Agenda and minutes

Councillors N Akhtar, R Brown, K Caan, G Hayre, and G Hayre declared disclosable pecuniary interests in the matter referred to in Minute 73 below, headed “Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2026-31”.  They left the meeting during the consideration of this matter.

(a)  To agree the minutes from the meeting of Cabinet on 24^th February 2026

(b)  Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 24^th February 2026 were agreed and signed as a true record. 

There were no matters arising.

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Law, Governance and Safer Communities, which sought approval of the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2026-2031.

On the 27^th October 2025, the Renters Rights Act received royal assent, with the aim of improving the experience of private renting.  The Act introduces a suite of new powers for the Council that would come into force on the 1^st May 2026, unpinned by new powers designated to be effective, consistent and proportionate enforcement framework.  The Government has also extended councils’ powers to collect and retain revenue for future enforcement work from financial penalties against landlords who flout the rules.

In order for the Council to use these powers it must have published a policy setting out how it will implement these powers in relation to properties in the Private Rented Sector (PRS).  The Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy was appended to the report and set out the Council’s strengthened approach to enforcing housing standards across the PRS and Social Housing (SH).  It incorporates updated legislation, particularly the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, and aims to ensure all rented homes meet statutory minimum standards to protect residents’ health and wellbeing.  The report summarised the key updates under a number of headings, including:

·  Clear legal framework

·  Proportionate enforcement approach

·  Civil penalties framework

·  Safeguarding and vulnerability

·  Clear expectations for landlords and tenants

·  Monitoring and review.

The Policy must be approved and published to allow the Council to implement the new powers.  Once approved, the Policy would take immediate effect, enabling the Council to use the powers introduced on 27^th December 2025 and prepare to use the remaining powers which have a fixed implementation dates of 1^st May 2026.  The Cabinet noted that during the period between the publishing of the new Policy and 1^st May 2026, the Council will need to maintain the use of existing powers prior to the introduction of the Renters Rights Act 2025 and, as such, the Council would carry out any such enforcement in accordance with the existing Policy on Enforcing Standards in Private Sector Housing 2020.

The Cabinet agreed to:

1.  Consider the requirements of the Renters Rights Act 2025 and approve the proposed Coventry Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2026-2031

2.  Authorise the Director of Finance and Resources (Section 151 Officer) to accept any future monies associated with New Burdens funding and income from the PRS Database once these have been confirmed by Government.

3.  Authorise the Director of Law, Governance and Safer Communities to amend the scheme of delegations to include any new powers and duties arising as a result of the Renters Rights Act 2025.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet recommend that the policy be reviewed by full Council for approval.

Report of the Director of Childrens and Education

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Children and Education Services, that set out the Coventry One Strategic Plan and Education Capital Programme 2025-29.

The Cabinet noted that the report had also been considered by the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee at its meeting held on 12^th March 2026 (their Minute 61/25 refers).  A briefing note was circulated confirming that the Committee supported the recommendations within the report had no further comments or recommendations for the Cabinet.

Under Section 14 of the Education Act 1996, the Council has a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places and fair, appropriate access to education.  It is the Council’s role to plan, commission and organise school places in a way that raises standards and manages supply and demand.

The Coventry One Strategic Plan, which was appended to the report, sets out pupil forecasts for primary and secondary schools and Special Education Needs (SEND), across education planning areas in response to pupil cohorts across the city.  It was proposed that the Strategy would be a flexible plan, which would be able to adapt to shifting mechanisms of parental preference, unforeseen changes in supply and demand of school places and future birth rates.  To do this, officers regularly review school place planning, and the One Strategic Plan would be monitored and updated annually, with a presentation to Cabinet.

There is commitment through a statement of intent to collaborate and work in partnership to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people in Coventry; ensure the sustainability of Coventry schools; and to enable the Council to meet its statutory obligations.  The options within the Strategic Plan have been discussed at Coventry Education Partnership meetings, which include academy trust CEOs, headteachers and education colleagues from across the city.

The Strategy outlined within the One Strategic Plan was in line with the Department for Education (DfE) statutory requirements to:

·  Spend capital funding efficiently

·  Safeguard the quality of places in the system

·  Utilise spare capacity in the estate where it exists.

Capital allocations to meet projected shortfalls in provision were provided by the DfE to all Local Authorities based on data provided in the annual School Capacity return (SCAP).  Demand for places, minus the supply of places, is multiplied by a cost per pupil place to inform the final allocation.  This return informs the DfE of the expected change in pupil numbers over the medium term, the current capacity of schools to meet those numbers and the planned changes to that capacity.  Funding was also secured via S106 contributions from housing developers in response to new housing estates.  The proposed programme of work was fully funded utilising existing resources as set out within the education capital programme.

From the 2021/22 academic year, there had been a large increase in the number of pupils moving into the city in-year.  The impact of this in-year movement has been that more places were required in schools that originally forecast, using up spare capacity and causing sufficiency pressures in some  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74.

Report of the Director of Regeneration and Economy

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Care, Health and Housing, that set out the proposed Coventry: City of Movement Strategy 2026-2023.

The Cabinet noted that the report had also been considered by the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee at its meeting held on 12^th March 2026 (their Minute 62/25 refers).  A briefing note was circulate indicating that the Committee had recommended that the Cabinet ensures that the City of Movement Strategy explicitly recognises and reflects the needs of all age groups, and that the Strategy is fully inclusive for residents of all ages.

A co-produced joint Coventry: City of Movement Strategy had been developed, led internally by the Sport, Physical Activity and Wellbeing Team.  The Strategy is intended to enable the Council and its partners to progress further following the Coventry Sports Strategy 2014-2024 and the Physical Activity Framework 2019-2024, through creating a greater joined up system between health, sport, physical activity and movement, with the concept of ‘movement’ at its core.

It was noted that over 70 organisations across Coventry were involved in the development of the strategy alongside a survey of residents that elicited 1,398 responses, gathering insight on local people’s current movement habits, the barriers preventing them from being more active and their requirements which would contribute to making Coventry a City of Movement. This input was supplemented by public health data and insights along with the findings of other relevant needs assessments (Indoor Sports Facilities Strategy and Needs Assessment and the Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sport Strategy) to develop the following three strategic themes:

·  Active System: Connecting better

·  Active People: Movement for everyone

·  Active Place: A place of movement

The adoption of the Strategy will also support planning decisions and inform future S106 investments in the city, linked to key sites identified in the Coventry Indoor Sports Facilities Strategy and Playing pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy.  It also enables infrastructure investment decisions to be locally led, based on the priorities identified through public consultation for natural and built environments, to make Coventry ‘A Place of Movement’.

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet:

1.  Note and accept the additional recommendation from the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee to ensure that the City of Movement Strategy explicitly recognises and reflects the needs of all age groups, and that the Strategy is fully inclusive for residents of all ages.

2.  Approve the adoption of the Coventry: City of Movement Strategy attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

3.  Delegate authority to the Director of Care, Health and Housing, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport, to take all necessary, incidental or ancillary actions deemed appropriate to proceed with the implementation of the Coventry: City of Movement Strategy.

4.  Delegate authority to the Director of Care, Health and Housing, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport, to make variations as required to the City of Movement Strategy and associated place partnership Delivery Plan.

Report of the Interim Director of City Services

The Cabinet considered a report of the Interim Director of City Services, that set out the Highways and Transport capital programme for 2026/27.

The Coventry Transport Strategy was approved by Council in December 2022. It is a 15-year Strategy which set out plans to fundamentally change the city’s transport system, including by investing in significant improvements to public transport, walking and cycling and by accelerating the transition to zero emission vehicles.

The report submitted included the details of the Highways and Transport capital programme for 2026/27, which included a £2.5m programme of Local Network Improvements, an £11.3m programme of Highway Maintenance, a £5.8m programme of Active Travel schemes and a £1.5m programme of new electric vehicle charge point installation. These programmes form part of the Council’s wider commitment to deliver the changes set out in the Coventry Transport Strategy.

Funding sources for these programmes included the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), tranche 5 of the Active Travel Fund (ATF5), the Active Travel Integrated Settlement (ATIS) and the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund (LEVI).

The appendices to the report included the Local Network Improvement Programme scheme list; the description of Highways Maintenance Schemes; and the Highways Maintenance Programme scheme list.

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet:

1.  Approve delivery of the 2026/27 programmes of Local Network Improvement schemes and Highways Maintenance schemes as set out in Appendices 1 to 3 of the report.

2.  Accept £4,116,382 of funding from the Active Travel Investment Scheme and £250,000 from the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust and to approve the delivery of the schemes listed in sections 2.29 to 2.31 of the report.

3.  Review the latest updates on various other capital schemes also to be delivered during 2026/27.

Report of the Director of Regeneration and Economy

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director for Regeneration and Economy, that set out the Coventry Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan 2026-2030.

The report indicated that the impact of more extreme weather is being experienced both in the UK and globally, with the last year recorded as the hottest on record, and more frequent incidents of flooding and stronger storms.  Coventry can expect to face further significant changes in the weather over the coming years, with an increasing incidence of extreme weather events.  The Met Office projections show that the region will face warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers, with declining levels of annual rainfall leading to lower levels of water availability.  It was acknowledged that this has the potential to impact on residents, businesses, services, infrastructure and the natural environment. Some of the key risks highlighted related to food security, flooding of key infrastructure, homes and businesses and the impact of reduced water supplies, alongside public health risks due to high temperatures and poor air quality.

The Council have worked with consultants and partner organisations to develop an Adaption and Resilience Plan for Coventry to better understand key risks and vulnerabilities.  An action Plan has been developed in response to this and, whilst the Council has a key role to play in its implementation, a citywide partnership approach has been taken, which include key actions for partner organisations.  It was recognised that not all climate risks could be mitigated and in some areas there would be a need to adapt to changes already happening to increase preparedness and impact.  The report set out the findings of the Plan, which was proposed to be adopted to support future policy development and business, service and resilience planning and delivery.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1.  Approve the adoption of the Coventry Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan set out in Appendix 1 of the report, to ensure that this is a key consideration as part of Council policy development, service delivery and business continuity planning.

2.  Endorse that the Council continues to work in collaboration with partners (through the city’s Climate Change Board), wider stakeholders, businesses and communities to support delivery of the Climate Adaptation and Resilience Action Plan.  This includes seeking solutions and the necessary resources to address the identified risks from the increasing incidence from extreme weather events for the health and wellbeing of the population, the environment and the local economy.

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

There were no other items of public business.