| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| C 11/024 |
Declarations of interest. |
There were no declarations of interest made. |
| C 11/025 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the proceedings of the Meeting of the Council held on 17 February 2011 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor. |
| C 11/026 |
Mayor's Announcements. |
The Mayor advised that since the last meeting of the Council she and the Deputy Mayor had attended a wide range of events. She made particular reference to the opening of the new children's Inpatient Service at Winthrop Hall in Staplehurst, the Maidstone Sea Cadets Presentation Evening, Tonbridge Lions Club Senior Citizens Party, Tonbridge School Combined Cadet Forces Military Inspection, the official opening of K College Hair and Beauty Salon, the launch of the Friends of Wateringbury Church, her recent visit to Tonbridge and Larkfield Fire Stations and her attendance at the launch of the Tonbridge Memorial Gardens Trust. She advised that the Help for Heroes Dinner at Poult Wood had raised £442.50 and the recent cake sale £115 and thanked Members and staff for supporting these events. The Mayor advised that her last mayoral events would be an informal end of term dinner at ASK on 10 May with her fellow 2010/11 Mayors and the presentation of cheques to her charities on 16 May. In addition, the Mayor invited Members to complete the entry forms to guess the total number of events she and the Deputy Mayor had attended in her mayoral year and to return the forms to the Mayor's Office by 29 April 2011. Finally, the Mayor extended her appreciation and gratitude to the councillors not standing at the next election and thanked everyone for their support over the years. |
| C 11/027 |
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 No 5.6. |
| C 11/028 |
Questions from Members pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.5. |
Councillor D Cure asked the following question pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.5:- "Will the Leader please inform the Council as to the current position concerning the provision of Disabled Facilities Grants for the FIVE children who are priority A and the SIX children who are priority B, awaiting much needed adaption to their homes to ensure a better life for themselves, their parents and siblings, as considered at the Strategic Housing Advisory Board of the 21st February 2011, and at the Cabinet Meeting of the 30th March 2011. Given some of these children have been waiting two years for grants, have Kent County Council yet responded to the Leader's and the Cabinet Member for Housing's joint letter 'expressing the Authority's frustration on the apparent lack of progress with this matter', written following the Strategic Housing Advisory Board meeting. The lack of Occupational Therapists and the totally inadequate action by the Kent County Council, must be seriously affecting the lives of these young people, and future applicants." To which the Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Mrs J Anderson replied as follows:- "On a point of fact, I would remind the Member that the joint letter voicing the concerns of the Leader and myself was sent prior to the meeting of the Board on the 21 February. As reported to the meeting of the Strategic Housing Advisory Board on 21 February, KCC have undertaken initial assessments for all 11 children but were not in a position to allocate these cases for full assessment to an occupational therapist due to difficulties with recruitment. Since that meeting there has been further positive progress, led by the new KCC Cabinet Member, Jenny Whittle. Last week, members of SHAB will have received a copy of a letter to Mrs Whittle welcoming the steps taken by KCC to address our concerns, and I am pleased to advise that KCC have recruited a locum occupational therapist, Rupert Murray, who started on 4 April. His first priority is to provide full assessments for the 5 A cases and he will then undertake the necessary work on the B cases. I am assured by the KCC Cabinet Member for Specialist Children's Services that the Kent County Council is in a much stronger position to make the long awaited inroads into the waiting lists and Mr Murray will work closely with TMBC to ensure speedy progress for the purpose of the release of Disabled Facilities Grants and the necessary adaptation of homes to accommodate children's disabilities. Information being received by the Director of Health and Housing confirms that further contact by the occupational therapy service is being made with the families concerned and he is now more optimistic that these cases are being progressed. A report on progress will be made to the next meeting of the Strategic Housing Advisory Board on 7 June 2011." |
| C 11/029 |
Notices of Motion submitted pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.18. |
The following Notice of Motion was proposed by Councillor D Aikman and seconded by Councillor M Dobson:- This Council requests the Chief Executive to write to His Royal Highness Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton in the following terms: "The Members of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council extend their congratulations to you on the occasion of your marriage and wish you every possible joy and happiness in your life together." RESOLVED: That the Motion be agreed. |
| C 11/030 |
Leader's Announcements. |
The Leader reported on a number of issues of relevance across the borough. He welcomed the engagement by Russet Homes of a private OT service to address and reduce the backlog of assessments for residents, referred to recent visits to a high quality, purpose built supported accommodation project for 16 - 24 years old in New Wharf Road, Tonbridge and the Biossense presentation and exhibition in New Hythe Lane, Larkfield. He indicated that any proposals for a new road connected to the Biossense site would not be supported by the Borough Council. The Leader was pleased to announce that work was continuing towards the provision of further gypsy and traveller accommodation at the Coldharbour site. Funding had been secured by Kent County Council to purchase the site and resubmit a new design. He advised Members that the full proposal would be revisited and that sound attenuation measures along the boundary of the site continued to be a primary consideration. In addition, the Leader welcomed new guidelines by central Government on gypsy and traveller provision and encouraging local authorities to work with and support the voluntary sector. The former was the subject of a twelve week consultation period and it was anticipated that further details would be reported to Members via the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board or the proposed new Gypsy and Travellers Issues Panel. The Leader commended the Revenue Section for their excellent performance in the collection of council tax and business rates. He also commended the Leisure Services Business Unit for securing an improved QUEST rating for Larkfield Leisure Centre. This achievement meant that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council had the only three facilities in Kent with an 'excellent' rating with one ranked fourth nationally. Finally, the Leader paid individual tribute to those Members not seeking re-election on 5 May 2011 (Councillors Aikman, Court, Dobson, Mrs English, Mrs Grant, Lettington, MacDonald and Mrs Boakes who had recently resigned from the Council) whose combined service amounted to 118 years. He proposed that the Borough Council's appreciation for their valuable contribution to the authority and the communities they served over their years of office be formally recorded. This was endorsed unanimously by the Council. |
| C 11/031 |
Adjustments to the Constitution |
Consideration was given to the joint report of the Leader, Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer reviewing the structure of the Council's decision making processes to ensure it remained fit for purpose in the light of changes being introduced by the Coalition Government. It was noted that any adjustments would be undertaken to enable appointments to be made to the revised structure at the Annual Council Meeting. Whilst the report concluded that the Council's decision making processes had operated well, particular attention was drawn to a proposal to create a single merged Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The revised structure also reflected the emerging role of district councils in respect of public health, reforms to policing in Kent and two significant planning issues to be progressed by the Government. RESOLVED: That the proposals set out in section 1.3 of the report be approved and the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the appropriate consequential amendments to the Council's Constitution where needed at this time to give effect to the proposals. |
| C 11/032 |
Programme of Meetings 2011/12 |
The Chief Executive presented a proposed programme of meetings for the remainder of the year and to May 2013. He invited Members to submit any comments as soon as possible to enable consideration of a final version at the Annual Council Meeting on 17 May 2011. The Mayor advised that preparation of the programme of meetings was normally the task of Mrs Janet Shenton, Committee Administrator, who was currently recuperating after an operation. She suggested that arrangements be made for flowers to be sent in appreciation of her past work and this was endorsed by the Council. RESOLVED: That the programme of meetings for 2011/12 be approved and submitted to Annual Council on 17 May 2011 for final confirmation. |
| C 11/033 |
Appointments to Outside Bodies |
The report of the Central Services Director sought consideration of the appointment of a Trustee to the Tonbridge United Charity to replace Mr D Power and a representative on the Lower Medway Internal Drainage Board in place of Mr D Nevill, both of whom had tendered their resignation. RESOLVED: That (1) Ms Laura de Bono be nominated as a Trustee to serve on the Board of the Tonbridge United Charity; (2) Mr James Gore be nominated to serve on the Lower Medway Internal Drainage Board; and (3) the Council's thanks be conveyed to Mr Power and Mr Nevill for their past service. |
| C 11/034 |
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. |