Here's a summary of the Chichester Council Cabinet meeting:

The Chichester Council Cabinet met to discuss a range of issues, including funding for affordable housing, the cessation of a recycling trial, and the approval of a draft infrastructure plan for consultation. They agreed to allocate funds to Worthing Homes for an affordable housing project, discontinue a trial collection service for certain recyclable materials, and approve the Draft Infrastructure Business Plan 2026-2031 for consultation.

Worthing Homes Funding

The Cabinet agreed to recommend that the Council allocate up to £950,000 to Worthing Homes to support the delivery of 13 social rent and 6 shared ownership homes at land north of Post Office Lane, North Mundham . The funding would come from £533,000 of commuted sums¹ and £417,000 from general fund reserves. The decision to pay the grant will be delegated to the Director of Housing & Communities, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Revenues & Benefits, Councillor Oona Hickson.

The proposed development aims to provide a mix of 1, 2, 3, and 4-bedroom dwellings, with a focus on 2 and 3-bedroom family homes. The homes are intended to be highly energy-efficient, potentially reaching net-zero carbon standards, which would lower energy bills for occupants.

End of Recycling Trial

The Cabinet agreed to end the trial collection service for textiles, small electricals, and coffee pods from 30 November 2025. They also agreed to deliver a communications and engagement plan to support the transition, promoting alternative re-use and recycling options.

The trial, which began in July 2021 and covered 75% of district households, collected 79 tonnes of materials, contributing marginally (0.05%) to the council's overall recycling rate. Coffee pods accounted for 89% of all collections, with lower participation for textiles and small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The annual operating cost of the service is £58,300, or £3.47 per collection.

The council noted that multiple convenient and established disposal outlets already exist for these materials, such as textile banks, recycling centres, charity shops and retailer take-back schemes. The council is also working with Anglo Recycling Ltd, who collect unwanted clothing and small household items directly from households, as an alternative.

Infrastructure Business Plan

The Cabinet approved the Draft Infrastructure Business Plan (IBP) 2026-31 for consultation with city, town, and parish councils, neighbouring local authorities (including the South Downs National Park Authority), and key infrastructure delivery commissioners. The consultation will run for six weeks, from 15 September to 31 October 2025.

The IBP prioritises strategic infrastructure projects supporting the Chichester Local Plan. These projects were identified by Chichester District Council, West Sussex County Council, infrastructure delivery commissioners, and city, town, and parish councils. The plan outlines the methodology for selecting projects for Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding and identifies projects needing funding from other sources.

Since the implementation of CIL on 1 February 2016, £39,245,810 has been collected, with an additional £3,494,781 in interest. Of this, £734,643 (1.8%) has been spent on administration, £6,024,202 has been transferred to parish and town councils, and £578,721 has been spent on CIL projects, with a further £275,660 committed. A further £8,308,048 is due from developments which have commenced, of which £6,071,660 can be applied to projects within the CIL spending plan.

Novium Museum Funding

The Cabinet approved the release of £75,000 from general fund reserves for two projects at the Novium Museum:

• £40,000 to replace the audio-visual projector and software on the ground floor.
• £35,000 for essential conservation work on the museum's 4th Century Roman lead coffin.

The audio-visual equipment will enhance interactive displays and improve the visitor experience. The Roman lead coffin, discovered in 1985, requires conservation to prevent further deterioration, including transfer to a smaller custom case.

Treasury Management

The Cabinet considered the 2024-25 Treasury Management Outturn Report, which summarised treasury and investment activities for the year. As of 31 March 2025, the Council held investments totalling £111.5m. Treasury income returns for 2024-25 totalled £5.66m, comprising £3.8 million from internally managed funds and £1.86 million from externally managed pooled funds. The report noted that both internal and external investments outperformed their respective benchmarks when compared with similar local authorities.

Other Business

The Cabinet noted the Resource Monitor Update as at July 2025 and two urgent decision notices regarding a contract award and CCS vehicle replacement.