The Executive Cabinet of Tameside Council met to discuss financial monitoring, regeneration projects, and public health initiatives, among other items. The cabinet approved a revised capital budget, revenue budget adjustments, and the adoption of a draft electric vehicle infrastructure strategy for public consultation. They also approved the awarding of an enforcement agent contract and additional funding for a building control service review.

Here's a more detailed look at the key discussion points:

• Capital Monitoring P3 2025-26
• Revenue Monitoring P3 2025-26
• Ashton Regeneration Partnership
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Homes England Revenue Funding 2025/26
• Draft EVI Strategy for Public Consultation
• Public Health Commissioning Intentions (August) 2025-2026
• Enforcement Agent Contract
• Building Control and Technical Support Service Review
• Council Tax Support Scheme 2026-2027
• Children's Services Commissioning Intentions 2025-2027
• Uplifts to Public Health Contracts
• Moving Traffic Enforcement
• Route to Market – Park Bridge Centre
• Statutory Transfer of Part of the School Site at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Manor Road, Denton

Capital Monitoring P3 2025-26

The Executive Cabinet approved the opening scheme budget for 2025/26 of £95.920m, the reprofiling of £26.677m of capital spend for 2025/26 into 2026/27, other capital changes of £11.597m, the revised 2025/26 budget at Period 3 of £57.646m, and the capital programme position of projected spend of £56.863m for 2025/26.

The report provided a summary of the council's current capital budget and the forecast outturn position as at 31 March 2026. The report noted that the capital programme for 2025/26 to 2027/28 contained £88.345m of schemes, of which £85.010m were fully approved and £3.335m were earmarked.

The report highlighted that a major risk facing the programme was the ongoing inflationary and supply pressures in the construction sector, which limits the affordability of projects.

Revenue Monitoring P3 2025-26

The Executive Cabinet approved an increase to the council’s 2025/26 net expenditure budget from £294.779m to £295.988m following a £1.209m increase to the 2025/26 Public Health Grant, transfers from Contingency to service budgets totalling £19.762m, transfers to/from earmarked reserves totalling £2.073m, removal of two savings targets following implementation of the Parking Review 2025, and acceptance of grant funding.

The report provided a budget update on month 3 monitoring. It noted a forecast General Fund revenue budget pressure of £8.476m after allocation of contingency budgets and development of mitigation plans totalling £6.655m. The most significant pressure was within Children's Social Care, where there was a forecast overspend of £7.906m.

The report also noted that the Local Government Pay Award for 2025/26 had been confirmed as a 3.2% increase on all pay points.

Ashton Regeneration Partnership

The Executive Cabinet approved the Ashton Town Centre Vision & Spatial Framework to support procurement of a developer partner for the Ashton Regeneration Partnership, that work continues in relation to the consideration of 'early win' opportunities, and the Director of Strategic Growth to manage the programme of works associated with the delivery of 'early win' opportunities, potential strategic site acquisition and the procurement of a developer partner for the Ashton Regeneration Partnership.

The Ashton Town Centre Vision & Spatial Framework was prepared to consolidate existing masterplans and proposals which have been assembled by the council over recent years. The framework will support the delivery and procurement approach for the Ashton Regeneration Partnership to secure a long-term developer partner for the town centre.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Homes England Revenue Funding 2025/26

The Executive Cabinet approved the acceptance of grant funding from GMCA and Homes England, the allocation of required match funding, and the Director of Strategic Growth to manage the programme of works associated with the Grant Fund Agreements.

The report updated on the position with regards to external revenue funding for project work at Ashton Town Centre, Ashton Moss and Godley Green from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Homes England. The following projects have secured funding:

• Ashton Regeneration Partnership
• Ashton Town Centre Site Assembly
• Ashton Moss
• Ashton Town Centre Site Investigations
• Godley Green Garden Village

Draft EVI Strategy for Public Consultation

The Executive Cabinet adopted the draft Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy 2025-2030 for the purposes of moving to public consultation, committed to consulting residents and stakeholders to gather feedback and incorporate insights into the final strategy, and approved the principle of adopting concession agreements and match-funding models to efficiently leverage public and private sector investment.

The draft Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (EVI) Strategy 2025-2030 outlines the justification for developing such a strategy, highlighting key drivers such as environmental commitments, economic considerations, and public need. Tameside has been allocated £1.3 million from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund.

Councillor Stephen Homer, Executive Member for Towns, Transport and Connectivity, and Councillor Laura Boyle, Executive Member for Environmental Services and Neighbourhoods, were in support of the strategy.

Public Health Commissioning Intentions (August) 2025-2026

The Executive Cabinet approved the proposal to undertake a procurement process to identify a provider who can deliver the Tameside Food Partnership service, the funding of a 0.5 FTE Principal Analyst post, the proposal for Public Health to continue to fund a post for an Older Peoples Welfare Rights Support Worker, the proposal for Public Health to fund a Safer Roads Officer (Vision Zero) post, the proposal for a service redesign in Public Health, and the proposal to undertake a procurement process for a suitable provider for the Tameside Live Well Community Navigation Service.

The report summarised the strategic commissioning plan of Public Health outlining activity that will take place during 2025-2026 thus ensuring effective resource planning. Of particular note in this report was a proposal for the council to commission a community navigation service in the VCFSE¹, including investment in VCFSE capacity and support for residents. This will provide some of the staff and infrastructure to deliver against the Live Well ambitions in Tameside and will be called the Live Well Community Navigation Service.

Enforcement Agent Contract

The Executive Cabinet approved the awarding of the contract to the three highest scoring bidders, Bristow and Sutor, Marston Holdings and Jacobs.

The report outlined that the council undertook a procurement exercise in consultation with STAR², utilising the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) framework to appoint three enforcement agencies to collect unpaid debts relating to Council Tax, Business Rates, Sundry Debts, Adult Social Care and Parking/Bus Lane Fines.

Building Control and Technical Support Service Review

The Executive Cabinet determined that the report is noted in relation to the statutory, regulatory and procedural requirements in relation to Local Authority Building Control functions, and approved the additional funding required to implement the service review of the Building Control and Technical Support teams outlined in this report.

The report outlined the need for a service review of the Building Control and Technical Support teams to address statutory and regulatory requirements in accordance with the Building Safety Act.

Council Tax Support Scheme 2026-2027

The Executive Cabinet approved that the Council Tax Support scheme for 2026/2027 in principle remains the same scheme as that set effective April 2025, subject to annual benefit uprating, further guidance which may be issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), and further guidance which may be issued by the Department for Works and Pensions.

Children's Services Commissioning Intentions 2025-2027

The Executive Cabinet approved a number of recommendations in relation to Children's Services commissioning intentions for 2025-2027, including abandoning the procurement of the incomplete FPS for Educational Psychologists, continuing with current arrangements for Independent Travel Training, Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service, Restorative Justice contract, and Looked After Children Attendance Collection System, direct awarding the contract to Tameside College of Technology for a LAC Post 16 Achievement Co-ordinator, continuing with current funding arrangements to 31 March 2026 for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS), procuring a new open Flexible Purchasing System for the provision of a range of daytime and overnight support to children and young people with SEND, physical and sensory disabilities and their families/carers, for a joint award to be made to Big Life – Living Well Tameside for the delivery of the two projects detailed in Section 10 of the report, extending the core contract for Transition Planning, noting that an arrangement has been entered into with Pennine Learning for the period 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026 for Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education, and direct awarding of a contract commencing 31 July 2025 to 30 July 2026 for Alternative Educational Provision (AP).

Uplifts to Public Health Contracts

The Executive Cabinet approved the proposed uplift of 2.7% for the 0-5 Peer Support Service, the proposed uplift for the Specialist Domestic Abuse Service, the proposed new rate for the Passionate about Sexual Health (PASH) Service, the proposed uplift of 2.1% for the Parent Infant Mental Health Service Family Hubs expansion, the proposed uplift of the Healthy Child Programme (0-19) contract, and the proposed uplift for LCS GP Stop Smoking Service and LCS GP Weight Management Service.

The report outlined proposals in relation to uplifts to contracts to meet the increasing costs of providing Public Health services for 2025-26.

Moving Traffic Enforcement

The Executive Cabinet approved that the comments received, during the public consultation, and proposed actions are noted, and that approval be given to submit an application, as prescribed by the Secretary of State, for powers under Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004.

The report provided an update on the outcome of the public consultation exercise completed in order to support the submission of an application to the Secretary of State for powers under Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Route to Market – Park Bridge Centre

The Executive Cabinet approved that the council proceed to market the site by way of a Private Treaty Sale, using the services of a specialist estate agent, and that authority is given to the Director of Place in consultation with the Director of Resources and the Borough Solicitor to agree the terms of sale.

The report sought approval to the proposed route to market for the sale of the freehold interest of the former Park Bridge Centre, Ashton Under Lyne.

Statutory Transfer of Part of the School Site at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Manor Road, Denton

The Strategic Director of Housing, Environment and Estates determined to dispose of the Council’s freehold interest in land shown edged red on the Plan at Appendix 1 for nil consideration to the Salford Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees.