Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors: Atkins, Britcher-Allan, Chapelard, Dawlings, Fitzsimmons, Moon and Sankey

To approve the minutes of the annual meeting held on 24 May 2023 as a correct record. The only issue relating to the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.

No amendments were proposed.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the annual meeting dated 24 May 2023 be approved as a correct record.

To approve the minutes of the Extraordinary meeting held on 24 May 2023 as a correct record. The only issue relating to the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.

No amendments were proposed.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the extraordinary meeting dated 24 May 2023 be approved as a correct record.

To receive any declarations of interest by members in items on the agenda. For any advice on declarations of interest; please contact the Monitoring Officer before the meeting.

No declarations of pecuniary or significant other interest were made. 

To receive announcements from the Mayor, the Leader of the Council, members of the Cabinet and the Chief Executive.

The Mayor Announced:

·         James Scholes has accepted the award of Honorary Alderman, and a small ceremony would be scheduled a little later in the year.

·         He advised that Cllr Bland would be awarded his past Mayors badge at a date to be agreed in September.

Councillor Justin Rutland (Portfolio Holder for Economic Development)

·         I’d like to update members on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

·         From Community Grants Round 1 – the Council awarded Grants to the following projects:

·         Whitehorn Allotment Improvements (Brenchley & Matfield) – the clearance of the site and creation of boundary hedges to provide new allotment patches

·         Cranbrook In Bloom – the installation of planters on Cranbrook High Street to showcase plants from Cranbrook in Bloom

·         Horsmonden Sports Club Security and Maintenance – the purchase of maintenance equipment and installation of CCTV to protect the facilities from vandalism and theft

·         Lamberhurst Village Improvements - the urgent maintenance of public toilets and the erection of signage across the village

·         Foal Hurst Wood Improvements (Paddock Wood) – the regeneration of a threatened area of woodland

·         Wildflower Meadow Improvements (Paddock Wood) – the rewilding of a wildflower meadow, used by the local community

·         War Memorial Maintenance (Pembury) – the cleaning and maintenance of the War Memorial in Pembury

·         Community Biodiversity Project (Speldhurst & Bidborough) – the creation of a biodiverse habitat as part of a community volunteering project in the village

·         I am pleased to say that a second round of grants applications has just closed and the council Panel will consider 15 project proposals from 7 different locations across the borough.

·         I emphasise that these are UKSPF projects not to be confused with other community grants that the Council awards.

·         Works to improve Sherwood Lake and the surrounding woodland has been completed. Kent High Weald Partnership has installed new boardwalks, signage, undertaken works to improve biodiversity and held community volunteering and engagement activities.

·         The Cranbrook Community Kitchen project has also been a success. Local volunteers have used funding to provide meals and shelter to vulnerable members of the community, whilst also upgrading local facilities to ensure the project can continue post UKSPF funding.

·         The West Kent Business Support Programme is progressing well. Smarter Society (who won the tender process to deliver the programme) has set up a website (www.westkentbusiness.com), delivered events and has fully booked places for its mentoring sessions. Micro grants will be awarded to programme participants in September.

·         Work to establish a new West Kent Rural Grants Programme is progressing. A Project Manager is now in place (based at Sevenoaks DC), guidance and application criteria has been agreed and a panel of local stakeholders has been established to consider project proposals.

·         DEFRA have approved the £444k (£443,603) Council programme for the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). This will enable support to complete the decarbonisation of the Weald Sports Centre this year.

·         In addition, the Council will be making £333k (£332,703) from our REPF allocation towards supporting local rural businesses and communities in 2024/25.

To present the Freedom of the Borough Award which was approved at the meeting of Full Council on 24 May 2023

The Mayor and members of the Council welcomed Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust  to the meeting and set out their reasons for granting the well-deserved award.

Director of Change & Communities read the Borough of Freedom Oath and the Mayor  presented David Highton with the award.

Upon receiving the award David Highton expressed his thanks on behalf of all of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS staff.

To receive any questions from members of the public, of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8, to be submitted and answered.

The Mayor advised that no questions from members of the public had been received under Council Procedure Rule 8.

To receive any questions from members of the Council, of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, to be submitted and answered.

The Mayor advised that there were three questions from members of the Council had been received under Council Procedure Rule 10.

Councillor Holden felt it was not right or fair that the Mayor had taken the decision to group his questions, the Mayor acknowledge his concern but his decision was final..

1 Question from Councillor Holden

1.Can you tell me the name of the private contractor which is giving equality, diversity and inclusivity training to TWBC staff? Are the providers Nelson Training or Inclusive Employers and is the training package from Flick E-learning?

2. Can you provide me with the text and the power point slides which are used by this company which is paid with public money to train TWBC staff?

3. Can you conform the costs spent on this training already and the costs projected for the future? 

4. These training sessions, I believe, are compulsory for staff. Are they free to  disagree with the trainers and put, for instance gender critical viewpoints? Can they refuse to attend for any reason?

5. Are staff encouraged to state their pronouns

Answer from Councillor Warne

Thank you for your questions, Cllr Holden. I believe you have also submitted a Freedom of Information request and a response was sent to you last week covering many of the points you have raised.

As I would hope you would be aware, everyone in Great Britain is covered by the Equality Act 2010. This includes you and everyone you come into contact with, in your role as a councillor. The main principles of the Act are equality, diversity and inclusion. For absolute clarity the Act says that diversity is about the ways in which people differ. These differences should be recognised, celebrated and treated as a natural part of society. 

Staffing issues are a matter for the Chief Executive as Head of Paid Service but in answer to your question the Council provides training to staff to ensure it complies with its public sector duty. A variety of methods and providers have been used including Nelson training, Inclusive training, and Flick E-learning. You have been supplied the training materials you requested and also the Chief Executive has already provided you with an estimate of the cost associated with this which is around £2,250.

Non-discriminatory recruitment, training and promotion processes, and working practices contribute towards an organisation which recruits and retains employees from a wide demographic, and there is clearly a benefit in recruiting and retaining the best employees irrespective of their gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity or nationality, religion or belief, disability, educational/social background, etc. Not to do so would almost certainly reduce the pool of talent from which an organisation can recruit, and therefore hamper growth, employee morale and ultimately the services we provide to our residents.

In respect of your other points, staff are obviously free to hold whatever views they wish or to state their pronouns and I believe that this has already been made clear to you.

Finally, I would  ...  view the full minutes text for item FC22/22

To consider and, if thought fit, to approve the recommendations set out in the associated report.

Councillor Knight moved, and Councillor Holden seconded, the recommendation set out in the report.

The Mayor took a vote on the motion by affirmation.

RESOLVED – That the Overview and Scrutiny That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2022-23 be noted.

To consider and, if thought fit, to approve the recommendations set out in the associated report.

Councillor Pound moved and Councillor Warne seconded the recommendations set out in the report on the agenda..

Councillor Pound spoke on the motion:

1.    Expressed the importance of the Plan

2.    Advised that the turnout of residents voting was >30.8%

3.    Thanks was expressed to all the hard work undertaken by the Officers.

The report was taken as read

The Mayor took a vote on the motion by affirmation

RESOLVED  -

1.            This reportrecommends thatthe Horsmonden Neighbourhood Development Plan (HNDP) be formally‘made’ (adopted)and become part of the statutory Development Plan for the area with immediate effect, following a favourable local referendum result;

2.            TheHorsmonden NeighbourhoodDevelopment Plan post-referendum Decision Statementat Appendix A be published; and

3.            TheHorsmonden NeighbourhoodDevelopment Plan SEAAdoption Statementbe drafted and published after the NDP is ‘made’.

To consider any other items which the Mayor decides are urgent, for the reasons to be stated, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There was no urgent business.

To authorise the Common Seal of the Council to be affixed to any contract, minute, notice or other document arising out of the minutes, or pursuant to any delegation, authority or power conferred by the Council.

RESOLVED – That the Common Seal of the Council be affixed to any contract, minute, notice or other document arising out of the minutes or pursuant to any delegation, authority or power conferred by the Council.

To note that the date of the next meeting is Wednesday 4 October 2023.

The next scheduled meeting was Wednesday 4 October 2023.

            NOTES: the meeting concluded at 7.24pm