Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To receive any declaration of interests.

There were no declarations of interest received at this point in the meeting.

To receive the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the Executive meeting held on 8 April 2026 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Executive Sub-Committee for Property meeting held on 8 April 2026 were submitted and approved as a true record. 

To receive any announcements from the Mayor.

None.  

To receive questions from members of the public.

None.  

To receive questions from elected Members.

None.  

To consider reports of Overview and Scrutiny Board following the Call-In process or Council following the Budget setting process.

None.  

To receive any reports from the Overview and Scrutiny Board or Scrutiny Panels.

None.  

None.

CHANGE IN ORDER OF BUSINESS

In accordance with Council Procedure Rules 4.8.4 (d) the Chair proposed a motion without notice, which was seconded and agreed, to change the order of business. The motion proposed that Agenda Item 12, Foster with North East and Regional Care Collaborative, be heard next. It was agreed that the order of business for the remainder of the meeting be items 11, 13, 14, 15 and 16.

ORDERED that Executive:

1.     APPROVES the Council’s entry into an agreement to be part of the expanded North East Fostering Hub in line with national policy and guidance.

2.     APPROVES the allocation of resources (financial and workforce) as required by the regional model set out in the report.

3.     APPROVES the Council’s support to a North East Regional bid to become a ‘Wave 2’ Regional Care Co-operative national pathfinder and support the submission of a bid to the Department for Education by 22nd May 2026.

4.     DELEGATES authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s Services in consultation with the Executive Member for Children’s Services to take all necessary steps to implement the recommendations in line with National Policy.

The Executive Member for Children’s Services submitted a report for Executive consideration, which was presented by the Deputy Mayor and Corporate Director for Children’s Services in the Executive Member’s absence.

The purpose of the report sought Executive approval for the Council to take part in the expansion of Foster with North East and Regional Care Cooperative (FwNE) into a Regional Fostering Hub. This was in line with the Department for Education (DfE) expansion programme. Members were advised this would have built on the FwNE pathfinder that had been in operation since 2023, which all North East Councils were part of. This also required a move to an ‘End-to-End’ model encompassing all aspects of the Fostering process.

It was noted that Children’s Social Care had been operating in a very challenging context in recent years, particularly with sufficiency of places for children in care being constrained by a dysfunctional market model.  These issues had been well documented through the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, led by Josh McAllister and reported in May 2022, and a report by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published in March 2022.

Financially there was a ‘burning platform’, driving change nationally, with approximately £9bn being spent on supporting children in care. Such costs were rapidly out pacing budgets which was creating significant risks to the financial sustainability of Councils. An external review commissioned in 2024 showed the region spent £540m on children in care placements in 2023-24 with around £300m of that on residential placements. It was also estimated that just over 30% of children in residential placements could have been placed in foster care if sufficiency challenges had been addressed.

In the North East the regional fostering hub (FwNE) was the first national fostering hub Pathfinder. Established in 2023 it was hosted by Together for Children. This had enabled substantial learning in the region as well as attracting investment. For example, the hub had benefited from approximately £2m of DfE monies. An evaluation of FwNE had been commissioned in 2025 and recommendations from that review had been integrated into the proposal to expand the model in line with national requirements.

The recommendations of the McAllister Review were being taken forward as part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which was at its final stage in Parliament. The McAllister review recommended the development of Regional Care Co-operatives (RCCs) and the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill would have given the Secretary of State powers to direct regions to establish RCCs, taking on a range of duties for commissioning of fostering and residential care.

Josh MacAlister, author of the independent review of children’s social care had become a Labour MP and, in September 2025, was appointed as Children’s Minister. He had the national political leadership to implement the recommendations arising from the review in 2022 which had seen an acceleration in the national roll out of both RCC’s and Fostering Hubs.

The DfE had established  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/147

ORDERED that Executive:

1.     APPROVE the acceptance of external grant funding of £3,114,939 that would enable the extension of the Changing Futures programme in Middlesbrough for a further three years from April 2026 to March 2029.

2.     APPROVE the principles and terms of the Memorandum of Understanding.

3.     DELEGATE to the Director of Public Health the authority to approve expenditure in accordance with the Changing Futures Delivery Plan, as directed by the Changing Futures Board, for the funding period April 2026 - March 2029.

The Mayor submitted a report for Executive consideration and was presented by the Deputy Mayor and Director of Public (South Tees) in the Mayor’s abesnce.

The purpose of the report sought approval to accept external grant funding that would enable the extension of the Changing Futures programme for a further three years from April 2026 to March 2029. 

Members were advised that Changing Futures was a programme that had ran across South Tees since 2021 following a successful bid to the National Lottery and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MCHLG) programme. South Tees was one of 15 local partnerships that had built strong evidence on how areas could provide a more effective response through flexible, coordinated support that worked with the whole person and drove lasting changes in how services worked together on multiple disadvantages.

It was noted the programme directly supported people experiencing multiple disadvantage (combinations of homelessness and rough sleeping, substance misuse, mental ill health, domestic abuse and contact with the criminal justice system) and aimed to develop strong partnerships and understanding of system change required to better support people to lead more fulfilling lives.

One of the core principles of the programme was to work in partnership across local services, and the voluntary and community sectors, building strong cross-sector partnerships at a strategic and operational level. As such the Council needed to consider itself as the host and partner in the programme, rather than key decision-maker.

Members heard the MHCLG had announced phase two of the Changing Futures programme, with 18 areas of the country sharing over £50m to help the most deprived upper-tier local authority areas in England. This represented a new phase of the cross-government public service reform programme. Led by MHCLG, it would improve outcomes for people experiencing multiple disadvantages.

Middlesbrough had been selected as a Changing Futures phase 2 area and would receive a total of £3,114,939 - £1.038M each year over the next three years (2026/27 to 2028/29).

The targeted areas had been identified as high need, based on the ranking of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). Middlesbrough had been chosen as a target area as they were second in the IMD ranking. However, Redcar and Cleveland had not been chosen as its IMD ranking of 29th was outside the chosen areas. South Tees was not considered as a composite as MHCLG only looked at individual Council footprints.

Members heard this approach was part of Government’s move from bidding processes to an allocation process. Government consultation identified there was widespread frustration with the intensity and resources required for the bidding processes.

There were questions from Members.

OPTIONS

Do nothing and do not accept the funding. This would deny Middlesbrough the opportunity for investment in the continuity of existing Changing Futures projects and improvement into services for some of the area’s most complex and vulnerable residents.

ORDERED that Executive:

1.     APPROVE the acceptance of external grant funding of £3,114,939 that would enable the extension of the Changing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/148

ORDERED that Executive:

1.     APPROVES a time-limited change (2026/27 financial year only) to the Exceptional Hardship Fund - Section 13A (1) (a) policy which was approved at Executive on 4 February 2026.

Members were advised that this change would extend eligibility to Council Tax Reduction (CTR) claimants on the basis of their increased income from Universal Credit due to the removal of the two-child restriction, to enable individual council tax bills to remain unaffected, with automatic awards to be made.

The Executive Member for Finance submitted a report for Executive consideration. The purpose of the report sought Executive approval to change the, recently confirmed, Exceptional Hardship Fund policy. This would enable the Council to ensure recipients of Council Tax Reduction were not adversely affected by an increase in income following the removal of the two-child restriction which had previously applied within Universal Credit. 

Members were advised that under Schedule 1A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Council Tax Reduction (CTR) schemes had to be approved by 11 March each year. The requirement to publish a draft scheme and provide for consultation on changes to an existing scheme had to be in advance of that date.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in her Budget on 26 November 2025 that the government would be removing the two-child limit in the child element of Universal Credit from April 2026 and estimated that the measure would lift 450,000 children out of poverty.

It was noted that the announcement was too late for councils to undertake the necessary preparatory work to design and consult on a scheme taking the change into account and then to obtain scheme approval by the 11 March 2026 deadline.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had been approached for data on those claimants who were likely to be affected by the change. However, it had responded to the effect that nothing was to be provided.

As such, it was difficult to predict with any accuracy the numbers and potential cost involved, as the Council was reliant on receiving DWP electronic notifications. Those notifications were expected during May and June 2026 as individual claimant Universal Credit entitlements were recalculated.

Existing data suggested that more than 1,000 claimants would be affected, and the impact in each instance would vary according to other factors in individual assessments. The effect this would have, in terms of the reduction in the rate of support to be provided by the CTR scheme, could be substantial particularly for larger families.

For each additional child, for which the child element will be awarded in Universal Credit, the income provided for would increase by £303.94 per month, or £70.14 per week.

Most claimants would be receiving CTR at a rate of 90% before the increase took effect, with 72%, 36%, 24% and none, all being possible entitlement rates afterwards. The current scheme bands prescribed income ranges as shown in the table detailed in the report. 

Members were advised that the proposal in the report was to negate the effect of a lower rate of CTR by reducing a claimant’s council tax liability to the value of CTR lost by crediting an equivalent amount under the Exceptional Hardship Fund - Section 13A (1) (a) Policy. The Exceptional Hardship Fund - Section 13A (1) (a) Policy provided for application-based reductions to council tax bills in exceptional circumstances, usually where a CTR award has been made.

A Member queried if the changes detailed in the report would have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/149

ORDERED that Executive:

1.     APPROVES the General Enforcement Policy 2026-2031

2.     APPROVES the Public Protection Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2026-2031.

3.     APPROVES the Public Protection Civil Penalties Policy 2026-2031 (under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and other housing legislation)

4.     APPROVES a further report be brought to provide an update on the demands and the resource costs of delivering the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

5.     DELEGATES authority to the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Housing to make minor changes to the above policies in response to changes to governance guidance or legislation.

The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods submitted a report for Executive consideration. The purpose of the report sought approval of three new policies relating to the general and regulatory functions delivered by Public Protection, Neighbourhoods and Environmental Enforcement functions. The new policies would enable the Council to satisfy its statutory obligations in line with the provisions of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 and the Regulators Code made under it as well as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and associated housing legislation.   

In terms of the private rented sector housing enforcement policy, the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 represented a fundamental shift in the regulation of the private rented housing sector. Tenants would see stronger protections, including the replacement of assured shorthold tenancies with periodic assured tenancies, improved rights and better security of tenure, and greater protection from unlawful interference from landlords or their agents.

The Renters’ Rights Act 2026 placed a statutory duty on local housing authorities to enforce landlord and rented accommodation legislation, altering the balance between informal action and formal enforcement. Where breaches in legislation were identified, the Council needed to actively consider enforcement action to meet this duty, rather than defaulting to advice or informal resolution in the first instance.

Consequently, the Regulators’ Code was not to be relied upon to justify informal action as the starting point for compliance under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. This explained the need for a separate Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2026-2031 which did not rely on the principles set out in the Regulators’ Code.

Historically, enforcement of private rented sector legislation had varied significantly between local housing authorities, with markedly different enforcement outcomes. This inconsistency risked undermining confidence in the regulatory system, created uncertainty for landlords operating across multiple areas and increased the likelihood of challenge to enforcement decisions. This also resulted in discrepancies to the level of tenant protections.

To address those concerns, the Association of Chief Environmental Health Officers (ACEHO) developed a suite of national model policies, including a Civil Penalty Policy. The policies aimed to promote greater consistency, transparency and robustness in local authority enforcement approaches, whilst allowing for appropriate local discretion, where appropriate. The Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2026-2031 and The Civil Penalties Policy 2026-2031 were aligned with this nationally recognised framework, strengthening the Council’s ability to meet its statutory duties under the Renters’ Rights Act 2026.

The implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 required a coordinated and timely update to the Civil Penalties Policy and the previous Public Protection Enforcement Policy. Failure to update the policies risked inconsistency in enforcement decisions and activities, increasing exposure to challenge, as well as an inability to demonstrate the Council was meeting its statutory duties to enforce landlord legislation under section 107 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Regarding the Civil Penalties Policy, there was a current Civil Penalty Policy which had been developed prior to the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. This policy had been revised to reflect the suite of new  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/150

ORDERED that Executive:

1.     Receive an update on work contained with the DPH annual report within six months.

AGREED that Executive:

1.     NOTE the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2026.

2.     NOTE the Council’s shared responsibility in preventing ill health which was dependent on joint working across the Council and with its partners. This included the service level agreements (SLAs) between Public Health and Directorates to promote and support working together effectively.

The Executive Member for Public Health submitted a report for Executive consideration. The purpose of the report was to set out the Director of Public Health’s (DPH) strategic focus on Ill Health Prevention, provide senior leaders and elected members with an overview of the key prevention challenges and opportunities across South Tees, strengthen collective responsibility for prevention across the Council, and promote consistent, system wide collaboration with partners, supporting a shared approach to improving outcomes.

The Director of Public Health identified several recommendations as part of his annual report which included achieving the 5% smoking prevalence ambition by 2030 and a continued investment in the South Tees system wide smoking cessation infrastructure, improving the early identification of harmful drinking and develop a targeted prevention and harm-reduction campaign for South Tees and to embed the Healthy Weight Declaration into core South Tees policy and governance so that creating healthier environments became a shared, system wide responsibility across all departments and partners.

A Member commented that individuals that died early were oftentimes the most difficult to reach and offer support to. It was asked what plans were in place to address this. It was clarified that there was a shared post between Public Health and James Cook University Hospital. This post was responsible for drafting the annual health inequalities report which had led to an increased awareness of this issue. It was conceded, however, that while a large amount of work was being undertaken in this area, it was a difficult issue and more work was required.

Members commented that there was a need to reach out to those in need of services rather than increasing appointment times and it was commented work had been undertaken on this matter, with the example of the Stop Smoking Campaign cited as an example.

In response to a question about joint working arrangements between Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland Councils, it was commented that there were continued efforts to align the work of Public Health and Adult Social Care and their respective teams.

It was asked if the work of Public Health could be delivered via the Neighbourhood model. It was clarified there was a need to understand what buildings were available and which were most suitable for Public Health teams to operate from.

The Chair proposed that an update on the work contained in the DPH Annual Report be brought back to Executive within six months. Following a vote, this was agreed by Executive.

OPTIONS

No alternative options were submitted with the report as the DPH Annual Report was a statutory requirement and was for information only. It was not subject to amendment or approval.

ORDERED that Executive:

1.     Receive an update on work contained with the DPH annual report within six months.

AGREED that Executive:

1.     NOTE the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2026.

2.     NOTE the Council’s shared responsibility in preventing ill health which was dependent on joint working across the Council and with its partners. This included the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/151

None.

The decision(s) will come into force after five working days following the day the decision(s) was/ were published unless the decision(s) become subject to the call in procedures.