Agenda

Executive Summary

North Norfolk District Council has been successful in bidding for Round 3 funding through the Government’s Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF). This report sets out proposals to use the £588,000 of LAHF grant to help purchase a further six units of Temporary Accommodation for homeless households.

Options considered

1.             To accept the LAHF grant to help fund purchase of six homes for use as temporary accommodation, with the Council providing the match funding and staffing resources to undertake the purchases and necessary repairs to the properties by April 2026.

2.             To not accept the LAHF grant funding offered

Consultation(s)

Portfolio Holder for Housing and Peoples’ Services;

Officers in Housing Options, Estates and Property Services

Recommendations

It is recommended that Cabinet:

1.             Agree to accept the £588,000 of Local Authority Housing Fund grant

2.             Use the LAHF grant to part fund the purchase six further units of temporary accommodation, with one to be prioritised for Afghan resettlement households.

3.             Seek approval from full Council to allocate £0.9m of the additional income from the Second Homes Premium (both from the County Council and District Council elements) as match funding for the LAHF grant.

4.             Give delegated authority to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Peoples’ Services, to agree the actual purchases of up to six properties (within the identified budget limits).

Reasons for recommendations

To seek approval for the Council to accept the LAHF grant and use the grant to help acquire further homes to use as temporary accommodation

Background papers

Cabinet October 2023 – Round 2 Local Authority Housing Fund

Cabinet June 2023 - Purchase of Temporary Accommodation Unit

Cabinet March 2023 – LAHF Round 1 Opportunity

Cabinet November 2022 - Purchase of Temporary Accommodation Unit

Wards affected

Districtwide

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Fredericks, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Peoples’ Services

Contact Officer

Nicky Debbage, Housing Strategy & Delivery Manager, nicky.debbage@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Executive Summary

The existing Coast Protection budget is for the maintenance and repair of coast protection assets. It is increasingly called upon to meet the costs of miscellaneous other coastal-related issues, as, at present there is no specific budget for such works. Cliff-related works includes both reactive works, as required following a cliff slip, such as closure of accesses, signage, etc, and planned works, such as maintenance of routes between the clifftop and the coastal defences below. When these works are required, identifying an appropriate budget can be time-consuming and subject to debate, as each service area already has its own tight budgetary constraints and these works often sit between assets which are the responsibility of Coastal Management, NNDC Assets, Property Services or Leisure Services.

This report proposes that a budget is established specifically for reactive works, which council services can request access to, but which sits within and is overseen by the Coastal Management team, which is where the technical expertise and oversight of such works resides.

Options considered

The following options have been considered:

1)    The establishment of a dedicated reactive works budget, which rests with the Coastal Management team, but which is separate from any existing budgets. - This is the recommended option.

2)    No specific budget is identified, and business continues as usual. - This option is not recommended as it will not facilitate effective timely responses to issues as they arise or provide clarity over budget position.

Consultation(s)

Portfolio Holder for Coast

Director for Place and Climate Change

CLT

Recommendations

Recommend to Council:

The establishment of a dedicated cliff works budget, overseen by the Coastal Management department, and separate from any existing budgets.

Reasons for recommendations

By establishing a dedicated budget for cliff related works, the ambiguity surrounding remedial and emergency works is removed, allowing such issues to be addressed in a timely manner.  This new budget provision, which any service area needing cliff related works completed can request access to, should be the responsibility of the Coastal Management team, due to the existing expertise within the team and better ability to align and co-ordinate any necessary spend.

Background papers

N/A

Wards affected

Coastal, Sheringham South, Sheringham North, Beeston Regis and The Runtons, Cromer Town, Suffield Park, Poppyland, Roughton, Mundesley, Bacton, Happisburgh

Cabinet member

Cllr Blathwayt, Portfolio Holder for Coast

Contact Officers

Tamzen Pope

Coastal Engineering Manager

Tamzen.pope@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Fiona Keenaghan

Assistant Coastal Engineer

Fiona.keenaghan@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Wards affected

Coastal, Sheringham South, Sheringham North, Beeston Regis and The Runtons, Cromer Town, Suffield Park, Poppyland, Roughton, Mundesley, Bacton, Happisburgh

Cabinet member

Cllr Blathwayt, Portfolio Holder for Coast

Contact Officers

Tamzen Pope

Coastal Engineering Manager

Tamzen.pope@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Fiona Keenaghan

Assistant Coastal Engineer

Fiona.keenaghan@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Executive Summary

Some parts of the sea wall at Overstrand have reached the end of their useful life and now these need to be replaced with new sections to improve the overall protection to the cliffs.

This report sets out the works that are needed to improve the sea wall defences and protection of the cliffs. It outlines the expected costs of doing this, outlining the options considered and the likely implementation timescales.

Options considered

1.1           Option 1.

Continue with regular repair and maintenance, utilising NNDC’s coastal repair and maintenance budget. Not recommended.

1.2           Option 2.

Extensive refurbishment along the Overstrand frontage, with sheet pile and concrete for the full 600m length of the existing seawall. Not recommended.

1.3           Option 3.

Do nothing except manage public health and safety obligations. Not recommended.

1.4           Option 4

More limited, targeted works at the specific locations of the greatest immediate known structural concern on the Overstrand sea wall. Recommended.

Consultation(s)

Portfolio Holder for Coast

Recommendations

That Cabinet recommend to full Council that it approves the required works to the Overstrand sea wall (option 4 of this report at paragraph 3.9) and that £1.280m be added to the Capital Programme for 2025/26 for this scheme and that this be funded by £0.245m of capital receipts, £0.386m of grant funding if able to obtain grant funding and the balance from borrowing.

That Cabinet agree an option (from options 1 to 4 as outlined in the table at paragraph 1.5 of Appendix A) to reallocate existing scheme budgets to reduce the level of overall borrowing if it is minded to do so.

That Cabinet recommend to full Council that the scheme be funded by up to a maximum of £1.035m of borrowing depending on which option it would like to agree. It should be noted that the Council may be able to access grant funding (c. £0.386m) for this scheme and if successful it is proposed that the level of borrowing be reduced to £0.649m.

That Cabinet approve that delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director for Sustainable Growth, in consultation with the portfolio holder for Coast, to procure, design and deliver the scheme, together with the development of any applications for external funding or necessary consents.

Reasons for recommendations

To ensure appropriate measures are taken in a timely manner to maintain the integrity of the sea wall at Overstrand for as long as is feasible in the circumstances and in accordance with the Shoreline Management Plan.

Wards affected

Poppyland

Cabinet member(s)

Cabinet Member for Coast

Contact Officer

Robert Young, Assistant Director for Sustainable Growth

Wards affected

Poppyland

Cabinet member(s)

Cabinet Member for Coast

Contact Officer

Robert Young, Assistant Director for Sustainable Growth

Executive Summary

This paper proposes the provision of devices that allow donations to be made by members of the public towards the ongoing costs of the maintenance of Cromer Pier.

Options considered

1. Donation Stations
2. QR Codes

Consultation(s)

Property Services

Recommendations

It is recommended that Cabinet approve the purchase of 2 Dona devices to use for the public to make voluntary donations towards the costs of maintaining Cromer Pier for a six-month trial period over the 2025 summer season. This will be funded from the Invest to Save Reserve.

Reasons for recommendations

• Dona already works with a number of other Local Authorities.
• With the purchase of a Dona terminal, NNDC will also get a donation webpage and QR code at no additional cost, which can be used to allow donations via our website and social media as well.
• Although the initial cost of the Dona machines is slightly higher than the alternative device considered, the lower transaction fees mean over time and with more donations this option becomes more cost effective.
• The larger display screen also aids accessibility and reduces the need for additional information to be displayed around the device.

Background papers

None

Wards affected

Cromer

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Lucy Shires – PFH for Finance, Estates and Property Services

Cllr Liz Withington – PFH for Community, Leisure and Outreach

Contact Officer

Erika Temple

Project Manager

Erika.temple@north-norfolk.gov.uk