Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 26 March 2026.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2026 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link:-

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of public questions is mid-day on Wednesday 20 May 2026 [12 noon, 3 clear working days before the meeting].

The deadline for the submission of a statement is mid-day Tuesday 26 May 2026 [mid-day the working day before the meeting].

The deadline for the submission of a petition is Tuesday 12 May 2026 [10 working days before the meeting].

Cabinet was advised that there had been no petitions, questions or statements submitted by members of the public on this occasion.

To consider recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny committees on items not otherwise included on the Cabinet Agenda.

Cabinet was advised that there were no additional recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on items not otherwise indicated on the Cabinet agenda on this occasion.

In June 2025, Cabinet agreed to prepare a new Local Plan under the Government’s reformed plan-making system. The Government has now published the Regulations and guidance setting out the new process, which is intended to enable plans to be prepared and adopted within 30 months from Gateway 1. This report summarises the process and proposed timetable for preparing the new BCP Local Plan and seeks authorisation to undertake the Stage 1 (“Getting ready”) activities, together with delegated authority to progress the Plan through the prescribed Gateway stages. Cabinet decisions will remain for each formal consultation stage. A cross party Working Group is being set up to guide the Local Plan.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)           Cabinet give delegated authority to the Leader of the Council and Chair of the Cabinet to undertake the necessary activities to:

(i)         Issue the Notice to Commence plan making;

(ii)       Publish the timetable and Project Initiation Document, and update as required.

(iii)      Publish a scoping consultation exercise for a period of 6 weeks.

(iv)      Progress the Local Plan through the Gateway stages.

(b)           Cabinet agreed the Terms of Reference of the Local Plan Working Group subject to the inclusion to allow the possibility for substitute members provided that group leaders or their nominated representative notify of the change at least 72 hours in advance of a meeting and provided that the substitute attend a briefing with relevant officers prior to the meeting:

(c)          further clarification be provided on the stakeholders who will be engaged with, beyond the statutory consultees and that Ward members be encouraged to provide the details to officers of any organisations that they feel should be engaged with as stakeholders; and

(d)           a risk concerning the wider potential implications of devolution and local government reorganisation, e.g. changing consultees, be added to the risk register included within the Project Initiation Document

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Leader of the Council

Reason

To agree the governance arrangements and enable work to formally commence on preparing a new Local Plan within the reformed 30-month plan making system.

The Leader of the Council presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was reminded that in June 2025, Cabinet had agreed to prepare a new Local Plan under the Government’s reformed plan-making system.

In relation this Cabinet was advised that the Government had now published the Regulations and guidance setting out the new process, which was intended to enable plans to be prepared and adopted within 30 months from Gateway 1.

Cabinet was informed that this report summarised the process and proposed timetable for preparing the new BCP Local Plan and sought authorisation to undertake the Stage 1 (“Getting ready”) activities, together with delegated authority to progress the Plan through the prescribed Gateway stages.

In relation to this Cabinet was advised that Cabinet decisions would remain for each formal consultation stage, and that a cross-party Working Group was being set up to guide the Local Plan.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Board, Councillor Kate Salmon, addressed Cabinet and advised that, at its recent meeting, the Board had given detailed consideration to this item and had resolved to submit the following recommendations: -

The Overview and Scrutiny Board recommend to Cabinet:

1.    That further clarification be provided on the stakeholders who will be engaged with beyond the statutory consultees and that Ward members be encouraged to provide the details to officers of any organisations that they feel should be engaged with as stakeholders.

2.    That the Working Group Terms of reference be amended to allow the possibility for substitute members provided that group leaders or their nominated representative notify of the change at least 72 hours in advance of a meeting and provided that the substitute attend a briefing with relevant officers prior to the meeting.

3.    That a risk concerning the wider potential implications of devolution and local government reorganisation, e.g. changing consultees, be added to the risk register included within the Project Initiation Document

Voting: Nem. Con.

The Leader thanked the Board for its recommendations and advised that these were accepted and, subject to Cabinet’s agreement, would be incorporated within the formal resolutions of Cabinet.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)           Cabinet give delegated authority to the Leader of the Council and Chair of the Cabinet to undertake the necessary activities to:

(i)         Issue the Notice to Commence plan making;

(ii)       Publish the timetable and Project Initiation Document, and update as required.

(iii)      Publish a scoping consultation exercise for a period of 6 weeks.

(iv)      Progress the Local Plan through the Gateway stages.

(b)           Cabinet agreed the Terms of Reference of the Local Plan Working Group subject to the inclusion to allow the possibility for substitute members provided that group leaders or their nominated representative notify of the change at least 72 hours in advance of a meeting and provided that the substitute attend a briefing with relevant officers prior to the meeting:

(c)          further clarification  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) published a revised set of ‘Public Library Byelaws for England’ in March 2025 (updated August 2025).

DCMS state library byelaws are aimed at helping libraries to offer a “safe and comfortable environment and to make libraries places everyone can enjoy”. They also aid the “library workforce to deal with disruptive behaviour and allow for flexibility in dealing with local concerns”.

BCP Council has not updated its library byelaws since local government review and thus we are still operating with separate versions in place for the legacy authority areas.

The library service would like to update its byelaws to bring consistency across areas, but also because the new version produced by the DCMS are more modern and a better fit for life as it is today. 

This report presents the draft byelaws and seeks support to undertake the necessary next steps to enable us to adopt them.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)          approved the process required to formally adopt the new draft Library Byelaws made under Section 19 of the Public Libraries and Museum Act (1964);

(b)          delegates responsibility to the Portfolio Holder for Customer, Communications and Culture to review any concerns raised through public consultation, prior to the report progressing to Full Council and then seeking final sign off from the DCMS; and

(c)          delegates responsibility to the Library Management Team for implementing the new Byelaws and using them in day-to-day operation.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Customer, Communications and Culture

Reason

The purpose of this report is to present the draft new library Byelaws for BCP Council.

The Portfolio Holder for Customer, Communications and Culture presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) had published a revised set of ‘Public Library Byelaws for England’ in March 2025 (updated August 2025).

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that DCMS state library byelaws were aimed at helping libraries to offer a “safe and comfortable environment and to make libraries places everyone can enjoy”, and that they also aid the “library workforce to deal with disruptive behaviour and allow for flexibility in dealing with local concerns”.

Further to this Cabinet was advised that BCP Council had not updated its library byelaws since local government review and were therefore operating with separate versions in place for the legacy authority areas.

Cabinet was informed that the library service would like to update its byelaws to bring consistency across areas, and also because the new version produced by the DCMS were more modern and a better fit for life as it is today. 

In relation to this Cabinet was advised that the report presented the draft byelaws and sought support to undertake the necessary next steps to enable them to be adopted by the Council.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(A)      approved the process required to formally adopt the new draft Library Byelaws made under Section 19 of the Public Libraries and Museum Act (1964);

(B)      delegates responsibility to the Portfolio Holder for Customer, Communications and Culture to review any concerns raised through public consultation, prior to the report progressing to Full Council and then seeking final sign off from the DCMS; and

(C)       delegates responsibility to the Library Management Team for implementing the new Byelaws and using them in day-to-day operation.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Customer, Communications and Culture

Reason

The purpose of this report is to present the draft new library Byelaws for BCP Council.

BCP Council does not have a Social Value Policy nor a Social Value Statement.

In June 2025, CMB convened a Social Value Working Group to develop the Council’s Social Value Statement, aligned to priorities within the Corporate Plan and BCP’s Procurement and Contract Management Strategy.

Scope of the Social Value Statement includes leveraging social value through:

·       Procurement and contract management

·       External offers relating to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

·       Planning

·       Economic Development

·       Community-based projects.

This Report has been brought to Cabinet for a decision to adopt the Social Value Statement.

The Social Value Statement is presented at Appendix 1.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approved the Social Value Statement for adoption.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holders:  Transformation, Resources and Governance

                              Communities and Partnerships

Reason

To align stakeholders across all council services and ensure a consistent organisation-wide approach, aligned with the Council’s priorities, stretching beyond procurement to improve benefits for our communities and residents.

The Portfolio Holder for Transformation, Resources and Governance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that BCP Council did not currently have a Social Value Policy nor a Social Value Statement, and that in June 2025, Corporate Management Board had convened a Social Value Working Group to develop the Council’s Social Value Statement, aligned to priorities within the Corporate Plan and BCP’s Procurement and Contract Management Strategy.

Cabinet was informed that the scope of the Social Value Statement included leveraging social value through:

·       Procurement and contract management

·       External offers relating to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

·       Planning

·       Economic Development

·       Community-based projects.

Cabinet was advised that in relation to this the report was being brought to Cabinet for a decision to adopt the Social Value Statement as appended at Appendix 1 to the report.

In presenting the paper the Portfolio Holder thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Board for their consideration and recommendations particularly for their support to approve the Social Value Statement for adoption.

With regards to the first recommendation from the Board the Portfolio Holder clarified that whilst the statement does refer to the councils overall commitment to achieving social value as already incorporated into the councils corporate strategy and summarises elements of that strategy that the real purpose of the statement was to establish how social value would be encouraged and maximised through the councils procurement processes and that there was no intention to develop a new action plan or governance structure for the corporate strategy.

In relation to this the Portfolio Holder advised that Cabinet already receives routine reports which are available to the Board for scrutiny.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Board, Councillor Kate Salmon, addressed Cabinet and advised that, at its recent meeting, the Board had given detailed consideration to this item and had resolved to submit the following recommendations:

The Overview and Scrutiny Board Recommend to Cabinet:

1.             That an action plan, including details of an appropriate governance structure, is produced in order to clearly outline how the social value statement will be taken forward to cover all Council activities beyond procurement.

Voting: 10 in favour, 2 against (Note that this vote was revisited following further clarification of the motion – the original vote being 11 in favour 1 against.)

2.              That the O&S Board support the recommendation outlined in the report to approve the Social Value Statement for adoption

Voting: 10 in favour, 2 against

Councillor Patrick Canavan addressed the Cabinet advising that he felt that had the Board received the clarification around their first recommendation at the meeting that they would have likely presented an entirely different recommendation which would have potentially included the request for a second phase, and in relation to this requested that Cabinet reconsider whether or not there could be a second phase of the process in terms of adding social value.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

In line with statutory guidance on making significant changes to maintained schools, this report outlines the proposal to create a new Winchelsea School satellite unit and nursery at Stanley Green Infant Academy, in addition to expanding post?16 places at Winchelsea School’s Broadstone Youth Centre site. These developments support the council’s duty to provide sufficient specialist school places and form part of a wider programme to expand high?quality local SEND provision. The proposal responds to rising demand for specialist places driven by increasing numbers of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and the resulting reliance on independent and non?maintained special schools.

By using surplus space available at Stanley Green Infant Academy and at Broadstone Youth Centre for post?16 provision, the Council aims to strengthen local capacity so that more children and young people can access appropriate education closer to home. Increasing provision will reduce the need for costly out?of?area placements, often involving higher fees and significant transport costs, while improving outcomes by enabling pupils to remain within their communities and delivering long?term financial efficiencies for the Council.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)           Cabinet agreed with the proposal to establish a new Winchelsea School satellite unit and nursery for children with SEND at Stanley Green Infant Academy, in addition to expanding Winchelsea School’s post-16 places at Broadstone Youth Centre, with effect from 1 September 2026.

(b)           Cabinet approve a budget allocation of £710k using High Needs Provision Allocation.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children, Young People, Education and Skills

Reason

To increase local specialist early years and key stage 1 capacity in the Oakdale and wider area, in addition to permitting an increase to the number of post-16 places made available in Broadstone, to meet the assessed educational needs of children and young people with SEND and to reduce pressure on the High Needs Budget. The Council is the authority for approving this significant change.

The Portfolio Holder or Children, Young People, Education and Skills presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that in line with statutory guidance on making significant changes to maintained schools, the report outlined the proposal to create a new Winchelsea School satellite unit and nursery at Stanley Green Infant Academy, in addition to expanding post?16 places at Winchelsea School’s Broadstone Youth Centre site.

Cabinet was informed that these developments supported the council’s duty to provide sufficient specialist school places and form part of a wider programme to expand high?quality local SEND provision, and that the proposal responds to rising demand for specialist places driven by increasing numbers of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and the resulting reliance on independent and non?maintained special schools.

In relation to this Cabinet was advised that by using surplus space available at Stanley Green Infant Academy and at Broadstone Youth Centre for post?16 provision, the Council aims to strengthen local capacity so that more children and young people can access appropriate education closer to home, and that increasing provision would reduce the need for costly out?of?area placements, often involving higher fees and significant transport costs, while improving outcomes by enabling pupils to remain within their communities and delivering long?term financial efficiencies for the Council.

RESOLVED that: -

a)             Cabinet agreed with the proposal to establish a new Winchelsea School satellite unit and nursery for children with SEND at Stanley Green Infant Academy, in addition to expanding Winchelsea School’s post-16 places at Broadstone Youth Centre, with effect from 1 September 2026.

b)             Cabinet approve a budget allocation of £710k using High Needs Provision Allocation.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children, Young People, Education and Skills

Reason

To increase local specialist early years and key stage 1 capacity in the Oakdale and wider area, in addition to permitting an increase to the number of post-16 places made available in Broadstone, to meet the assessed educational needs of children and young people with SEND and to reduce pressure on the High Needs Budget. The Council is the authority for approving this significant change.

The Chief Executive to report on any decisions taken under urgency provisions in accordance with the Constitution.

The Chief Executive advised Cabinet that he had taken one urgent decision in relation to an adjudication matter following a confidential report which was received by Cabinet on 26 March 2026 and which all Group Leaders had been briefed, further to this the Chief Executive advised that this decision had also been reported to the reconvened March full Council meeting on the 12 May 2026.

To consider the latest version of the Cabinet Forward Plan for approval.

The Leader advised that the latest Cabinet Forward Plan had been published on the Council’s website.