Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Hall and Holden.  Councillor Hickey was not present.

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.

There were no disclosable pecuniary or other significant interests declared at the meeting. 

To note any visiting Members and members of the public wishing to speak, of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 18 and 19 and which items they wish to speak on.

There were no visiting Members or members of the public who had registered to speak.

To note forthcoming items as set out in the Forward Plan

No amendments were proposed.

RESOLVED -  That the Forward Plan as at 27 September 2022 be noted.

To consider and provide a recommendation ot Cabinet on the proposals set out in the attached report.

Lee Colyer, Director of Finance, Policy and Development introduced the report set out in the agenda.

Discussion and questions from Members included the following:

-       As part of the budget process, a budget survey was undertaken annually.   The last comprehensive residents’ survey was undertaken in 2015.

-       Establishment costs for the Council were just over £18m. A 3% increase had been factored, plus an additional £300k to recognise wage pressures that other Councils had been experiencing.

-       Transport costs remain fixed and were not expected to increase.

-        Current premises costs were £3.9m.  An assumption had been included that these would go up by 1%, plus an additional £600k for 2023/24 only, to recognise the doubling of the Council’s energy costs.  The Government had already announced one package of support and it was hoped that further support would be forthcoming.

-       The Council currently spent £3.7m on its main contracts.  They would normally be indexed at 4% but because inflation was high, additional amounts of £350k had been factored in for the waste contract and £200k for the parks contract.  Again this had only been done for 2023/24 with the assumption that the Bank of England would make changes to the market so that inflation was brought back to their target of 2%.

-       The funding for the acquisition of the Lodge in Calverley Grounds (approximately £500k) was done through internal borrowing.  Where the Council acquired an asset through internal borrowing, it was required to pay down the loan.  The figures included recognised the funding of the acquisition of the Lodge being met by the Council’s own resources.

RESOLVED -  That the recommendations to Cabinet as set out in the report

be supported.

To consider and provide a recommendation to Cabinet on the proposals set out in the attached report. 

Zoe Kent, Interim Head of Mid Kent Revenues and Benefits Partnership introduced the report set out in the agenda.

Discussion and questions from Members included the following:

-       The figures detailed in section 1.4 of the report refer to the full cost of the scheme, including Kent County Council, Police, Fire and Borough. The cost to TWBC was 10% of the total figure.

-       The figures included in the table at 1.10 of the report were earnings and did not include rental costs or any other benefits.

-       The Community Support Fund still existed but because there was no surplus in the in-year budget review, there was no money in it.

-       The Household Support Fund had just resumed and would run initially until March 2023, but it was hoped it would then run for further year. 

-       Details of how the scheme would run were dependent on discussions currently taking place at County level.  Once County had formulated their policy on how the scheme would be run, details would be disseminated to the Borough.  It would include whether the scheme would be managed entirely at County level or whether some functions would be delegated to be managed by the Borough. 

-       The Banded Scheme was easier to manage.  Many of the processes had now been automated and it was hoped that more functions would be automated from April 2023.  The scheme was far simpler both for officers and for claimants.

-       A family of 4  living in a Band D property would still be required to pay 75% of their Council Tax bill, which based on this year’s rates would be £1,500.00 (from a total of £2,032.00).  Based on an average monthly earnings total of £1,169.98, and an average rental cost of a 2 bedroom property of £1,426 per month, this amount was unaffordable.

-       It was recognised that this was a high amount, but there was a separate pot of money available that could be used for hardship cases.  Residents can apply direct to the Council for additional funding.

-       It was suggested the scheme in its current form was not fit for purpose. That a family earning £1,100 per month and where average rental costs were £1,400 per month, were still expected to pay 75% of their Council Tax Bill (Band D property).

-       Whilst other sources of funding were available, the onus was on the individual to be aware of this and to apply to the Council for additional support.

-       The award should be increased to those most in need. This would be a fairer way of ensuring that those who need it most were appropriately supported. 

-       It was further stated that it should be clear, the numbers contained within the report were total figures i.e. the cost to the Kent taxpayer and not the cost to the Tunbridge Wells taxpayer. 

-       It was not appropriate to provide a recommendation when the details were County wide and not specific to Tunbridge Wells.

-       When  ...  view the full minutes text for item FG44/22

To consider and provide a recommendation to Cabinet on the proposals set out in the attached report. 

David Candlin, Head of Economic Development and Property Introduced the report set out in the agenda.

To note, the matter was decided in taking the exempt information set out in the Agenda as read.

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

To consider and provide a recommendation to Cabinet on the proposals set out in the attached report. 

Cllr Everitt, Cabinet Member for the Environment, Sustainability and Carbon Reduction made an opening statement.

David Candlin, Head of Economic Development and Property introduced the report as set out in the agenda.

A correction to the report was made:

-       Paragraph 2.1 – the SALIX budget awarded should read £1.177m (the same figure to apply in the Exempt Appendix A).  

Discussion and questions from Members included the following:

-       The Council continued to put pressure on SALIX and UK Power Network.  This included writing to Greg Clarke MP and Helen Grant MP.  Both MPs had now agreed to sign a joint letter to SALIX and UK  Power Network. 

-       The reduction in Carbon Emissions should remain a high priority and it would be remiss not to take advantage of any Government funding on offer.

-       It was therefore recommended that Option 2 be put forward to Cabinet as the preferred option.

To note, the matter was decided in taking the exempt information set out in the agenda as read.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations to Cabinet as set out in the report, including Option 2 be supported. 

To consider any other items which the Chairman 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 note that the date of the next scheduled meeting is Tuesday 8 November 2022, at 6.30pm.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 8 November 2022. 

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. 

RESOLVED – That pursuant to Section 100(A) 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 they may involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the Act, by virtue of the particular paragraphs shown on the agenda and on the attached report.

Jacqueline Tolhurst, Interim Estates Manager introduced the report as set out in the agenda.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations to Cabinet as set out in the exempt report be supported.