| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| C 13/028 |
Declarations of interest. |
There were no declarations of interest made. |
| C 13/029 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 14 February 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor. |
| C 13/030 |
Mayor's Announcements. |
The Mayor gave an update on the range of events attended since the last meeting of the Council and thanked the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress for their support. He highlighted two successful events which had raised funds for his charities: a Quiz Night at Hadlow College and a St Valentine's Night party organised by the charities themselves following which the charity fund now stood at over £4,700. Reference was made to a number of visits to schools and young people's activities with the opening of new facilities, attending communal open days and judging Dragon's Den competitions. Particular attention was drawn to the Council's Activate events and the work of the young instructors. The Mayor commented on a number of community events run by local organisations such as Tonbridge Lions and the Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Football Club. He also mentioned a range of arts events including opening the Plaxtol Music Festival and Jordan Barker's Magic Show at the Angel Centre. The Mayor informed the Council of some particularly memorable community welfare events involving Platform 51 International Women's Day, the opening of the West Kent Recovery Service facility for people with alcohol and drug problems and a visit to the Abbeyfields Watling Court sheltered development in Gravesend. Finally the Mayor reported on three civic events: tree planting at Scotchers Field, the opening of Hadlow Tower and earlier that day welcoming the Princess Royal to East Malling Research Centre. He reminded the Council of the Members' visit to the latter on 22 April and his Pudding Evening at Ightham Mote on 19 April. |
| C 13/031 |
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 13/032 |
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 13/033 |
Leader's Announcements. |
The Leader referred to the wide range of activity throughout the Council since the last meeting and thanked the staff for the high quality of service delivery to residents against a background of significant challenge for all the service teams. He thanked both Council and Veolia staff for their response to the further wave of severe weather in mid-March which presented difficulties for refuse and recycling services. Referring to the decision to extend the trial collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and scrap metal from the Saturday bulky refuse service, the Leader was pleased to report confirmation that the arrangements would take effect from 20 April. He stated that the trial was scheduled to run until March 2014 and would be reviewed in due course to assess its effectiveness and sustainability. The Leader commented on the range of courses available in the Easter Activate programme despite the unseasonal weather. A total of 312 spaces had been taken by young people across 27 separate courses with 82 per cent of places booked. Members were advised of a number of recent business awards in the Borough. Mandy Smith in the Council's Community Safety Team was commended for winning the Business Safety Award at the Kent Community Safety Awards in recognition of outstanding efforts to expand the Safer Towns initiative in Tonbridge. Two businesses, Bertie's Wood Fuel in Hadlow and FooARage in Larkfield, had also been shortlisted in the Newspaper Society's Local Business Accelerators national competition to find the most promising small businesses. The Leader indicated that the national winner would be announced in October and he wished both well in the competition. He commented on a further business success for Hadlow in that a local firm, Crofton Design, had won the Kent Invicta Chamber Business of the Year 2013. The Leader reported on the informal reception for Parish Council Chairmen which he had hosted in mid-March. This had proved a helpful opportunity to build on the relationship between the Borough and Parish Councils. The Leader concluded by referring to the forthcoming retirement in mid-May of John Batty, Director of Health and Housing. Whilst the meeting of the Local Environmental Management Advisory Board on 8 May would provide Members with an opportunity to bid him farewell, this was his last meeting of the Council. The Leader accordingly thanked Mr Batty for his enormous contribution to the Authority in the fields of environmental health and housing and corporately and extended best wishes for his retirement. |
| C 13/034 |
Review of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy Item LA 13/013 referred from Licensing and Appeals Committee minutes of 20th March, 2013 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendations at Minute LA 13/013 be adopted. |
| C 13/035 |
Capital Plan Update Item CB 13/036 referred from Cabinet minutes of 26th March, 2013 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendations at Minute CB 13/036 (including CB 13/047) be adopted. |
| C 13/036 |
Local Authority Mortgage Scheme Item CB 13/037 referred from Cabinet minutes of 26th March, 2013 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendations at Minute CB 13/037 be adopted. |
| C 13/037 |
Housing Strategy 2013-2016 Item CB 13/038 referred from Cabinet minutes of 26th March, 2013 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendations at Minute CB 13/038 be adopted. |
| C 13/038 |
DEFRA Grant for Air Quality Work Item LEM 13/005 referred from Local Environmental Management Advisory Board minutes of 4th March, 2013 Item CB 13/039 referred from Cabinet minutes of 26th March, 2013 |
And as item CB 13/039 referred from Cabinet minutes of 12th March, 2013 RESOLVED: That the recommendations at Minute CB 13/039 be adopted subject to the correction of a typographical error in recommendation (1) to read "...grant of £150,000". |
| C 13/039 |
Independent Remuneration Panel - Members' Allowances Item GP 13/011 referred from General Purposes Committee minutes of 9th April, 2013 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendations at Minute GP 13/011 be adopted. |
| C 13/040 |
Programme of Meetings 2013/14 |
The Chief Executive presented a draft proposed programme of meetings for the remainder of the year and to the commencement of the 2015/16 municipal year. RESOLVED: That the programme of meetings be endorsed, subject to any amendments following any final considerations, and submitted to Annual Council for final confirmation. |
| C 13/041 |
Appointments to Outside Bodies |
The report of the Director of Central Services advised that the Council had been invited to reappoint Mr Norman Acaster MBE as a Town Warden of the Tonbridge Town Lands and Richard Mylls Charity whose term of office would expire in October 2013. RESOLVED: That Mr Norman Acaster MBE be reappointed as a Town Warden of the Tonbridge Town Lands and Richard Mylls Charity for a further four year term of office. |
| C 13/042 |
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. |