Councillor Mike Smith

... the Cabinet of Bury approved recommendations to consult on moving to a Council Tax Support scheme based on the principles of Option 3, which involves an earnings-only assessment, a retained capital limit, a flat non-dependant deduction, and higher income bands, while also directing officers to prepare the final scheme parameters, conduct a full Equality Impact Assessment, and undertake statutory consultation, noting that adoption must be by Full Council and that equality compliance, Universal Credit alignment, and administrative readiness be confirmed before implementation in 2026/27.

...the Cabinet of Bury approved recommendations for the Northern Gateway project, including endorsing the Transport Framework Document and Social Value Strategy and Delivery Plan, and noting the implementation of the MDC Business Plan and annual Delivery Plan in advance of MDC implementation.

...to comply with Awaab's Law and address damp and mould issues in Housing Services properties, the Cabinet approved awarding Bell Group a 36-month contract, valued at £569,260.20, for reactive damp, mould treatment, and ancillary works.

...to address domestic violence, the Cabinet approved awarding contracts to Safenet for both Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation provision (£917,935) and core Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) provision (£724,635) for a two-year and five-month term, following a competitive tender process.

... to approve, adopt, and implement a policy and procedure for enforced sales of empty properties with outstanding debts to the council, delegating authority to the Assistant Director of Public Protection and Resilience to authorize such sales where appropriate.