The Cabinet of West Suffolk Council met on Tuesday 3 March 2026, approving the publication of the West Suffolk Biodiversity Duty report and authorising the write-off of outstanding Council Tax and Business Rates debts.

West Suffolk Biodiversity Duty Reporting

The Cabinet endorsed the publication of the first West Suffolk Council biodiversity duty report, due in March 2026, in accordance with the Environment Act 2021. This legislation requires public authorities to consider how they can conserve and enhance biodiversity. The report details the council's policies and actions to improve the environment, including the adoption of the West Suffolk Local Plan 2024-2041, which contains nine policies aimed at restoring and enhancing the natural environment. The council has also implemented new biodiversity software, Mycelia, to assist in assessing and monitoring biodiversity net gain (BNG), and has seen significant volunteer hours dedicated to maintaining country parks and gardens. The Head of Planning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regulatory, Councillor Gerald Kelly, will have delegated authority to make minor non-material amendments to the report.

Revenues Collection Performance and Write Offs

The Cabinet approved the write-off of outstanding debts totalling £107,126.26 in Council Tax and £75,979.63 in Business Rates. This decision was made after all recovery procedures had been exhausted. As of 1 February 2026, the Council Tax debt written off for the 2025-2026 financial year represented 6.68% of all previous years' debt, while Business Rates debt written off stood at 8.97%. The report noted that the collection rate for Council Tax was 90.95% against a profiled target of 91.60%, and for Business Rates, it was 88.97% against a target of 89.60%. The write-off of irrecoverable debts ensures that staff can focus on collecting recoverable debt. Councillor Diane Hind, Portfolio Holder for Resources, presented the report.

Decisions Plan: 1 March 2026 to 31 May 2026

The Cabinet reviewed its Decisions Plan for the period of 1 March 2026 to 31 May 2026, which outlines forthcoming key and other executive decisions. No amendments or further information were requested regarding the plan.