The Dover Council Cabinet met on 8 September 2025, and among other things, agreed to adopt new Housing Revenue Account compliance policies, and a new Cultural Strategy for Dover 2025-2030. The Cabinet also agreed to revise the charging arrangements for bulky waste collections, so that items containing Persistent Organic Pollutants are booked and paid for separately.

Here's a summary of the key discussion points:

Cultural Strategy 2025-2030

The Cabinet approved and adopted the new Cultural Strategy 2025-2030 for Dover, designed to facilitate and increase cultural activities in the town, enhance the lives of local people, and bring visitors and investment to Dover, thus boosting the town's economy. Councillor Lynne Wright, Portfolio Holder for Community and Corporate Property, was given the authority to make any necessary amendments to the strategy.

The strategy recognises Dover as a 'priority place' by Arts Council England due to its cultural and creative potential. The strategy has three objectives:

• To enhance, create, connect and bring key cultural assets to life.
• To animate a collaborative town and cultural network with a first-class event and creative initiatives programme.
• To create an environment where culture, creativity and related activity reduces the number of empty shops and buildings within Dover and creates a thriving town centre.

The strategy builds on the foundations of the Cultural Framework for Dover (2009), the 2021 Tourism & Visitor Economy Strategy and the 2021 Economic Growth Strategy.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Compliance Policies

The Cabinet agreed to approve and adopt the proposed Housing Revenue Account Compliance Policies. These policies ensure the council takes reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of tenants in their homes. The policies also ensure the council provides an effective, efficient, and timely repairs, maintenance, and planned improvements service. The Strategic Director (Housing, Finance and Assets), in consultation with Councillor Pamela Brivio, Portfolio Holder for Housing, Skills and Education, has the authority to make minor amendments to the policies as required.

The policies were adopted to comply with revised consumer standards set out in the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. The policies apply only to corporate health and safety until revised corporate versions are created and approved by Cabinet.

The three policies approved were:

• Gas and Heating Policy
• Electrical Safety Policy
• Fire Safety Policy

Bulky Waste Collection Charges

The Cabinet agreed to revise charging arrangements for bulky waste collections. The council will continue to offer a collection service for both household waste that contains Persistent Organic Pollutants¹ (POPs) and household waste that does not contain POPs. However, non-POPs and POPs bulky waste items must be booked and paid for separately.

This decision was made because the Environment Agency requires items containing POPs to be collected and transported separately when dealt with through the council's household bulky waste collection service. This has resulted in the council incurring a double collection charge from its contractor when residents book a bulky waste collection with both POPs and non-POPs items. The revised charging arrangements will allow the council to recover these costs.

Financial Performance and Updates

The Cabinet took note of the Financial Outturn 2024/25 Report, which provides a summary of the 2024/25 outturn and the financial standing of the council.

The Cabinet also took note of the Financial Update - Quarter One 2025/26 Report, which provides a financial update for April to June 2025, covering the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account, and Capital and Special Projects programmes.

Reactive and Emergency Tree Works

The Cabinet approved the use of £70,000 included in the Medium-Term Financial Plan to undertake reactive and emergency tree works. This funding will be used to carry out works to defective trees to ensure that the risk of damage to people and property within council-owned areas and sites is minimised. The Head of Parks, Open Spaces and Countryside (Operations), in consultation with Councillor Lynne Wright, will finalise the arrangements.

Strategic Performance

The Cabinet noted the Strategic Performance Report - Quarter One 2025/26. The report provides an overview of how the council is performing against agreed strategic performance indicators, which have recently been streamlined to focus on strategic areas such as housing, planning and waste. The report covers the period 1 April to 30 June 2025.

Quarterly Complaints Report

The Cabinet noted the Quarterly Complaints Report - Quarter One 2025/26. The report provides details of the key areas of complaints received during the first quarter of 2025/26, as well as information on response times and whether complaints were upheld or partly upheld.

Exclusion of Press and Public

The Cabinet agreed to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:

• Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat Gallery and Dover Visitor Information Centre - Public Opening Hours
• Leasing of Postal Equipment
• CCTV/Security within Council-Owned Museums and Venues

Dover Museum, Bronze Age Boat Gallery and Dover Visitor Information Centre

The Cabinet approved the recommended public opening hours for Dover Museum, the Bronze Age Boat Gallery and the Visitor Information Centre. The Deputy Chief Executive was authorised, in consultation with Councillor Lynne Wright, to implement amendments to the operations, delivery and public opening hours of Dover Museum and the Bronze Age Boat Gallery, the Roman Painted House and the Maison Dieu to ensure the long-term sustainability of these valuable public services.

Leasing of Postal Equipment

The Cabinet agreed to award a three-year contract for the lease of a franking machine (including a file inserter and postage) to Francotyp Postalia.

CCTV/Security within Council-Owned Museums and Venues

The Cabinet approved the budget allocation and use of £75,000 for new and improved CCTV systems, as identified in the Council's 2025/2026 Medium-Term Financial Plan Museums and Venue Security Proposals, to further support delivery, public opening, operations and safety. The Deputy Chief Executive was authorised, in consultation with Councillor Lynne Wright, to use and manage the approved budget and to deliver the related CCTV projects across the Maison Dieu, Dover Museum and the Bronze Age Boat Gallery, and the Roman Painted House.