| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| C 08/001 |
Declarations of interest. |
Personal interests were declared in respect of matters relating to the setting of the budget and council tax 2008/09 by the following Members on the grounds of membership of the parish councils specified: Councillor Balfour (Birling) Councillor Mrs Brown (Snodland) Councillor Chartres (Ightham) Councillor Coffin (Wrotham) Councillor Mrs Kemp (Trottiscliffe) Councillor Miss Moloney (Snodland) Councillor Mrs Murray (Borough Green) Councillor Mrs Oakley (East Malling and Larkfield) Councillor Mrs Simpson (East Malling and Larkfield) Councillor C Smith (Hildenborough) Councillor Stone (Ditton) Councillor Thornewell (East Malling and Larkfield) Councillor Worrall (West Malling) Personal interests were declared in respect of matters relating to the setting of the budget and council tax 2008/09 by the following Members on the grounds of membership of the organisation (or otherwise) specified: Councillor Mrs Anderson (Tonbridge Citizens Advice Bureau) Councillor Court (West Kent Primary Care Trust Clinical Governance Committee) Councillor M Davis (provides legal advice to number of charitable organisations) Councillor N Heslop (The Bridge Trust) Councillor Mrs Luck (Malling Citizens Advice Bureau) Councillor Sayer (Plaxtol Memorial Hall Committee) Councillor Worrall (Director of Age Concern Malling) |
| C 08/002 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 11 December 2007 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor. |
| C 08/003 |
Mayor's Announcements. |
The Mayor advised that she had undertaken some 200 events to date and she thanked the Deputy Mayor for attending over 30 events on her behalf. Amongst the recent programme of events she mentioned the numerous nativity plays and school concerts she had attended prior to Christmas, attending the O2 Arena as guest of the Mayor of Greenwich for a performance of African dance and music, the Call My Bluff Quiz Night at Spadework, Offham, which had raised over £300 for her charities, providing a Mayoral Tea for the Emergency Services and the Official Opening of Larkfield Leisure Centre. The Mayor invited Members' support at the Magical Musical Evening at Hadlow Manor on 29 February, the Pudding Club Evenings at Ightham Mote on 28 March and 4 April and her Dog Show at Trottiscliffe Village Hall on 20 April. |
| C 08/004 |
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 08/005 |
Questions from Members pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.5. |
Councillor Thornewell asked the following question pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.5:- "Could the Leader of the Council please state the percentage split as between Central Government Rate Support Grant for the year the council tax system started and that paid by council tax payers as compared with the position for the forthcoming year 2008/09?" To which the Leader of the Council, Councillor Worrall, replied as follows:- "The traditional level of split between Government Grant and the percentage raised locally was 70% and 30% respectively. In 1993/94 the actual split was 64% to 36%. In the forthcoming financial year (2008/09) the split will be 46% received from the Government and 54% raised locally. I hope that this response is helpful but would stress that, due to a number of changes in the rules over the years, these figures may not be directly comparable." |
| C 08/006 |
Leader's Announcements. |
The Leader provided an update on recent consideration of the future of the Leybourne Grange Riding School for the Disabled and anticipated that the situation could be resolved within the near future. He provided an update on progress with the Public Finance Initiative at Pembury Hospital and anticipated that an announcement would be made by HM Treasury within the next few weeks. The Leader drew Members' attention to the report on the Tonbridge Central Area Action Plan to be considered by the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board on 25 February 2008 and he paid tribute to the work undertaken by the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure and the officer team of the Planning Policy service. The Leader congratulated the Management Team and the officers of Financial Services for achieving the highest category possible in the Use of Resources assessment by the Audit Commission. In addition, he paid tribute to the officers of Housing Services for their achievement of nearly £11m social housing grant to provide affordable homes within the Borough together with £1.62m for improvements in private sector housing. He drew Members' attention to the Revised Climate Change Strategy referred from Cabinet held on 5 February and welcomed the Council's practical approach to this issue through initiatives contained within the Capital Plan. |
| C 08/007 |
Gypsies and Travellers Item PE 08/005 referred from Planning and Transportation Advisory Board minutes of 8th January, 2008 Item CB 08/005 referred from Cabinet minutes of 16th January, 2008 |
and as Item CB 08/005 referred from Cabinet minutes of 16th January, 2008 RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 08/005 be adopted. |
| C 08/008 |
Channel Tunnel Rail Link - Simplified Planning Memorandum Item PE 08/011 referred from Planning and Transportation Advisory Board minutes of 8th January, 2008 Item CB 08/006 referred from Cabinet minutes of 16th January, 2008 |
and as Item CB 08/006 referred from Cabinet minutes of 16th January, 2008 RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 08/006 be adopted. |
| C 08/009 |
Council Improvement Priorities for 2008/09 Item CB 08/019 referred from Cabinet minutes of 5th February, 2008 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 08/019 be adopted. |
| C 08/010 |
Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2008/09 Item CB 08/020 referred from Cabinet minutes of 5th February, 2008 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 08/020 be adopted. |
| C 08/011 |
Setting the Budget for 2008/09 Item CB 08/021 referred from Cabinet minutes of 5th February, 2008 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 08/021 be adopted. |
| C 08/012 |
Setting the Council Tax for 2008/09 Item CB 08/022 referred from Cabinet minutes of 5th February, 2008 |
RESOLVED: That the Council Tax Resolution 2008/09 set out as an annex to these Minutes be adopted. |
| C 08/013 |
Revised Climate Change Strategy Item CB 08/023 referred from Cabinet minutes of 5th February, 2008 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 08/023 be adopted. |
| C 08/014 |
Updated Sickness Absence Policy and Procedures Item CB 08/024 referred from Cabinet minutes of 5th February, 2008 |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 08/024 be adopted. |
| C 08/015 |
Members Allowances - Report of Independent Remuneration Panel |
The report of the Chief Executive set out details of the issues addressed in the report of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel following its recent review of Members' allowances. RESOLVED: That (1) the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel be accepted; (2) whilst accepting the Panel's recommendation that basic and special allowances should be increased from 1 April 2008 in line with the increase in the Retail Price Index and mindful of the Council's difficult budgetary situation, the increase be deferred until a later date to be determined by the Council at a future meeting; and (3) the Council's thanks be conveyed to the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel for the work done so far and the stated intention of the Panel to undertake a fundamental review of the Scheme of Members' Allowances in the coming year be welcomed. |
| C 08/016 |
Independent Members of Standards Committee |
The Council received the report of the Interview Panel for appointing Independent Members of the Standards Committee which had been convened on 31 January 2008. RESOLVED: That (1) the number of independent members of the Standards Committee and Town and Parish Councils Standards Sub-Committee be increased from four to five; (2) David Sambrook Ashton, John Mark Gledhill and Matthew David Penfold be appointed as Independent Members of the Standards Committee and the Town and Parish Councils Standards Sub-Committee for an initial term expiring on 30 June 2011; and (3) the five candidates be thanked for volunteering their services and for the time and trouble taken to submit their applications and attend the interviews. |
| C 08/017 |
Membership of Town and Parish Councils Standards Sub-Committee |
Further to the item reported to the previous Council meeting (Minute C 07/108 refers) the Monitoring Officer reported that Mr Michael Corfe of West Peckham Parish Council and Mr Jon Regan of Mereworth Parish Council had been nominated to serve on the Town and Parish Councils Standards Sub-Committee. The Monitoring Officer expressed concern that four vacancies remained and that none of the current parish council representatives were women. RESOLVED: That the appointment of Mr Michael Corfe and Mr Jon Regan be noted. |
| C 08/018 |
Updates to the Constitution |
The Monitoring Officer presented details of amendments required to the Constitution in respect of the deletion of the reference to the Disability Working Party from Part 3 due to its recommended discontinuance (Cabinet Member Decision Notice D080024MEM refers); the delegation to the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure of all decisions on submissions made under the Simplified Planning Memorandum in respect of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link; the recording of decisions delegated to the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure in respect of Article 10 and 10A Consultations; the increase of the number of Independent Members of the Standards Committee and the Town and Parish Councils Standards Committee from four to five and the recording of offers of hospitality under the Officers Code of Conduct. RESOLVED: That the Council's Constitution be altered to reflect: (1) the discontinuance of the Disability Working Party; (2) the additional delegations to the Director of Planning, Transport and Leisure in respect of the Simplified Planning Memorandum and Article 10 and 10A consultations; (3) the increase in the number of independent members of the Standards Committee and the Town and Parish Councils Standards Sub-Committee from four to five; (4) the amendment of the Officers' Code of Conduct as set out in the report; and (5) the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any necessary consequential amendments. |
| C 08/019 |
Appointments to Outside Bodies |
The report of the Central Services Director invited the Council to consider the appointment of a replacement Trustee to the Berry Housing Trust (formerly the Ada Berry Housing Association) following the resignation of Mr N Phillips. RESOLVED: That Mr R Douglas be appointed as a Trustee of the Berry Housing Trust, Stansted. |
| C 08/020 |
Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 15 |
The Chief Executive advised Members that the urgency provisions under Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 15(i) had been invoked in respect of Capital Grants to Village Halls and Community Centres 2008/09. His report identified the reason for urgency and Members were reminded that the call-in procedure did not apply in these circumstances. RESOLVED: That the report be received and noted. |
| C 08/021 |
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. |