Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were reported from Councillors Holden, Horwood and Jukes.

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.

There were no declarations of interest made, within the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Members.

Members of the Council should indicate which item(s) they wish to speak on and the nature of their concern/question/request for clarification (in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 18).

There were no other members of the Council who had registered their wish to address the Board within the provisions of Council Meetings Procedure Rule 18.

The Chairman will move that the minutes of the previous meeting, dated 6 February 2018, be signed as a correct record. The only issue relating to the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.

In accordance with Council Meetings Procedure Rule 16.1, the Chairman will sign the minutes of today’s proceedings at the next scheduled meeting.

The minutes of the meeting dated 6 February 2018 were submitted.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Board meeting dated 6 February 2018 be agreed.

The Board received its work programme for the period up to 31 July 2018, which was based on the issues set out in the Council’s Forward Plan.

RESOLVED – That the work programme be noted.

The Democratic Services Officer will advise if there have been any urgent items of business which have arisen for the Board’s consideration since publication of the agenda.

The Democratic Services Officer advised that there were no additional items for the Board’s consideration which had arisen since the publication of the agenda.

The date of the next meeting is Tuesday 29 May, at 6.30pm in Committee Room A, at the Town Hall, Tunbridge Wells.

Currently, there are no items scheduled on the Forward Plan (which is subject to change) to be discussed.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Board was scheduled to take place on Tuesday 29 May at 6.30pm.

EXEMPT ITEM

RESOLVED – That, pursuant to section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act, by virtue of the paragraph shown below.

Exempt by virtue of paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended): Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person including the authority holding that information.

Lee Colyer, the Director of Finance, Policy and Development, presented a report, which set out the details of a proposal to make a number of changes to the long leasehold interest of the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre.

Mr Colyer reminded members of the process leading to the current proposals and explained the benefits and risks involved. The changes would ultimately increase the value of the Council’s freehold asset and facilitate significant investment in a critical town centre location.

Mr Colyer satisfied a number of questions from members including potential costs, sources of funding and implications arising from future investment.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations set out in the report be supported.