| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| C 08/089 |
Declarations of interest. |
As a rail commuter and season ticket holder Councillor N Heslop declared a personal interest in the Motion in respect of the announced increase in rail fares. |
| C 08/090 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 23 September 2008 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor. |
| C 08/091 |
Mayor's Announcements. |
The Mayor reported that he and the Deputy Mayor had now attended over 230 events and he made particular reference to visits to HMS Illustrious and the offices of the Kent Messenger and to switching on the Christmas Lights in Tonbridge and Snodland. The Mayor reminded Members of a number of forthcoming events and thanked them for their support at the Remembrance Day events in Tonbridge and West Malling. |
| C 08/092 |
Questions from the public pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.6. |
No questions were received from members of the public pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.6. |
| C 08/093 |
Questions from Members pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.5. |
No questions were received from Members pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.5. |
| C 08/094 |
Notices of Motion submitted pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.18 |
The following Notice of Motion was proposed by Councillor Mrs J Anderson and seconded by Councillor O Baldock: "This Council urges the Government to reconsider its response to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee's recommendation that it 'review the planned shift between tax payers' subsidy and the fare box with a view to pacing this transition over a significantly longer period of time'; believes the announced increase in fares from January 2009 is excessive at a time of economic recession and urges both the Government and Southeastern to reconsider this year's price increase." RESOLVED: That the Motion be agreed. The following Notice of Motion was proposed by Councillor D Aikman and seconded by Councillor R Dalton: "This Council objects and protests at the overtly and increasingly dangerous politicisation of the offices of government to pursue government objectives without accountability as exemplified by the grossly and demonstrably inequitable distribution of Revenue Support Grant to the detriment particularly of residents and tax-payers of the south east of England. This Council deplores the politicisation of the Police service and the threat this potentially poses to the democratic freedoms of its residents." RESOLVED: That (1) the Motion be agreed; and (2) copies of this decision be forwarded to the local Members of Parliament. The following Notice of Motion (as amended) was proposed by Councillor D Thornewell and seconded by Councillor Mrs E Simpson: "The Borough Council is aware that the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Board will be considering early in 2009 the transfer of specialist Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgical Services from Maidstone to Tunbridge Wells and that one option open to the Board, which could avoid an interim move to the Kent and Sussex Hospital, would be to delay the transfer, and hence the creation of the specialist unit, until the opening of the new hospital at Pembury in 2011. The Council urges the Trust Board to ensure that the clinical needs of the local population are considered paramount in coming to their decision in this matter." RESOLVED: That the Motion be agreed. |
| C 08/095 |
Leader's Announcements. |
The Leader referred to an exchange of correspondence with the Leader of Kent County Council regarding the funding of the concessionary travel scheme following the extension of the operational period to commence 0900 hours. He indicated that a formal proposal would be submitted to a future meeting. The Leader commended Richard Jefferys, Central Services Director, on his twenty-two years of service to the Authority and wished him a long and happy retirement. Referring to the current international financial situation, the Leader gave a detailed presentation on the impact this could have on the Authority and set out a series of proposals for dealing with the situation and the challenges the Council now faced. He advised that copies of his presentation would be made available after the meeting. |
| C 08/096 |
The Hop Farm, Beltring - Transfer of Regulatory Functions Item LEM 08/054 referred from Local Environmental Management Advisory Board minutes of 27th October, 2008 Item CB 08/117 referred from Cabinet minutes of 19th November, 2008 |
and as item CB 08/117 referred from Cabinet minutes of 19th November 2008. RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 08/117 be adopted. |
| C 08/097 |
Publication Scheme |
The report of the Chief Solicitor summarised the requirements of the new model publication scheme which committed the Council to making information available to the public. RESOLVED: That (1) the new model publications scheme, as set out in the report of the Chief Solicitor, be adopted for implementation from 1 January 2009; and (2) authority be delegated to the Chief Solicitor to finalise the detailed content of the scheme. |
| C 08/098 |
Changes to the Constitution |
The Monitoring Officer's report, together with a supplementary report circulated at the meeting, set out details of amendments required to the Constitution in respect of the list of persons designated under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, the new Senior Management Team structure and the list of Designated Deputies. RESOLVED: That (1) the list of designated officers for the purposes of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in Part 3 of the Constitution be amended as set out in section 1.2 of the report; (2) with effect from 1 January 2009 the Constitution be amended to reflect the new Senior Management Structure approved by the Council at its meeting on 22 April 2008; and (3) the list of Designated Deputies be deleted from Part 7 of the Constitution and Rule 2.6 of Part 3 be extended to require all Chief Officers to notify the Chief Executive, the Director of Finance and the Monitoring Officer of all authorisations they give to other officers to exercise powers on their behalf, and the Chief Executive advise Members of the notifications which he receives. |
| C 08/099 |
Sealing of Documents |
RESOLVED: That authority be given for the Common Seal of the Council to be affixed to any instrument to give effect to a decision of the Council incorporated into these Minutes and proceedings. |
| PART 2 - PRIVATE | ||
| C 08/100 |
Leisure Services - Proposed Staffing Changes (Reason: LGA 1972 Sch 12A Para 1 - Information relating to an individual) Item GP 08/025 referred from General Purposes Committee minutes of 24th September, 2008 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute GP 08/025 be adopted. |