| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| C 06/001 |
Declarations of interest. |
There were no declarations of interest made in respect of items recommended to the Council. |
| C 06/002 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 13 December 2005 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor. |
| C 06/003 |
Mayor's Announcements. |
The Mayor advised that he had had an enjoyable few months in which he had attended 68 engagements. He thanked the Deputy Mayor for attending 12 events on his behalf. He reported that 'a good time had been had by all' at the Christmas Party which had followed the last Council meeting. The Mayor advised that he had been privileged to meet Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, on Tuesday 17 January when she had visited the Carers First Centre in the High Street, Tonbridge. The Mayor reported that he had attended, together with officers and colleagues, the official launch of the Tour de France 2007 in London on 9 February 2006. The Mayor advised that he had met the Minister for Rural Affairs, Jim Knight MP, when he had visited Snodland and Leybourne Lakes Country Park during the previous week. He also reported on his attendance on 18 February at the Model Rail Exhibition hosted by the Tonbridge Model Engineering Society at the Angel Centre. The Mayor reminded Members about the 'Call My Bluff' evening on 24 February, a Big Band Evening on 24 March and his Charity Ball on 27 April and encouraged them to support these events. |
| C 06/004 |
Questions from the public pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.6. |
No questions were received from the public pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.6. |
| C 06/005 |
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 06/006 |
Notices of Motion submitted pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.17 |
The following Notice of Motion was proposed by Councillor Lettington and seconded by Councillor Thornewell:- "This Council believes that its decision-making procedures should be efficient, transparent and accountable to local people. As such, the Monitoring Officer is asked, as allowed for in the constitution, to: (a) observe meetings during the next cycle of Council, and (b) compare practice in this authority with those in other comparable authorities in order to report back to the Council whether he feels that the practices within this Council include adequate provision for separation of executive influence from: (a) the advisory function of boards and panels, and (b) the function of overview and scrutiny. RESOLVED: That the Motion be not agreed. |
| C 06/007 |
Leader's Announcements. |
The Leader reported that the Council had yet to receive anything official from the Government advising that the re-structuring of local government was under active consideration and that he, and the Chief Executive, were working on the basis of leaked letters, articles by the Minister, David Miliband, in the Local Government Chronicle and briefings to Chief Executives by officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. He advised that, despite being told that there would be some form of consultation with elected Members, no details of this had emerged to date. He stated that it was clear that the Government was considering the abolition of County and District councils in favour of the creation of large unitary councils. He reported that there had been several meetings of Leaders and Chief Executives in Kent at which a joint position had been reached to argue for the preservation of the two tier system and to produce a paper which demonstrated that the outcomes apparently sought by the Minister could be achieved without costly re-structuring and consequential diminution of services. The Leader expressed his gratitude to Councillors Thornewell and Hickmott for attending a briefing with the Chief Executive and himself and advised that they had unanimously agreed that the correct arena for debate of this issue was the Management Liaison Panel. He advised that a meeting of the Panel would be held on 28 February 2006 commencing at 1800 hours. He further advised that the notes of the Leaders and Chief Executives' meetings would be reported to this Panel and stated that he wished to ensure that all Members were kept informed of any decisions. The Leader reported that one of the most irksome things he found in respect of this issue was the accusation contained in the leaked letter of the Minister that district councils were perceived as 'expensive luxuries'. He indicated that the Chief Executive would be writing to the Local Government Association requesting that they challenge or refute this accusation and that they consult local authorities about any comments the Association might make on behalf of their member authorities. Finally, the Leader welcomed the announcement that the Tour de France would be coming through the Borough in 2007 and hoped that the Council would develop a programme which would maximise the opportunities arising from such a prestigious event. |
| C 06/008 |
Leisure Services Business Unit - Larkfield Leisure Centre Management Restructure Item GP 06/004 referred from General Purposes Committee minutes of 6th February, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute GP 06/004 be adopted. |
| C 06/009 |
Environmental Enforcement Officer Item GP 06/005 referred from General Purposes Committee minutes of 6th February, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute GP 06/005 be adopted. |
| C 06/010 |
Council Priorities 2006/07 and 2006/07 Corporate Performance Plan Item CB 06/019 referred from Cabinet minutes of 7th February, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/019 be adopted. |
| C 06/011 |
Setting the Budget for 2006/07 Item CB 06/020 referred from Cabinet minutes of 7th February, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That (1) the recommendation at Minute CB 06/020 in respect of Setting the Budget for 2006/07 be adopted; and (2) the Council Tax Resolution 2006/07 set out as an annex to these Minutes be adopted. |
| C 06/012 |
Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2006/07 Item CB 06/021 referred from Cabinet minutes of 7th February, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/021 be adopted. |
| C 06/013 |
Anti-Harassment Policy Item CB 06/022 referred from Cabinet minutes of 7th February, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/022 be adopted. |
| C 06/014 |
Anti Money Laundering Policy Item CB 06/023 referred from Cabinet minutes of 7th February, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/023 be adopted. |
| C 06/015 |
Playing Pitch Strategy Item CB 06/024 referred from Cabinet minutes of 7th February, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/024 be adopted. |
| C 06/016 |
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 Independent Remuneration Panel following its recent review of Members' Allowances. He clarified that all references to the 'Licensing Committee' related to the 'Alcohol and Entertainments Licensing Committee'. RESOLVED: That the revised Scheme of Members Allowances be approved as set out in the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel subject to the inclusion of a Special Responsibilities Allowance for the Vice-Chairman of the Alcohol and Entertainments Licensing Committee on the same basis as that received by Vice-Chairmen of Area Planning Committees. |
| C 06/017 |
Changes to the Constitution |
The Monitoring Officer reported on a number of changes to the Constitution in respect of changes to the delegations made by the Cabinet as a result of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 and the introduction of new categories of exempt information. He advised that there were no legal objections to the proposed changes being made. RESOLVED: That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the changes to the Constitution identified in his report, including any consequential amendments. |
| C 06/018 |
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 in these Minutes and proceedings. |
| PART 2 - PRIVATE | ||
| C 06/019 |
Corporate Establishment Changes (Reason: LGA 1972 Sch 12A Para 1 - Employee Information) Item GP 06/009 referred from General Purposes Committee minutes of 6th February, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute GP 06/009 be adopted. |