Agenda and draft minutes

The Leader advised that positive progress had been made with regards to the Local Plan. The Planning Inspector had accepted the Council’s response to earlier requests for additional submissions and had set out clear timescales for forthcoming public consultations, including those relating to supporting evidence documents and a call for sites, and confirming the timetable for Phase 1 hearings. He commended the substantial progress made by the Council since 2023, with particular recognition given to Cabinet Members and officers involved in progressing the work.

On behalf of the Cabinet, the Leader expressed their condolences to the family and those affected following the recent tragic death of Henry Nowak, noting that independent processes were underway and emphasising the importance of learning lessons.

With the Cabinet’s agreement, the Leader advised that Agenda Item 5 - Medway Adult Education Annual Accountability Statement, would be taken as the last item.

There were none.

The record of the meeting held on 5 May 2026 was agreed by the Cabinet and signed by the Leader as a correct record.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

There were none.

Other interests

There were none.

A period of 20 minutes is set aside for questions received.  

1 public question and 2 Member’s questions had been received and were taken in the order set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Responses

It was noted that all question responses would be reported for information at the next meeting.

Background:

The report provided an update of all activities of the Gun Wharf Improvement Programme (GWIP) Board over the last 12 months since the last Cabinet update on 3 June 2025. This was the second annual update in the programme cycle.

Reasons:

Full Council is responsible for agreeing to make additions to the Capital Programme and Cabinet is responsible for ensuring effective Capital Programme Delivery through Quarterly Capital Budget Monitoring Reports.

Background:

The report summarised performance in Quarter 4 2025/26 on the delivery of the One Medway Council Plan (OMCP) 2024/28 priorities. The report also presented the Quarter 4 2025/26 review of strategic risks. The Cabinet particularly noted the changes that had been made to the Strategic Risk Summary as set out in paragraph 6 of the report.

Reasons:

Regular monitoring of performance and risks by management and Members is best practice and ensures achievement of corporate objectives.

Background:

The report presented a review of the Council’s One Medway Financial Improvement and Transformation Plan (FIT Plan) monitoring for Round 4, which was also the annual outturn report, and was to be read in conjunction with the Revenue Budget monitoring for this period.

2025/26 was the second iteration of the Council’s FIT Plan, as part of its journey to financial sustainability.

Reasons:

Full Council is responsible for agreeing a balanced budget in advance of each financial year. Cabinet is responsible for ensuring that income and expenditure remain within the approved budget, including instructing transformation activities or corrective action to prevent any forecast overspend from materialising.

The FIT Plan, which is reviewed regularly at Corporate Management Team (CMT), is one of the key tools for ensuring delivery of savings in the current financial year and implementing a range of key actions to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Medway Council.

Background:

The report detailed the final revenue and capital outturn position for the financial year ended 31 March 2026. These figures would form part of the Council’s Statement of Accounts, which would be presented to the Audit Committee following the completion of the External Audit.

The report also presented a summary of debts written off during the 2025/26 financial year in line with the constitutional requirement to submit a report to Cabinet on an annual basis setting out details of all debt written off.

Reasons:

Full Council is responsible for agreeing a balanced budget in advance of each financial year. The Cabinet is responsible for ensuring that income and expenditure remain within the approved budget.

The transfer of reserves from earmarked to general reserves will enable the Council’s general reserve balance to return to a position above the minimum level of £10million set by the Section 151 Officer, even after the overspend on the 2025/26 outturn has been funded.

Background:

The report set out, in broad terms, the additional resources that the Council would need to support delivery of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). It also sought delegated authority for the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to allocate resources on the basis of individual business cases, requesting the need for resource developed by senior managers with relevant Director approval. A template (working draft) setting out the application process had been considered by the LGR Officer Working Group held on 29 April 2026 and was attached as Appendix 1 to the report for reference.

Reasons:

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is the biggest shake up of Local Government in England in almost 50 years and presents a once in generation opportunity to transform local government and improve services for residents. This report seeks to ensure that Medway Council has sufficient and appropriate resource to progress LGR and the associated disaggregation and aggregation work. As well as sufficient capacity and expertise to meet the demands made by the county-wide PMO, whilst at the same time continuing to deliver excellent services for the people of Medway.

However, significant work will be required to support the work of the PMO across the region. Delivery of Local Government Reorganisation across Kent and Medway will be led by the county-wide Programme Management Office (PMO) established and overseen by the Kent Local Authority Chief Executives’ group.  However, the PMO is expected to make significant demands on the officers of Medway Council and the thirteen other local authorities representing Kent and Medway. None of the authorities have the latent capacity in house to meet this demand.

In Medway, the Council’s ambition is not solely to achieve statutory ‘safe and legal’ implementation arrangements, but to deliver ‘safe and legal plus’ through a transition and delivery process that enables at-scale-transformation, and service redesign to improve resident outcomes and deliver impact. For example - it presents new opportunities to deliver greater strategic integration across a new geography, innovation and investment in digital systems and AI, improved long-term infrastructure and regeneration planning, and opportunities to build more resilient and efficient operating models.

Realising these opportunities will require dedicated programme and transformation capacity in addition to maintaining the high standards of service delivery that our residents have come to rightly expect.

Background:

The report sought permission to commence the procurement of the Design and Build Contract for Innovation Park Medway South Care for Medway.

Exempt Appendices to the report provided the financial analysis and the procurement strategy appraisal.

Reasons:

The recommended option allows unrestricted access to the market with all interested suppliers permitted to submit a tender, which can promote transparency, competition and value for money.

Background:

Following the recent tender process for the Advocacy Service for Parents with Children in or on the Edge of Care, the report sought agreement to award the contract to the supplier named in Exempt Appendix 1 to the report.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken and was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

An Exempt Appendix to the report provided the financial analysis of the procurement exercise.

Reasons:

The preferred provider best met both the quality criteria and the price requirements, to deliver the service. The provider has effectively demonstrated their knowledge and experience of how advocacy can be used to support parents with children in or on the edge of care to better engage with services to enable them to safely keep their children in their care.

Background:

The report sought agreement to the submission of the Medway Adult Education Accountability Statement, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Medway Adult Education (MAE) was required to submit an Annual Accountability Statement to the Department for Education (DfE) as part of its annual grant agreement. The statement was used by the DfE to assure the use of public funds. It was also a useful strategic document to share with partners and as a backdrop to strategic conversations with the DfE. This year, responsibility was being transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), however guidance still sat with DfE. Providers in scope were all further education colleges, all sixth form colleges, institutes for adult learning/designated institutions and local authorities delivering post-16 provision in excess of £1m, which meant that Medway Adult Education was in scope.

The first Accountability Statement was agreed and submitted to DfE in August 2023. This year there was a requirement to submit a section on the Local Needs Duty - a review of how well education and training met local needs and what action was proposed to further meet those needs.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken and was attached at Appendix 2 to the report.

Reasons:

The draft accountability statement meets the Department for Education requirements and demonstrates Medway Adult Education’s contribution to national and local priorities, alongside partnership working with key stakeholders. It is line with last two years’ approved statement.