Canterbury City Council

The board approved discontinuation of on-street business user permits in Canterbury. The stated aim is to reduce pressure on residents' parking zones and prevent business users parking all day in resident bays.

Cabinet backed option two for the coastal Public Space Protection Order: gather evidence over the summer, operate with a seaside code of conduct in the interim, and consult after the summer on a new PSPO for next spring. The discussion also flagged that the existing order had lapsed, that geography may need to differ between coastal towns, and that the scope must be shaped by evidence and public feedback rather than assumed fixed boundaries.

Cabinet agreed to consult on the draft homelessness and rough sleeping strategy 2026 to 2030 for 12 weeks, from 10 June to 2 September 2026. The strategy prioritises early intervention, reduced rough sleeping, better advice, higher standards in temporary accommodation, reduced bed and breakfast use, and more use of council-owned stock.

The committee recommended approval of the draft housing strategy 2026-2030, which is intended to underpin housing policy and align with the Regulation 19 draft local plan. Officers said the strategy had been updated after consultation and policy changes, and will be brought to cabinet for final approval.

Cabinet adopted an updated net zero and adaptation action plan, broadening the council’s climate work to include resilience, adaptation, and new actions around renewable energy, heritage buildings, carbon offsetting, and a green fund. The plan highlights major operational emissions areas, including the refuse fleet and older people's accommodation, and notes future capital needs and external funding opportunities.

The committee approved the parish capital grants round, funding the top-scoring eligible rural projects, carrying forward the small underspend, and tightening future criteria with a £5,000 application cap and one application per parish per round. The scheme supports small capital works such as recreation grounds, burial grounds and bus shelters.

The committee focused on progress against the social housing consumer standards improvement plan, especially stock condition surveys, compliance, complaints handling, tenant data collection and antisocial behaviour reporting. It also reviewed tenant engagement and communications, including new newsletters, housing hubs, community days, door-knock surveys and digital communication channels such as Mailchimp email and text messaging. Several practical scrutiny points emerged around hard-to-access properties, survey design, demographic breakdowns, and the need for clearer reporting formats and more representative tenant engagement.

The committee focused on governance changes for Canenco, including expanding the board to appoint two independent non-executive directors, approving a recruitment and remuneration framework, and delegating authority to officers to run the process. Members debated remuneration levels, with a proposed £5,000 annual fee per NED, and discussed whether a councillor should sit on the interview panel. The discussion was linked to Canenco’s growing spend and previous procurement and contract issues.