The Dover Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 15 September 2025, and members discussed a petition regarding sewage pollution, a financial update for the first quarter of 2025/26, a strategic performance report, and a quarterly complaints report. The committee noted the petition, the financial and strategic performance reports, and the complaints report.

Save Our Seas Deal and Walmer Petition

The committee considered a petition called Save Our Seas Deal and Walmer (SOSDAW), which demands action to end sewage pollution in the coastal seawater of Deal and Walmer. The petition, which contained 1,810 valid signatures from Dover District residents, was submitted to the council, triggering a review by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, before being referred to the full council for consideration.

The petition calls for:

• Increased seawater testing by Southern Water and the regulator, the Environment Agency (EA), at more sites between Sandown Castle, North Deal, and Boundary Road, Walmer/Kingsdown.
• Surveys and upgrades to Southern Water infrastructure to prevent storm overflow releases.
• Complete separation of foul sewage and surface water in the CT14 postal area, including connections to Golf Road WPS.
• Repairs to sewage leakages originating at Dover District Council-owned properties, including Deal Pier.
• Increased forward planning to include water companies as statutory consultees on industrial, tourism, and housing developments.

The petition also references:

• A record £90 million fine levied on Southern Water in July 2021 for illegal sewage spills¹.
• A 57% cut in funding for the Environment Agency.
• An average 36% increase in water bills across England and Wales, with a 53% price hike for customers in the south east.
• A SOS Whitstable petition for the return of the water industry to public ownership.
• A Surfers Against Sewage petition on banning bailouts of water companies.
• A parliamentary Private Members Water Bill tabled in October 2024 by Clive Lewis MP². ## Financial Update - Quarter One 2025/26

The Head of Finance and Investment provided a financial update for Quarter One 2025/26, covering the General Fund, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), and the Capital and Special Projects programmes. The committee noted the report.

General Fund (GF):

• A £174,000 deficit is forecast, an increase of £180,000 against the original budgeted surplus of £6,000.
• General Fund balances are projected to be approximately £1.5 million, with the application of £174,000 from the Smoothing Reserve required to balance the budget.
• Main variances include:
  • £53,000 for local audit build–back grant for historic audit costs and Redmond Review grant.
  • £148,000 based on reduced expected spend on computer software purchases, maintenance and other associated ICT costs.
  • £210,000 for increased homelessness prevention grant.
  • £37,000 for reduced management fee income at Dover Leisure Centre.
  • £106,000 for increased waste services costs due to higher inflation.
  • £430,000 shortfall in progress on savings targets.
• Progress on savings targets is below forecast, with a potential in-year budget pressure of £430,000.
• Main risks facing the General Fund include:
  • Uncertainty over future funding for Port Health.
  • Financial challenges related to Local Government Reorganisation.
  • Impact of the Local Government Finance Settlement changes.
  • Challenges in delivering target savings.
  • Impact of economic performance and employment on Council Tax and Business Rates collection.
  • Growing homelessness numbers.
  • Increasing pressures on the General Fund due to the gap between the cost of supported housing and the lower level of housing benefit that can be reclaimed.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA):

• A surplus of £520,000 is forecast, to be transferred to the Housing Initiatives Reserve.
• HRA balances are projected to be approximately £1 million.
• No variances to be included within the Q1 budget monitoring.
• Main risks facing the HRA include:
  • HRA rent arrears.
  • Challenges in affordability levels across the district for affordable housing projects.
  • Potential additional spend required based on the results of stock condition surveys.

Project Programmes:

• All projects approved to proceed are fully financed.
• Main changes in the capital project programme include:
  • £600,000 moved from proposed projects into the approved Capital programme for Tides Leisure replacement demolition costs.
  • £120,000 funding received from the Rural England Prosperity fund.
  • Maison Dieu is now open to the public.
• Main changes in the HRA project programme include:
  • £77,000 reduction in costs for Cavell Square in Deal.
  • Completion of projects at Foxborough Close, 83-87 Folkestone Road and Wingfield Place.
• Main changes to the special revenue projects include:
  • £327,000 funding received from the UK Shared Prosperity fund.
• Main risks in the project programmes include:
  • Potential additional significant awards to the contractor for the Fasttrack Project.
  • Depleted capital resources.
  • Vulnerability of major capital projects to significant inflation and unexpected events.

Investment and Borrowing Performance:

• The Council's budgeted investment return for 2025/26 is £2,559,000 (including HRA).
• £52.88 million of investments were managed in-house at 30 June 2025.
• The projected investment return for the year is £2,605,000.
• The Council holds over £65 million of borrowing from Public Works Loans Board (PWLB).

Council Tax Collection:

• The Council Tax in-year collection target is 96.84%, with an Ultimate Collection Target of 97%.
• Actual performance for quarter one is 27.71% (0.18% above profile target).

Business Rates Collection:

• The Business Rates in-year collection target is 98.20%.
• Actual performance for quarter one is 26.47% (1.12% above profile target).

Section 24 Recommendations:

• Progress continues to be made on the Section 24 recommendations reported to Council in January 2025, with 12 of the 17 recommendations completed and the remaining 5 in progress.

Strategic Performance Report - Quarter One 2025/26

The Continuous Improvement Manager presented the Strategic Performance Report for Quarter 1 2025/26, covering the period 1 April – 30 June 2025. The committee noted the report.

The report provides an overview of the Council's performance against 30 strategic performance indicators (KPIs). Key points to note include:

• The report highlights performance in each area, broken down by strategic priority.
• The 30 Strategic KPIs are a mix of existing, modified, and new indicators.
• Data for the Operational Performance indicators highlighted in the 41 Business (Service) Plans is collated centrally by the Continuous Improvement Team.
• Definitions have been prepared for each of the Strategic Performance Indicators.

The report includes data on the following strategic priorities:

• Improving our housing
• Growing our economy
• Protecting our environment
• Supporting our communities
• Modernising our council

The report also includes key risks from the Corporate Risk Register.

Quarterly Complaints Report - Quarter One 2025/26

The Head of Corporate Services and Democracy presented the Quarterly Complaints Report for Quarter 1 2025/26. The committee noted the report.

The report provides an overview of the key areas of complaints in Quarter 1, 2025/26 (April–June 2025). Key points to note include:

• Complaints at service level remain low compared to the overall volume of interactions the Council has had with the public.
• The Council operates a two-stage complaints process.
• Complaints and compliments are viewed as valuable feedback.

In Quarter 1, 2025/26, the Council opened 131 Stage 1 complaints and 26 Stage 2 complaints. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman opened 2 investigations, and the Housing Ombudsman opened 1 investigation.

The average response time for Stage 1 complaints was 8.82 working days, with 75.6% responded to within the target time or with an agreed extension. The average response time for Stage 2 complaints was 16.3 working days, with 100% responded to within the target time or with an agreed extension.

The three main overarching themes for complaints were:

• Failure to provide an acceptable service
• Lack of communication
• Dispute decision

Of the Stage 1 complaints, 45.80% were upheld in full, 4.58% were partly upheld, and 49.62% were not upheld. Of the Stage 2 complaints, 16.7% were upheld in full, 16.7% were partly upheld, and 66.7% were not upheld.

The outcomes for upheld/partly upheld complaints included agreed actions, apologies, and compensation.

Key lessons learned from complaints included:

• Reviewing Stage 1 responses to ensure all points are covered.
• Considering relevant information raised by the complaint when reviewing policies.
• Ensuring detailed notes are recorded when dealing with tenants/individuals.