

daniel.king@north-norfolk.gov.uk 01263 516167

Executive Summary

Proposal for extending the contract for the processing of co-mingled recyclables collected within North Norfolk and the wider county of Norfolk.

The following proposal outlines the options which have been reviewed and the recommended option to minimise impacts to the current service provided to residents and businesses within North Norfolk.

Options considered

Option 1: Not extending the contract. This was a high-risk position with the council having to go to the market at a time of high uncertainty. The council would have to absorb greater risk through the price of the service. The council would have to meet the costs of the procurement and deal with the impacts of an extensive process which can last over a number of years.

Option 2: Extending the contract to 2030. This provides for a continuing service with the opportunity to consider investment on a business case model, including plastic film and automation through artificial intelligence supported material sorting and picking.

Option 3: Extending the contract to 2032. This provides greater time for investment but is beyond the key dates for the other sectors of the business in its SLA’s with Norfolk County Council for waste related services and beyond Local Government Reorganisation.

Consultation(s)

Consultation has taken place with the 6 WCAs who are part of the Shareholder Agreement with NEWS Ltd and the Norfolk Waste Partnership Board.

Recommendations

1. The extension of the Processing of Co-mingled Dry Recyclables contract (the Contract) with NEWS Ltd through to 31^st March 2030 on its current terms is agreed.
2. Extending the scope of the services provided by NEWS Ltd to under the Contract from the year 2026/7 to comply with the change in law introducing Simpler Recycling and Extended Producer Responsibility requirements is agreed conditional on such changes being approved in accordance with the Shareholder Agreement with NEWS Ltd.

Reasons for recommendations

Reasons for recommendation:

-       To ensure a continuation of the current JV through the period of local government reorganisation to provide consistent recycling services to residents of Norfolk and North Norfolk

-       High risk for the council to undertake a procurement exercise at a time of high uncertainty due to material mix in the recycling system associated with Deposit Return Scheme and associated price uncertainty

Background papers

N/A

Wards affected

All wards within North Norfolk

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Callum Ringer

Contact Officer

Jemma Alston, Contracts and Waste Services Manager

Jemma.alston@north-norfolk.gov.uk

01263 516341

Executive Summary

The Council must introduce a separate weekly food waste collection service for all households by 31 March 2026 in line with the Government’s Simpler Recycling agenda. North Norfolk has secured DEFRA funding to procure the required containers and vehicles and is progressing service implementation.

A key policy question remains whether the launch of the new service should be supported by the provision of kitchen caddy liners to residents. This report sets the background, outlines options, and seeks Cabinet’s guidance.

Options considered

Option 1: Provide a single roll of 26 bags per household as a starter kit only. This option will be a one-off distribution at service launch and will support households in adapting to the new service.

There will be limited cost exposure to the council with no ongoing commitment.

Option 2: Provide ongoing provision of caddy liners to households. This option provides a regular supply to householders, with programmed top up deliveries to depot every 3 months. Higher reoccurring cost to the council, likely benefits for participation and an element of contamination control.

Option 3: No provision of caddy liners to householders. Householders are advised on liners they can use, and they supply their own liners, in line with the specification advised to the council by the food waste end processor.

There will be no direct cost to the council, there may be a potential risk to participation.

Consultation(s)

Internal consultation: Environmental Services, Contractor, Portfolio Holder, Finance and Communications

External has not yet been undertaken; this can be integrated into service launch engagement

Recommendations

1. The Cabinet notes the contents of the report.
2. Cabinet provides direction on whether the Council will:

- Provide a starter roll of 26 bags per household (Option 1);

- Provide ongoing liner supplies (Option 2); or,

- Provide no liners (Option 3).

Reasons for recommendations

Providing a clear direction will allow for the future planning of the service and the procurement of services.

Background papers

Corporate Plan 2023–27: Our Greener Future.

Annual Action Plans 2024–25 and 2025–26.

DEFRA funding allocations (2024/25).

Cabinet decision authorising procurement (May 2025).

Wards affected

All wards within North Norfolk

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Callum Ringer

Contact Officer

Jemma Alston, Contracts and Waste Services Manager

Jemma.alston@north-norfolk.gov.uk

01263 516341

Executive Summary

Endorsement of the updated joint Norfolk Strategic Planning Framework (NSPF) June 2025. The NSPF represents a Statement of Common Ground on potential strategic cross-boundary planning matters and helps enable the Council to comply with the statutory ‘Duty to Co-operate’.

Options considered

There are no other alternatives in place to demonstrate the ongoing requirements of the Duty to Co-operate.

Consultation(s)

The Norfolk Strategic Framework Member Forum have reviewed and endorsed its circulation.

Recommendations

That Cabinet:

1)  Endorses the updated Norfolk Strategic Planning Framework.

2)  Provides delegated authority to the Acting Planning Policy Manager to make necessary minor/factual amendments, following the progress of the framework through other local authorities, prior to signature & publication

Reasons for recommendations

The updated Norfolk Strategic Planning Framework is a key piece of evidence supporting Local Plan production. The framework is a Statement of Common Ground which sets out how strategic cross-boundary matters have been considered and provides much of the evidence that is required to demonstrate compliance with the ‘duty to cooperate’.

Background papers

Updated Norfolk Strategic Planning Framework (June 2025)

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Andrew Brown

Contact Officer

Iain Withington, Acting Planning Policy Manager iain.withington@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Executive Summary

An area of the cliff and slope at Overstrand is contaminated with Japanese knotweed, a highly invasive plant species that has strict legal responsibilities associated with its control, disposal, and the prevention of its spread.

The Council has a responsibility to address the issue, and this is made even more critical due to the nature of the area it inhabits. The cliffs are inherently unstable and the slip material appearing on the sea wall contains knotweed, the dispose of which is very expensive.

The Council commissioned a specialist report into the issue, seeking advice on its legal responsibilities as well as a management approach for addressing the problem. The contents of the report have been considered, and recommendations have been made as to the most appropriate actions to pursue.

Options considered

There are various potential options for managing the infestation and those are detailed in the consultant’s report appended to this report. There are no realistic alternatives to the immediate actions recommended, as to allow the knotweed to remain untreated, would inevitably lead to increased costs associated with removal and disposal of slip material, which might delay the planned refurbishment of the sea defences, and might breach the Council’s legal responsibilities to prevent its spread.

Consultation(s)

The matter has been referred to in notices placed in the vicinity of the site and has been discussed at drop-in events held in the village. The local member has been briefed, and the Parish Council have been made aware, together with members of the public, at the 2025 annual parish meeting.

Recommendations

It is recommended that the Cabinet resolves to provide a total budget of up to £120,000 from the ‘reactive coastal works’ budget (approved by Cabinet in March 2025) and the CTAP budget, to undertake the actions recommended in this report to address the knotweed issues over the period between autumn 2025 and autumn 2027.

The actions will include:

1. Complete a programme of four containment foliar sprays by lance/stem injection between 2025 and 2027, for a 3-metre strip at both the base and the top of the coastal slope
2. Complete works for clearance of promenade and licenced disposal of slump material containing Japanese Knotweed
3. Complete works to stabilise the base of the coastal slope, landwards of the top of the sea wall in the immediate proximity of promenade clearance works, to inhibit further encroachment of slump material potentially containing Japanese Knotweed
4. Further investigate the potential for annual foliar spraying, utilising appropriate methods, across the entire area containing the Japanese Knotweed infestation, then implement treatment by the most appropriate means (potentially between 2025 and 2027)
5. Implement and promote stakeholder engagement and community awareness, through stakeholder coordination, raising public awareness and education of the knotweed issue
6. Investigate approaches to maintaining vegetative cover during treatment of Japanese Knotweed and re-establishing vegetation post-treatment of Japanese Knotweed, in order to reduce the potential impact of rainfall-induced surface water run-off upon cliff instability
7. Implement long-term monitoring of Japanese Knotweed infestation, covering 2025 to 2027 treatment period  ...  view the full agenda text for item 13.

Executive Summary

This report provides an update on the Fakenham Leisure and sports Hub project, highlighting some of the project changes. It provides reassurance that the overall project costs are broadly in line with the revised budgetary provision. The reconciliation of cost estimates against the received Tender demonstrates that the Tender price is fair and reasonable.

Options considered

·       Proceed with the award of contract for the build phase of the project.

·       Resolve not to proceed with the project – not recommended

Consultation(s)

·       Monitoring Officer

·       Section 151 Officer

Recommendations

That Cabinet resolve to:

·       Approve the award of contract for the build phase of the Fakenham Leisure and Sports Hub project by appointing Alliance Leisure Services Ltd from a framework agreement, who will appoint DDI Projects Limited and any necessary complementary appointments within this Stage.

Reasons for recommendations

To enable the award of contract for the build phase of the Fakenham Leisure and Sports Hub project.

Background papers

·       Report to Full Council – 27 July 2022

·       Report to Full Council – 20 December 2023

·       Report to Full Council – 27 March 2024

Wards affected

Fakenham wards (Lancaster North and South); and wards in the west of the district including Briston, Priory, Stibbard, Stody, The Raynhams, Walsingham; Wells with Holkham.

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Tim Adams, Leader of the Council Cllr Liz Withington PFH for Leisure etc

Contact Officer

Steve Hems

Director of Service Delivery (Deputy Chief Executive) steve.hems@north-norfolk.gov.uk