The Cabinet of Tendring Council met on Friday 25 September 2026, making decisions on amendments to the Council's Constitution regarding planning functions, reviewing the Annual Housing Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report, and adopting a new Housing Succession & Assignment Policy.

Amendments to the Council's Constitution - Planning Committees and the National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Authority Functions

The Cabinet formally recommended to the Full Council that amendments be made to the Council's Constitution to comply with the Government's new National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Functions. These changes, which come into effect on 31 October 2026, are necessitated by the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026. The report highlighted that the aim of the national scheme is to ensure greater clarity and consistency in planning decision-making, with committees focusing on key local proposals and officers handling more minor, technical decisions. A significant change will be the removal of the power for Ward councillors to automatically require cases to be referred to committee. The Cabinet noted the report and recommended amendments to Part 3 (Scheme of Delegated Powers – Planning Committee) and Part 6 (Codes and Protocols) of the Constitution, including the incorporation of a new Protocol for the Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions and the deletion of the Members' Referral Scheme for Planning Applications. Authority to make minor alterations to the Protocol was delegated to the Corporate Director (Planning and Community).

Annual Housing Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report

The Cabinet received and noted the Council's Annual Housing Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report for 2025/26, which included a self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code. The report indicated an increase in housing complaints compared to the previous year, with housing repairs and tenancy matters being the most frequent reasons for complaints. Tenant satisfaction with complaint handling had decreased to 36.3%. The Cabinet expressed concern about the decrease in tenant satisfaction and the speed of response to Stage 2 complaints, requesting that measures be put in place to improve these areas. The Cabinet formally endorsed the self-assessment and authorised officers to publish the report and the Cabinet's response on the Council's website and submit the self-assessment to the Housing Ombudsman. The amended figures for the annual Tenant Satisfaction Measures return were also noted.

Consideration and Adoption of the Housing Succession & Assignment Policy

The Cabinet formally adopted the Housing Succession and Assignment Policy. This policy formalises existing work within the Housing and Environment service, ensuring compliance with legal frameworks and assisting the Council in meeting the Regulator of Social Housing's Consumer Standards and the Housing Ombudsman's requirements. The policy aims to ensure that tenancy succession and assignment applications are handled in accordance with legislation and statutory guidance, promoting sustainable tenancies and making the best use of the Council's housing stock. The policy will be reviewed every three years, with authority to make future updates delegated to the Corporate Director (Operations and Delivery) in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing.