Agenda

To receive a presentation from the Chairman’s charity – Norfolk Charities – Norfolk Wheely Boat’.

To receive apologies for absence, if any.

To confirm the minutes of the Annual meeting of the Council held on 21 May 2025.

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests that they may have in any of the following items on the agenda.  The Code of Conduct for Members requires that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (see attached guidance and flowchart)

To determine any other items of business which the Chairman decides should be considered as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

To receive the Chairman’s communications, if any.

To receive announcements from the Leader of the Council.

To consider any questions or statements received from members of the public.

To approve changes to appointments to committees, sub-committees, working parties and outside bodies, as proposed by the Group Leaders.

To receive reports from Cabinet Members on their portfolios.

Cllr T Adams - Executive Support & Legal Services

Cllr H Blathwayt – Coast

Cllr A Brown – Planning & Enforcement

Cllr W Fredericks – Housing and People Services

Cllr C Ringer – IT, Environmental & Waste Services

Cllr L Shires – Finance, Estates & Assets

Cllr J Toye – Sustainable Growth

Cllr A Varley – Climate Change & Net Zero

Cllr L Withington – Community, Leisure & Outreach (Including Health & Wellbeing)

Members are reminded that they may ask questions of the Cabinet Member on their reports and portfolio areas but should note that it is not a debate.

No member may ask more than one question plus a supplementary question, unless the time taken by members’ questions does not exceed 30 minutes in total, in which case, second questions will be taken in the order that they are received (Constitution, Chapter 2, part 2, section 12.2)

The following recommendations to Full Council were made by Cabinet at the meeting held on 7^th July:

Please note that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting took place after the Full Council agenda was published. The Chairman will provide a verbal update at the meeting of any recommendations made in relation to any of the items listed below.

1.    Cabinet Agenda Item 8: Outturn report 2024/2025

RESOLVED to recommend the following to Full Council:

a)  The provisional outturn position for the General Fund revenue account for 2024/25 (as shown in Appendix A);

b)  The transfers to and from reserves as detailed within the report (and Appendix C);

c) The surplus of £0.622m be transferred to the General reserve to mitigate future funding shortfalls.

d) The balance on the General Reserve of £2.825m following the transfer outlined above.

e) The surplus of £0.384m relating to retained business rates be transferred to the Business Rates reserve.

f) The financing of the 2024/25 capital programme as detailed within the report and at Appendix D.

g) The updated capital programme for 2025/26 to 2030/31 and scheme financing as outlined within the report and detailed at Appendix E;

h) Approval of additional funding to cover capital project overspends of £10,816 as detailed in paragraph 5.7.

i) The roll-forward of existing capital project funding from 2024/25 into 2025/26 as detailed in paragraph 5.9.

j). To note the addition of £55,000 towards the New Play Area (Sheringham, The Lees) to be funded from the Asset Management Reserve in 2025/26 for a total project budget of £120,000

k) The addition of £6,081 towards the Cromer Offices LED Lighting in the Capital Programme to be funded from Capital Receipts in 2025/26 for a total project budget of £178,796.

l) The addition of £20,000 towards the Public Conveniences (Sheringham & North Walsham) project in the Capital Programme to be funded from Capital Receipts in 2025/26 for a total project budget of £565,514.

m) The addition of the Holt Eco Learning Space scheme for £100,000 into the 2025/26 Capital Programme to be funded by an external contribution.

2.    Cabinet Agenda item 9 – Treasury Management Outturn Report 2024/2025

RESOLVED to recommend the Treasury Management outturn position to Full Council for approval

3.    Cabinet Agenda Item 10 – Debt Recovery 2024/2025

RESOLVED to recommend that Full Council

1. approves the annual report which details the Council’s write-offs, in accordance with the Council’s Debt Write-Off Policy and performance in relation to revenues collection.

2. approves the continued delegated authority as shown in appendix 2 for write offs.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee made the following recommendation to Full Council at the meeting held on 14^th May 2025:

That Full Council approves a change of start time for Overview & Scrutiny Committee meetings from 10am to 9.30am, with immediate effect.

The Chair will provide an update to Full Council on any further recommendations made by the Committee at the meeting held on 16^th July.

1.    To consider any further recommendations to Full Council made by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee at the meeting held on 16^th July 2025.

This report will follow.

Development Committee made the following recommendation to Full Council at the meeting held on 29^th May 2025:

That Full Council approves a change of start time for Development Committee meetings from 10am to 9.30am, with immediate effect.

The following recommendations were made by the Licensing Committee (Premises & Gambling) at the meeting held on 9^th July 2025:

GAMBLING STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES 2025

1. Recommends that Full Council approves the publication of the Gambling Statement of Principles 2025.

2.    That the new statement is published, once approved.

The following recommendation was made by the Licensing Committee (Regulatory) at the meeting held on 9^th July:

DRAFT TAXI AND PRIVATE HIRE POLICY AND HANDBOOK

To adopt the Taxi and Private Hire Policy and Handbook 2025 v5.1with effect from 1

September 2025.

Please see the agenda for the Licensing Committee (Regulatory) to access the full suite of documents: Home | Agenda for Licensing Committee (Regulatory) on Wednesday, 9th July, 2025, 10.30 am

None Received.

Local Government Reorganisation

There are serious concerns about the way this Council is handling the preparation of its Local Government Reform (LGR) proposal and the supporting business case to be submitted to the MHCLG by 26^th September. We call upon the Administration to recognise and remedy the current flaws in the process, and accept the following recommendations:

1. Ensure the ongoing research and proposal presentation work includes cost comparisons for 1, 2 & 3 unitaries including transition, revenue and capital costs and with risk scores covering viability and quality scores for the range of services provided.
2. Address the need to investigate proposed decision-making structures and lines of functionality connecting with town & parish councils, for each Unitary model, to ensure local democratic participation and accountability.
3. Actively involve cross-party councillors in reviewing the research results and preparation of the proposal and supporting business case, either via Overview & Scrutiny or a cross-party working group, to make the process and results transparent and accessible to North Norfolk residents and businesses.
4. To either increase the 8^th – 17^th September period for all councillors to assimilate and respond to the proposal and supporting business case, or provide briefing/feedback sessions during that period to ensure all members are fully informed on all aspects of the proposal and the evidence supporting the selection.

None Received.

To pass the following resolution – if necessary:

“That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) _ of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.”