Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest received from members.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 March 2026.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2026 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair. 

To receive a verbal update from the Leader of the Council.

No announcements were made by the Leader.

To receive an update on Building Safer & Stronger Communities.  

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing and Enforcement presented a report, which provided an update on the Building Safer and Stronger Communities investment since 2021. If approved, the report sought approval to utilise Council funding as set out in the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), to deliver initiatives and develop partnerships that promoted neighbourhood safety, which included measures to strengthen the Council’s commitment to tackle domestic abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG) while further enhancing the Youth Offer.

Councillor Overton presented a short video confirming that there was now around one in eight fewer crimes, and that antisocial behaviour and fly tips had almost halved.  Youth clubs, sports, chances to volunteer, mentor and coach - Building safer, stronger communities not only mattered, but it also worked. 

The Council had provided funding of £1.5m to save a project that delivered. 

Since 2021, the Council had taken a clear and decisive approach to standing on the side of its residents and through its Building Safer and Stronger Communities programme, it had made a conscious decision to do more, to invest, to intervene early, and to work in partnership to tackle the issues that mattered most to its communities. This approach had delivered real results, because this was not theory, but evidence.

Since the programme began, there had been a 12 % reduction in crime in key

areas of the borough, a 45 % reduction in antisocial behaviour reports and a 43 % reduction in fly tipping in some areas, which was a significant achievement since it showed that when the Council invested locally, worked with partners and focused on prevention, it made a real difference to people's lives.

This programme started with a £2.5m investment in partnership with the West Mercia Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner.  It had grown into a £6.5m programme of investment, which delivered targeted action where it was needed most.  Also, it did not only reduce crime, but it had also improved neighbourhoods.

The Council had carried out over 700 proactive housing inspections to improve standards; acted on over 3,000 fly-tip incidents, with enforcement on more than 600 cases, and had supported thousands of residents through community environmental work.  This was about visible, practical action that residents could see in their streets.

The Council needed to be honest about where it was today.  Despite the success of this partnership approach, the Police and Crime Commissioner had withdrawn funding from April 2026, at a time when this approach was working, delivering and supporting policing priorities.  That decision was quite simply backwards, because this programme reduced demand on the police, prevented crime before it happened and supported safer communities across the borough.  Yet, despite this, the funding had been removed.

The Council would not step back and would continue this work by committing a further £1.5m Council funding to keep this programme going and evolve it into its next phase, which would build on what worked and what the Council would continue to deliver.  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAB-63

To seek approval for the revised Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing and Enforcement presented a report, which sought the approval of Cabinet for (1) the revised Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy (attached at Appendix G to this report), which had been updated to reflect the changes introduced by the Act; (2) an updated fee scale to reflect those changes; (3) the designation of a borough-wide Additional Licensing Scheme of all small HMOs comprising 3-4 occupants (which were not currently covered by the existing mandatory licensing regime) under the Housing Act 2004, and which included those buildings which fell within the definition of s.257 of the Housing Act 2004; and (4) the fees set out in Appendix F associated with the proposed scheme as well as updated fees in respect of the mandatory licensing regime. </AI6>

Councillor Overton said that over recent years, the better homes for all programme had taken a clear and determined approach to improving housing standards across Telford and Wrekin since 2018 from building a strong track record tackling rogue landlords, to carrying out inspections and improving the quality of private rented homes for the borough’s residents.

The Council had also to recognise that the borough had changed, was growing and with its population having increased significantly in recent years, demand for housing continued to rise.  As a result, more people were turning to the private rented sector and with that, the borough was seeing a rapid increase in houses of multiple occupation (HMO).  Historically, a higher concentration of HMOs had been seen in areas such as Sutton Hill, Brookside, Woodside, Hollinswood and Randlay, however, what was different now and what the report clearly highlighted was that this growth was no longer confined to those areas.

HMOs were expanding to parts of the north of the borough, including areas such as Wellington and Hadley, and an increase in mixed communities and emerging in neighbourhoods that would not previously have experienced this type of housing at scale.

This mattered since while HMOs were a vital part of the borough’s housing solution, when these were unlicensed, unmanaged or poorly run, the consequences of this could be clearly seen.  These consequences were being felt by tenants who lived in poor or unsafe conditions and by residents who experienced the impact on their communities. The evidence in the report showed clear links between HMOs and higher levels of antisocial behaviour and crime near those properties.

Through consultation engagement, residents had raised concerns about increasing antisocial behaviour, noise issues, litter, waste and untidiness, and the wider impact on the feel and cohesion of their communities. In some areas, particularly where HMOs had grown rapidly, there was also a perception and a stigma that neighbourhoods were changing ways that were not always positive.  At the same time, the Council knew that many tenants living in these properties were among the most vulnerable in its borough and often felt unable to raise concerns directly, because they feared the consequences of speaking up.

Therefore, what was in  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAB-64

To seek approval for the Annual Governance Statement 2025/26.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Governance and Customer Services presented, for approval, the Annual Governance Statement (“AGS”) for the year 2025/26, in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015.

Councillor Hannington said that the AGS for 2025-26, formed part of the Council’s statutory responsibilities and accompanied the Statement of Accounts.

This AGS provided an assurance that the Council continued to operate with strong, transparent and accountable governance arrangements and it drew on a wide range of evidence, which included internal audit, external audit, risk management, service assurance statements, complaints and standards activity and the Council’s financial and performance monitoring.

The Council’s vision was clear to protect, care and invest to create a better borough where people could grow up, work, prosper and grow older with confidence and opportunity.  The Council Plan set out how it delivered this, guided by five priorities and the Council’s longer-term Vision 2030, which described the ambition it shared with partners for the future of the borough.  To achieve this vision, the Council recognised the need for strong governance and sound financial management.

Despite continued financial pressures in 2025-26, the AGS gave an assurance that the Council had responded responsibly, had put in place robust savings and management plans that protected frontline services, where possible.

No significant governance failures had been identified this year. Instead, the AGS had highlighted consistently strong governance, which had been delivered despite the national pressures facing local government. This strength was driven first and foremost by the efforts of the Council’s staff, whose hard work, resilience and commitment ensured that the Council continued to operate to a high standard, and their contribution was evident throughout this statement.

These were hallmarks of a Council that took its responsibilities seriously and delivered them well.  The past 12 months had also brought some exceptional successes for the Council and its community. The Council continued to be a high performing authority that put residents at the heart of everything it did.  A highlight included being awarded Council of the year in 2025 by the Local Government Chronicle - national recognition of the strength, ambition, and impact of the Council’s work.

The Council’s staff and its dedication and professionalism were the reason the Council continued to deliver such strong governance.  Despite national pressures, they consistently went above and beyond for the borough’s residents, and the strength of this statement was a direct reflection of their hard work and commitment.

The Council continued to maintain robust financial management, strong oversight of major programmes and clear, well-documented decision-making processes.  Its scrutiny arrangements remained effective, constructive and transparent, and the Council’s commitment to openness was demonstrated through its public reporting and the continued expansion of digital access to meetings.

The AGS also identified the areas where the Council would continue to strengthen its governance in the years ahead.  These included financial resilience, particularly in light of ongoing pressures being experienced nationally within the local government environment.

Workforce capacity, especially in specialist areas where national recruitment  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAB-65