Agenda

Council - Wednesday, 18th February, 2026 6.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber - Council Offices. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services  Email: democraticservices@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence, if any.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 241 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 17 December 2025.

3.

Items of Urgent Business

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.

4.

TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS FROM MEMBERS pdf icon PDF 721 KB

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)

5.

Chairman's Communications

To receive the Chairman’s communications, if any.

6.

Leader's Announcements

7.

Public Questions and Statements

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

8.

Appointments to Committees, Sub-committees, Working Parties & PanelsTo

To approve the recommendation from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee to appoint Cllr C Rouse as a substitute to the Norfolk Health Overview Select Committee.

 

To receive any other nominations from the Group Leaders.

9.

Pay Policy Statement 2026 - 2027 pdf icon PDF 148 KB

Executive Summary

Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011 (“The Act”) required the Council to produce an annual pay policy statement (“the statement”)for the start of each financial year. The attached statement is drawn up in compliance with the Act to cover the period 2026/2027. It is a legal requirement the Full Council formally signs off this statement and the responsibility cannot be devolved to any other person or committee.

 

Options considered

 

There are no other options to consider as part of this paper.

 

Consultation(s)

No consultation is required.

 

Recommendations

 

To adopt the attached Pay Policy Statement and to publish the statement for 2026/2027 on the NNDC Website.

Reasons for recommendations

 

To comply with the requirements of the Localism Act.

 

Background papers

 

Pay Policy Statement 2027/2027

 

 

Wards affected

N/A

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Tim Adams

Contact Officer

Susan Sidell, HR Manager, susan.sidell@north-norfolk.gov.uk

 

Additional documents:

10.

Car park Order 2026 pdf icon PDF 160 KB

Executive Summary

The proposed car parking charges for 2026 were agreed at Full Council on 17 December 2025. A new car parking order, consolidating the existing orders as well as introducing new charges has been advertised. The closing date for objections was 5 February 2026. In all 119

responses were received. 

Options considered

 

Option 1 – Introduce the Car Parking Order 2026

 

Option 2 – Continue with the current car parking order.

 

Consultation(s)

The period for public objections ran from 15 January 2026 to 5 February 2026. The order was made available via our website. The notice of proposals was advertised in the local paper on 15 January 2026 and also displayed on every car park.

Recommendations

 

  1. That the Council introduces the Car Parking Order 2026 on 7 April 2026 as advertised.

 

  1. That the Council considers it appropriate to make the order subject to minor changes to wording within the Car Parking Order 2026.

 

Reasons for recommendations

 

Car parking income represents a significant income source to the Council and as such has a substantial contribution to make to the Council’s long term financial sustainability. The objections do not constitute substantive reasons for not bringing the order into force.

Background papers

 

Report to Full Council on 17 December 2025.

 

 

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Shires, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Estates & Property Services

Contact Officer

Daniel King, Assistant Director Finance & Assets

 

11.

Recommendations from Cabinet 2nd February 2026 pdf icon PDF 409 KB

The following recommendations were made by Cabinet at the meeting held on 2nd February:

 

1.    Cabinet Agenda item 8: Capital Strategy 2026 -2027

 

RESOLVED

 

To recommend to Full Council that the Capital Strategy 2026/27 is approved

 

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered this item at the meeting held on 11th February. The Chair will report any recommendations verbally to Full Council as this agenda was published before the Committee meeting

 

2.    Cabinet Agenda item 9: Treasury Management Strategy 2-26 – 2027

 

RESOLVED

 

To recommend to Full Council that the Treasury Management Strategy 2026/27 is approved

 

The Governance, Risk & Audit Committee considered this item at the meeting held on 12th February. The Chair will report any recommendations verbally to Full Council as this agenda was published before the Committee meeting

 

 

3.    Cabinet Agenda item 10: Non-Domestic Rates Policy 2026 - 2027

 

RESOLVED to recommend to Full Council:

 

a)    That the Revenues Manager continues to have delegated authority to make decisions up to the NNDC cost value of £4k as indicated in Appendix A.

 

b)    That the Revenues Manager continues to have delegated authority to make Hardship Relief decisions up to the NNDC cost value of £4k as indicated in Appendix C.

 

c)    That the Rate Relief Policy is revised as indicated in Appendix A, B and C.

 

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered this item at the meeting held on 11th February. The Chair will report any recommendations verbally to Full Council as this agenda was published before the Committee meeting

 

 

4.    Cabinet Agenda item 12: Medium Term Financial Strategy 2026/27 – 2029/30

 

RESOLVED

 

To recommend that Full Council approves the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2026/27 – 2029/30

 

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered this item at the meeting held on 11th February. The Chair will report any recommendations verbally to Full Council as this agenda was published before the Committee meeting

 

 

Additional documents:

12.

Recommendations from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee 11 February 2026

To consider any further recommendations to Full Council made by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee at the meeting on 11th February (which have not already been covered by Agenda item 9).

 

Please note that the Full Council agenda was published before the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting took place, so recommendations could not be included in the agenda. The Chair will provide a verbal update at the meeting (if required).

13.

Budget & Council Tax 2026 - 2027 pdf icon PDF 563 KB

Reasons for recommendations

 

It is a statutory requirement to set the budget each year. To enable the Council to set a balanced budget.

Background papers

 

Budget reports and briefings, precepts (NCC, Police and Parishes)

 

Draft Revenue Budget Report for 2026/27 presented to Cabinet on 2 February 2026

 

 

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Lucy Shires

Contact Officer

Don McCallum

Director of Resources and s151 Officer

Don.McCallum@north-norfolk.gov.uk

 

                                              

Executive Summary

This report presents for approval the budget for 2026/27 and to make statutory calculations in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to set the Council Tax for 2026/27. The report also includes the Chief Finance Officer’s report on the robustness of the estimates and adequacy of reserves.

 

It is worth noting that this budget has been prepared based on the draft Local Government Finance Settlement. Due to report publishing timing constraints, it was not possible to update all underlying financial reports in time for the Full Council on 18 February 2026. However, extensive analysis has been undertaken comparing the draft Local Government Finance Settlement funding to the final Local Government Finance Settlement with the only difference being an additional £1,225 being received through the settlement for the 2026/2027 budget compared to the draft position.

Options considered.

 

It is a statutory requirement to set the budget each year, whilst there are options around the content of the budget presented for approval, the budget now recommended reflects the recommendations made by Cabinet at its meeting on 2 February 2026.

Consultation(s)

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee have reviewed items within the draft budget papers on 28 January 2026 and will have the opportunity to review this report at its meeting on 11 February 2026.

 

Public and business consultations have also taken place on the Council’s website and on all the Council’s other social media platforms.

Recommendations

 

That having considered the Chief Finance Officer’s report on the robustness of the estimates and the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves, the following be approved:

 

1.     The 2026/27 revenue budget as outlined at Appendix A;

 

2.     The service budgets detailed in Appendix B;

 

3.     The statement of the movement in reserves as detailed at Appendix C, including;

 

3.1.  To approve the use of the Communities reserve to fund a revenue budget of £4,000 per Member to allow the award of small local grants.

 

3.2.  To approve the creation of an £0.75m Ear Marked Reserve to mitigate the Revenue costs of Local Government Reorganisation.

 

4.     The updated Capital Programme and financing for 2026/27 to 2028/29 as shown in Appendix D;

 

5.     The new capital bids recommended for approval as detailed at Appendix E;

 

6.     That Members note the current financial projections for the period 2026/27 to 2029/30 that form the Medium Term Financial Strategy as presented as a Cabinet recommendation from its meeting on 2 February 2026;

 

7.     That the minimum Level of the General Fund Reserve of £2.1m for 2026/27 to 2027/28;

 

8.     The Local Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTS) for 2026/27 as set out in  ...  view the full agenda text for item 13.

Additional documents:

14.

Portfolio Reports pdf icon PDF 181 KB

To receive reports from Cabinet Members on their portfolios.

 

 

Cllr T Adams - Executive Support & Legal Services

Cllr H Blathwayt – Coast

Cllr J Boyle – Housing and People Services

Cllr A Brown – Planning & Enforcement

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)

Additional documents:

15.

Questions Received from Members

None Received.

16.

Opposition Business

None Received.

17.

Notice(s) of Motion pdf icon PDF 260 KB

The following Notices of Motion have been received:

 

1.    Motion against the proposed closure of Corpusty School

 

Proposed by Cllr A Brown, seconded by Cllr C Ringer

 

2.    Sheringham Sixth Form Provision and Post-16 Educational Inequality

 

Proposed by: Cllr Liz Withington, seconded by C Ringer

 

Additional documents:

18.

Exclusion of Press and Public

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.”

19.

Private Business