Here is a summary of the Thanet Council Cabinet meeting held on 28 August 2025:

The Cabinet addressed key issues including budget management, housing, environmental concerns, and community well-being. Decisions were made regarding vehicle purchases for cleansing services, funding for environmental compliance works, and the acquisition of affordable homes. The Cabinet also reviewed reports on biodiversity, housing options, and tenant services, and discussed strategies for performance monitoring and service improvement.

• Selective Licensing - Request for Additional Resources

  The Cabinet discussed a report requesting a £190,000 budget to progress proposals for selective licensing in certain areas of Thanet, to be funded from the Invest to Save Reserve. The report highlighted that implementing two simultaneous selective licensing designations would be a rigorous and challenging exercise, and that the Private Sector Housing team did not have sufficient resources or the expertise required to implement a large discretionary licensing scheme alone. The appointment of a specialist consultant would provide the team with the necessary support and expertise required to deliver the project in a timely manner and provide a robust and reliable basis to withstand legal challenges.

  The report also noted that a specialist company, Metastreet, was appointed to provide a housing condition survey for the council. The final report provided by Metastreet in December 2023, The Private Rented Sector: Housing Stock Condition and Stressors Report, indicated that the report's recommended option to designate eight wards for selective licensing in Thanet based on the criteria of poor housing conditions and deprivation is significantly advantageous for the residents of Thanet. The areas have a predicted higher amount of poor housing conditions in comparison to the national average and are in the 30% most deprived areas in England (four areas are in the 10% most deprived areas in England). The eight wards form two distinct areas in Margate and Ramsgate. The wards include Central Harbour, Cliftonville West, Eastcliff, Margate Central, Newington, Salmestone, Sir Moses Montefiore and Westbrook. An estimated 12,625 privately rented homes would be affected by the proposed designations: 7,055 in Margate and 5,570 in Ramsgate.

  The Cabinet was asked to recommend a £190,000 budget to Council to progress proposals for selective licensing as set out in the report, to be funded from the Invest to Save Reserve, and to approve the appointment of specialist consultants to prepare consultation proposals for one or more new selective licensing designations in the district.

• 2025-26 Budget Monitoring No.1

  The Cabinet reviewed the 2025-26 Budget Monitoring No.1 report, which provided a forecast of the General Fund revenue and capital budgets, as well as the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) as of 30 June 2025. The report indicated a projected £1.814m overspend on General Fund revenue service budgets, largely due to pressures within the Homelessness service and income shortfalls in other services.

  The report recommended a number of budget adjustments, including a supplementary capital budget and virements within the capital programme. The Cabinet was asked to recommend to Council for approval the supplementary capital budget, and to agree to the capital programme budget adjustments.

• Proposed Use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) Fuel

  The Cabinet approved the proposal to change the primary fuel for council vehicles from standard diesel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel. HVO is produced from waste material from agriculture, and its use can reduce associated carbon emissions by up to 90%. The decision was made after a live trial undertaken by the Cleansing Department, and after it was ascertained that the additional cost of switching to HVO would be offset by financial savings to the vehicle replacement programme.

• Acquisition of Additional Homes Using Part of Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 3 Funding

  The Cabinet agreed to proceed with the acquisition of four homes using Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 3 funding. The homes, secured through Vistry at Westwood Point and Barrett David Wilson (BDW) at Spitfire Green, would be used for temporary accommodation and resettlement purposes. The decision was based on the council's proactive acquisitions programme, strong rapport with local developers, and the quality of the properties.

• Acquisition of 11 x S 106 Homes at Fairlawn, Northwood Road, Broadstairs

  The Cabinet agreed to proceed with the acquisition of 11 homes at Fairlawn, Northwood Road, Broadstairs using additional capital budget approved by the council in October 2023. The homes, originally intended as First Homes, would now be used for affordable rent, following agreement from planning colleagues. The decision was based on a detailed viability assessment and the need to provide affordable housing in the district.

• Manston Road Depot - Environmental Compliance Works

  The Cabinet approved the virement of £957k from the 2025/26 Vehicle Replacement Programme budget to the Infrastructure Improvement Project budget, to fund environmental compliance works at the Manston Road Depot. The decision was made to address a funding gap in the Manston Road Depot Environmental Compliance Project, which is necessary to meet strict environmental permitting requirements for the depot.

• Revoking the First Homes Interim Policy Statement

  The Cabinet recommended to Council that the First Homes Interim Policy Statement be revoked. The recommendation was made on the basis of changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, which no longer requires a minimum of 25% of affordable housing on a site to be First Homes, unless local planning authorities judge that they meet local need.

• Tenant and Leaseholder Services Annual Reports

  The Cabinet approved the Tenant and Leaseholder Services Annual Report 2024/25 and noted the Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report 2024/25. The reports provide an overview of the performance of the Tenant and Leaseholder Services (TLS) and are required to be published on the council's website.

• Corporate Performance - Approach and Indicators

  The Cabinet approved the proposed approach to monitoring and reporting on corporate performance, including a new Performance Management Framework, the adoption of 40 Corporate Performance Indicators, and the production of quarterly and annual reports. The decision was made to provide transparent oversight of the council's performance in key service areas and to track progress against the five Corporate Priorities.

• Housing Options Update

  The Cabinet noted the contents of the Housing Options Update report and approved the movement of £150,000 from the Temporary Accommodation budget to support additional resources for the Housing Options team. The decision was made to address the unprecedented pressure on the Housing Options team and to improve support for those at risk of homelessness.

• Clarification of Principles for Granting Leases for Less Than Best Consideration

  The Cabinet approved the implementation of the Clarification Appendix attached to the Acquisition and Disposal Policy, setting out the principles for granting leases at less than best consideration. The decision was made to establish a consistent framework for future applications and to progress three new lease arrangements that deliver social, economic, or environmental well-being value within the district.

• Biodiversity Duty Report: First Report

  The Cabinet noted the contents of the first Biodiversity Duty Report, as required by the Environment Act 2021¹, covering the reporting period January 2024 to March 2025. The report outlines the actions Thanet District Council has taken to conserve and enhance biodiversity across its services. The Cabinet also approved the identified future actions for service areas set out in the report, to support continued compliance with the statutory biodiversity duty, and endorsed the continued development of a Green Infrastructure Strategy and the integration of biodiversity considerations into planning policy, procurement, regeneration, and service delivery.