Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence as reported at the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Thomson.

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.

Minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting dated 9 April 2018. The Chairman will move that the minutes of the previous meeting be signed as a correct record. The only issue relating to the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy. Procedure rules applicable to all meetings Part 4, section 6.

The minutes of the meetings dated 9 April 2018 were submitted.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Committee meeting dated 9 April 2018 be agreed.

If there are any ‘Call-in’ items, details will have been circulated to Members under separate cover.

There were no items which had been called-in under Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 13.

The Chair confirmed the order of the agenda and advised that item 7. The Draft Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme for 2018/19 would be taken as the first substantive item on the agenda.

The Head of Economic Development and Property, David Candlin, introduced the report:

During discussion the following matters were highlighted:

Planning permission was unanimously granted on 9 May subject to conditions. The legal agreement (memorandum of understanding) was due to be signed in June.

A revised landscaping plan would see an additional number of trees planted resulting in an overall increase in the number in Calverley Grounds. A design amendment would see the facade facing the Square continue round to face the park also.

The appointed contractor would be revealed at an all member briefing later in the week.

There would be advertising in the local press for the permanent and temporary appropriation of open space. A report responding to the consultation responses would be provided.

There was an allocated amount for the civic development as a project of £5.126 million which was approved as the budget. The Council had spent £4.8 million to date which included projected billing by Kent County Council and Historic England for their engagement in the project.

The Civic Complex would need to go to market at least two years before the Council moved out of it. The anticipated relocation to a new building was the    in the first quarter of 2022 which meant going to the market in the first quarter of 2020. Some initial feasibility work would be undertaken.

If the civic complex was leased there would be an income stream that would provide an annual income. This would be measured against the potential for a capital return.

The financial aspect for disposal of the civic complex and surrounding assets supposed a set sum of £9.1 million and the use of the site as residential development would achieve this. It was for Members to decide if there were an alternative range of mixed uses that would achieve this sum and bring a range of economic and social benefits. The feasibility work would look at this.

RESOLVED to note the update.

The Chairman, Councillor Dawlings, explained the requirement for the Committee to set its own work programme for the year ahead. The Members discussed the topics included in appendix A to the agenda and the additional topics tabled at the meeting. Following discussion the Committee agreed to include the following items in the 2018/19 work programme:

Reducing the use of plastic in the Town Hall an in the wider community – a task and finish group was appointed to include the following Members: Councillors Hill, Lidstone and Mackonochie. Additionally, Councillor Joy Podbury would be asked to join the Group.

Park and Ride schemes – A study was being undertaken and was near completion. A report would be made available to the Committee at a later meeting.

Section 106 contributions/Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) – the item was already in the Planning Services work programme however the production of the Local Plan was a priority. An update would be sought for a later meeting.

Fly-tipping – an update would be requested as part of the Cabinet member for Sustainability’s portfolio update. Additionally, a request was made that data on the number of reported instances of fly-tipping be made available for the next meeting of the Committee.

Community Grants – it was requested that research be undertaken into the practices of other authorities who have reduced their community grants.

Existing car park provision and policies – it was requested that an update be provided by the Parking Service at a later meeting,

Parks and Gardens maintenance contract. It was agreed that a task and finish group be appointed in the autumn of 2018 to look at the Service in the lead up to retendering of the Contract in 2020-21.

All out elections – it was agreed that the Head of Policy and Governance be requested to provide an update to the Committee at a later meeting.

Transparency in the Council – a task and finish group was appointed to look at transparency within the Council, how the Council can better engage with residents and how meaningful consultation can be carried out. Councillors Woodward, Scott, Hill and Dawlings were appointed to the Group.

Potholes and the overall conditions of the roads in the borough – the Committee agreed that the Chairman of the Joint Transportation Board, Councillor Stanyer, be asked to discuss the work of the Board in dealing with this issue.

RESOLVED that the topics above be included in the Committee’s work programme for 2018/19.

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.

The next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee will take place on 13 August 2018.

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee would take place on Monday 13 August 2018.