Agenda and draft minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting from Cabinet held on 6 May 2026 were agreed.

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Min 220. Sidmouth Connaught Cliffs Emergency works, request for additional in year funding up to £500k.

Councillor Ian Barlow, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Is a Sidmouth Town Councillor.

Min 224. Dangerous structure - Axminster.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Affects Non-registerable Interest, had been lobbied.

Min 224. Dangerous structure - Axminster.

Councillor Sarah Jackson, Affects Non-registerable Interest, had been lobbied.

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Mrs Sandra Ward had submitted a question to Cabinet. She said she had received the written response to her question but that she had not yet had time to read it and consider any supplementary question that she may have. She also thanked the Council for considering their position on the PSPO in light of her correspondence.

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There were none.

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the Press) have been excluded. There are five items which officers recommend should be dealt with in this way. Two exempt reports at items 10 and 12 and three confidential reports at items 12 to 14.

There are five items which officers recommend should be dealt with in this way recorded at minutes 220, 222, 223 and 224.

Members noted the minutes and recommendation of Housing Review Board held on 30 April 2026.

Minute 111 Housing Review Board annual report 2025-26

That Cabinet and Council note the work that the Housing Review Board has undertaken during the 2025-26 civic year.

Members noted the minutes of Arts and Culture Forum held on 29 April 2026.

Members noted the minutes of Leisure Strategy Delivery Forum held on 28 April 2026.

The report highlighted that following annual cliff inspections, the cobblestone cliff retaining wall supporting a walkway within Connaught Gardens was found to have moved since last year’s inspection. This had forced the closure of the undercliff path/millennium walkway due to safety concerns. Following investigations and optioneering by designers and contractors due to the constraints the available options were estimated to be more than the available remaining budget. Therefore, in year spend was required to fix the wall to enable the undercliff/millennium walkway to open.

Since the publishing of the agenda Option 4.3 to spray concrete the wall had been withdrawn due to subcontractors’ safety concerns.

In light of that the Chair proposed that a Working Group be established by the Portfolio Holder Environment – Operations with Sidmouth Town Council and EDDC representatives to review the issue and give consideration to how the situation can best be progressed, with a view to revisiting the matter in the Autumn and making financial provision for the works in the 2027/28 budget for works to commence in Spring 2027 and be completed in time for the 2027 summer season.

Cllr Ian Barlow asked that the wall be taken down now and made safe so people could enjoy the beach and the sea while ongoing discussions took place for a permanent solution. The potential for additional disruption to Connaught Gardens and increased costs associated with this approach was highlighted. 

Officers requested the ability to investigate the possibility and cost effectiveness of providing a crash deck or gallery structure to enable the path to open for the summer, and the Chair confirmed that this could be authorised by the Portfolio Holder Environment - Operations under his delegated powers.

The Chair agreed in the absence of the Portfolio Holder Environment - Operations for the Council to investigate providing a crash deck or gallery to enable the path to open for the summer.

RESOLVED that Cabinet;

1.     Delegate authority to the Portfolio Holder Environment – Operations in consultation with the Director of Place, to create a working group with EDDC and Sidmouth Town Council.

2.     That a further report be brought to the 7^th October Cabinet, with a view to budgeting for 2027/28 and commencing in April 2027 in time for the summer of 2027 and to provide an update on progress of the working group.

3.     That the outcomes of the working group are brought into consideration for the budget for 2027/28.

4.     That increased security and CCTV be agreed for site and public safety.

REASON:

To ensure that options for repair can be explored with key partners to ensure that the most effective solution was found to enable the reopening of the walkway.  

The Vice-Chair to move the following:

that under Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public (including the press) be excluded from the meeting as exempt information, of the description set out in the agenda is likely to be disclosed and on balance the public interest is in discussing these items in private session (Part B).

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

That under Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public (including the press) be excluded from the meeting as exempt information, of the description set out on the agenda, is likely to be disclosed and on balance the public interest is in discussing this item in private session (Part B).

The recommendations as set out in the exempt report were agreed.

The recommendations as set out in the exempt report were agreed.

The recommendations as set out in the exempt report were agreed.