Meeting Details

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(107) ColchesterCBC - YouTube

The Mayor will welcome members of the public and Councillors and will ask the Chaplain to say a prayer. The Mayor will explain the procedures to be followed at the meeting including a reminder everyone to use microphones at all times when they are speaking, but otherwise keep microphones muted.

Up to eight members of the public may make representations to Full Council meetings on any item on the agenda or any other matter relating to the business of Full Council. Each representation may be no more than three minutes. Members of the public wishing to address Full Council must register their wish to address the meeting by e-mailing democratic.services@colchester.gov.uk by 12.00 noon on the working day before the meeting. In addition, a written copy of the representation must be supplied.

Councillors will be asked to say if there are any items on the agenda about which they have a disclosable pecuniary interest which would prevent them from participating in any discussion of the item or participating in any vote upon the item, or any other registerable interest or non-registerable interest.

A... Motion that the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2025 be confirmed as a correct record.

B... Motion that Full Council considers and approves the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel following its review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme as set out in the Panel’s report and as detailed in paragraph 4.4 (a) – (b) of the report by the Head of Governance and Monitoring Officer.

Council will consider the following recommendations:-

C.. Motion that the recommendation contained in draft minute 232 of the Licensing Committee meeting of 12 November 2025 be approved and adopted. 

D.. Motion that the recommendation contained in draft minute 233 of the Licensing Committee meeting of 12 November 2025 be approved and adopted. 

E.. Motion that the recommendation contained in draft minute 234 of the Licensing Committee meeting of 12 November 2025 be approved and adopted. 

Council will consider the following Motions:-

(Note: The maximum length of time for the consideration of all such motions shall be 80 minutes. In the event that a motion is still being debated when the 80 minutes have elapsed the Mayor shall invite the proposer of the motion to respond to the debate and then move straight to the vote.)

Motion F

Proposer: Councillor Dundas
Seconder: Councillor Naylor

Council Notes: 

1. Elections to District and County Councils are due across England in May 2026 including nine areas which had elections postponed in May 2025 due to being part of the Devolution Priority Programme and earmarked for Local Government Reorganisation. 

2. Whilst there may have been justification for postponement in May 2025 due to the urgency of business cases proposals needing to be submitted there is no such justification in May 2026 as all the proposals were completed and submitted in September 2025. It is now the Government’s decision as to which are implemented. 

3. Whilst it is recognised that Councillors elected in May 2026 would likely only serve until April 2028 this is not without precedent. In 2015 CBC elections 20 Councillors were elected with 12-month terms and had the planned “all-outs” taken place in May 2026 under new boundaries 17 Colchester City Councillors would have been elected for just 12 months.  

4. It is usual practice that Council areas undergoing re-organisation do not have scheduled elections when a Structural Order has been passed by Parliament. Therefore, it would be normal that May 2027 elections in Essex would be to the new shadow Unitary Councils and other scheduled elections would not take place assuming the current timetable is adhered to. This will also be the case in places such as Surrey in May 2026. However, it is not normal precedent for elections prior at this stage of LGR to be cancelled.  

5. Cancellation of elections in May 2026 would see Councillors in many areas across England who were elected for four years see their terms extended to up to seven. This is without precedent outside of war times and is unacceptable. 

6. It would be unreasonable and unfair to pressure Councillors to stand down voluntarily as it is a principle that elections take place on an equal basis. 

7. There is no justification whatsoever for any difference in approach between Upper Tier, Unitary and District Councils in Essex or across different areas in England on the same LGR timetable as all face the same reorganisation schedule and challenges. 

Council therefore resolves that: 

1. It is the expressed will of Full Council that the Leader of the Council writes to the Secretary of State of Housing, Communities and Local Government co-signed with all Group Leaders stating that it is the firm view of Colchester City Councillors that all elections scheduled for May 2026 go ahead as planned (including those due in Essex for County, Upper Tier and District Councils) in all areas of the United Kingdom unless a structural order has been laid and elections will instead take place for shadow councillors to a new shadow unitary authority.   

This motion relates to a non-executive function and will be debated and determined by Full Council.

Motion G

Proposer: Councillor Goss

This motion aims to ensure that a Community Governance Review takes place at the earliest possible time, preferably to allow any new Town Parish Community etc Councils to be formed in May 2027.

Council Notes

That as part of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) a review of unparished areas of the City Council, and the boundaries of existing Town, Parish and Community Councils can take place in consultation with residents to ensure that their views are reflected in the light of the new arrangements.

That this may result in the creation/merger/ expansion of existing Town, Parish and Community Councils, should they and residents so agree.

That there are considerable cost savings if elections could take place for these bodies at the same time as elections for the new shadow Unitary Authority (UA) in May 2027.

That if these bodies were to be in existence before April 2028 Colchester City Council could, by agreement with the new UA, pass over assets and responsibilities, to any such bodies. 

That this would potentially facilitate the retention of City status and some of our civic traditions.

Council resolves:

To refer the issue of consultation timetable back to the cross-party Advisory Group, mindful of the benefits of forming new parish councils before new Unitary Councils are formed, with the aim of ensuring that any changes are implemented as soon as possible.  


The motion relates to a non-executive matter and will debated and determined by Full Council.

Motion H

Proposer: Councillor Lissimore
Seconder: Councillor Dundas

Council notes the recent announcement by Keir Starmer’s Labour Government of plans to introduce a mandatory Digital ID scheme for all UK residents.
 
Council further notes that the Government’s plan:-
• Could require every Colchester resident to obtain a Digital ID to access public services and entitlements,
• Could risk criminalising millions of people, particularly older people, those on lower incomes, or those without access to digital technology, raises significant privacy and civil liberties concerns and 
• Could result in an estimated £4.6 billion of pounds of taxpayers’ money being wasted on a massive IT project, with no clear benefit or safeguards.

Council believes that Labour’s scheme:
Represents an expensive measure that will undermine public trust, will do nothing to address the real priorities facing Colchester communities such as the lack of economic growth that our country is facing, the cost-of-living crisis, or the problems with illegal immigration. It also fails to protect our core British values of liberty, privacy and fairness.
 
Council resolves:
To formally oppose the Labour Government’s Digital ID plans;
To request the Leader of the Council writes to:
• The Home Secretary and the Minister for Digital Infrastructure expressing this council’s firm opposition to Labour’s mandatory Digital ID system and calling for the plans to be scrapped.
• Members of Parliament across Colchester asking for their firm commitment to oppose Labour’s mandatory Digital ID system and ask them to confirm that they will instead advocate for the estimated £4.6b cost to be rediverted to the NHS and to strengthen our borders.  

This motion relates to a non-executive function and will be debated and determined by Full Council.

Motion I

Proposer: Councillor Goacher

This Council notes that the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. The 2023 State of Nature report concludes that 16% of UK species are threatened with extinction and across the U.K. species studied, there has been an average of 19% decline since 1970. 

This Council also notes that peregrine falcons are a protected bird under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and that this has contributed to numbers recovering following near UK extinction in the 1960s.

Therefore, this Council resolves to pro-actively explore ways to enhance wildlife habitat provision in Colchester. This includes identifying opportunities to improve habitats on its portfolio of properties. Also to adopt a default presumption in favour of agreeing to initiatives to provide habitats on Council owned properties where there is no or negligible financial cost to the Council and where such initiatives are fully compliant with national and local planning policies.

As the motion relates to an executive function it will stand referred direct to Cabinet, unless Procedure Rule 11(2) is suspended. 

Motion J

Proposer: Councillor Osborne and Councillor Rippingale

This Council notes:

• Domestic abuse is a leading cause of homelessness, with survivors often unable to access safe housing due to financial abuse, coerced debt, and poor credit histories.
• 95% of survivors experience financial abuse and 43% are left in debt, making private renting difficult because landlords rely on credit checks, increasing pressure on social housing.
• Even with CBH’s Homestep scheme, barriers remain. Of 400 households assessed, 270 were eligible but still could not secure private rentals.
• 131 individuals in temporary accommodation in Colchester are victims of domestic abuse, highlighting urgent need for safe housing solutions.
• CBH is working towards DAHA accreditation, the gold standard for housing responses to domestic abuse.

This Council believes:

• Survivors should not be penalised for financial harm inflicted by perpetrators.
• Housing responses must be trauma-informed, inclusive, and prevent retraumatisation.
• Survivors need one point of entry into housing, welfare, and financial support services.
• Support must include those with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).

This Council resolves to:

1. Establish a Domestic Abuse Housing Covenant, embedding DAHA principles into CBH and Council housing policies and practices.
2. Create a single point of entry through a dedicated Domestic Abuse Housing Support Officer and Financial Inclusion Pathway, offering: 
o Benefit checks, debt advice, and credit repair support.
o Tailored assistance for survivors with NRPF.
3. Pilot a Rental Guarantee Scheme to remove barriers such as deposits and credit checks.
4. Ensure safe temporary accommodation that prevents retraumatisation.
5. Introduce a Domestic Abuse Champions Network across CBH and Council services.
6. Formalise partnerships with domestic abuse charities, financial institutions, and landlord forums.

Funding and Legislative Ask

This Council calls on Government to:

• Provide ring-fenced funding for local authorities to deliver innovative housing solutions for survivors through the Dormant Asset Fund.
• Review the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 to introduce statutory protections for survivors of financial abuse when applying for credit or housing, including mechanisms to remove coerced debt and prevent discrimination based on abuse-related financial harm.
• Address barriers for survivors with No Recourse to Public Funds.

This Council further resolves:

• To report annually on DAHA accreditation and covenant implementation.
• To engage survivor voice through a lived experience advisory panel.

As the motion relates to an executive function it will stand referred direct to Cabinet, unless Procedure Rule 11(2) is suspended. 

Cabinet members and Committee/Panel Chairs will receive and answer pre-notified questions in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10(1) followed by any oral questions (not submitted in advance) in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10(3).

(Note: a period of up to 60 minutes is available for pre-notified questions and oral questions by Members of the Council to Cabinet Members and Chairs (or in their absence Deputy Chairs)).

At the time of the publication of the Summons, no pre-notified questions had been received.

Council is invited to note the schedule of Portfolio Holder decisions covering the period 7 October 2025 - 21 November 2025. 

Council will consider any business not specified in the Summons which by reason of special circumstances the Mayor determines should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

The reports specified below are submitted for information and referred to in the recommendations specified in item 8 of the agenda:

In accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public, including the press, from the meeting so that any items containing exempt information (for example confidential personal, financial or legal advice), in Part B of this agenda (printed on yellow paper) can be decided. (Exempt information is defined in Section 100I and Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972).