| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| C 06/060 |
Tributes to Councillor Geraldine Bowden |
The Mayor announced, with deep regret, the death of Councillor Geraldine Bowden on 5 June 2006 and described the funeral at St Peter's Church, Ightham, attended by many local people and Borough Councillors and officers. Members paid tribute to Geraldine Bowden who had served the Borough in many capacities since her election in 1989. The Council recorded sadness and regret at her untimely passing and gratitude for her contribution to the life of the Council, Borough and Ightham Ward. The Mayor then asked all present to stand for a minute's silence in remembrance. |
| C 06/061 |
Declarations of interest. |
Councillor Mrs Kemp declared a personal interest in the item relating to Addresses from Members of the Public on the grounds of being Chair of Governors of Trottiscliffe CE Primary School. |
| C 06/062 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 9 May 2006 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor. |
| C 06/063 |
Mayor's Announcements. |
The Mayor advised that he had had a busy start to the year and had so far undertaken over 50 engagements. He thanked the Deputy Mayor for attending 11 events on his behalf. Amongst his programme of events, he particularly mentioned the launch of the Sculpture Project at Leybourne Country Park; attending the Tonbridge Carnival; the Tonbridge Lions Club ‘It's a Knockout' competition; and the Open Day at Demelza House. He thanked all who had supported a charity production at the Tonbridge Oast Theatre on 25 June which had realised over £400 for his charities. Guests he had invited to the Tonbridge Music Festival had thoroughly enjoyed the Sunday night Proms Spectacular and he congratulated officers on the success of the Festival. Looking ahead, the Mayor mentioned the annual cricket match against Maidstone Borough Council to be held at Marden on 30 July and thanked Members and officers who had agreed to be part of his team in the forthcoming Kent Messenger Quiz. He also reminded Members of the Annual Mauling Cup Golf Match on 10 September when the Council would play against Poult Wood Golf Club, and the Garden Party on 14 September. Other events were being planned and he invited Members to donate any suitable items for raffle prizes. |
| C 06/064 |
Vacancy of Borough Councillor for Ightham Ward |
The report of the Chief Executive and Returning Officer formally advised the Council of a vacancy in the office of Borough Councillor in the Ward of Ightham following the death of Councillor Mrs Geraldine Bowden. RESOLVED: That the report be received and noted. |
| C 06/065 |
Addresses from members of the public pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.16A |
The Council received a deputation of pupils from Trottiscliffe Church of England Primary School who, as residents of the Borough of Tonbridge and Malling, requested permission to present a petition to the Mayor against the proposal of Kent County Council to close the school. Two of the pupils addressed the meeting, citing reasons why they wanted the school to remain open, including the £40,000 new classroom for which they had raised the funds, the quality of the teaching and the contribution the school made to the village community. The Council agreed to suspend Council Procedure Rules 5.16A.5 and 5.17 in order to enable discussion to take place on the matters raised in the petition and consideration to be given to a motion proposed by Councillor Balfour and seconded by Councillor Worrall. RESOLVED: That in passing on the petition handed to the Mayor, this Council calls upon the Kent County Council to abandon the proposal contained in the Kent Primary Strategy to close Trottiscliffe Church of England Primary School and urges the County Council to implement alternative measures to address the surplus capacity in the Malling Cluster such as increasing the number of schools in the cluster where a relatively small scale reduction in existing surplus capacity is to be made, thus avoiding the considerable adverse rural community and transport effects that closure of the school would generate. |
| C 06/066 |
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 06/067 |
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 06/068 |
Notices of Motion submitted pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 5.17 |
The following Notice of Motion was proposed by Councillor Aikman and seconded by Councillor Worrall:- "This Council notes the current work of the Board of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital Trust in assessing the clinical effectiveness and costs of its various services as part of its effort to reduce its financial deficit. The Council further notes that this exercise includes a list of possible service changes which includes the down-grading of the Accident and Emergency facility at Maidstone Hospital. The Council is concerned about the potentially adverse consequences of such changes for the residents of the Borough. The lack of transport links between the Maidstone and Kent & Sussex/Pembury Hospitals are exacerbated by the Government's refusal to sanction essential infrastructure improvements to both the A21 south of Tonbridge, and to the A228 at Colts Hill, which continue to cause difficulties for "blue light" trauma cases. The forthcoming upheaval and current uncertainty that surrounds the construction of a new hospital at Pembury is another factor. This Council therefore urges the Board to ensure that it has considered all of the practical and operational consequences prior to any final decision in this matter." RESOLVED: That the Motion be agreed. |
| C 06/069 |
Leader's Announcements. |
The Leader announced that the former Leader of Kent County Council had been awarded a peerage and the Mayor and Chief Executive had sent Lord Bruce-Lockhart of the Weald a letter of congratulation. He noted that the Director of Planning and Transportation would prepare a paper for the Management Liaison Panel describing the evolution of S106 payments and making proposals for enhancing communications with Members about such payments. The Leader reported on the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government's address to the Local Government Association in which she stated that, subject to the forthcoming White Paper, change to a unitary authority structure would not be undertaken without local agreement and a good rationale. There was also an indication that the number of performance targets set would be reduced. The Leader referred to the commitment among Kent Councils to improve two-tier working and officers were working towards this goal. An idea mooted by the County Council involved the establishment of further joint boards in addition to the Joint Transportation Board. The Leader and Chief Executive would bring a paper to the Management Liaison Panel when suitable proposals were available for consideration. The Leader looked forward to meeting Rose Gibb, the Chief Executive of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, at the Community Development Advisory Board meeting on 26 July 2006. The Leader was delighted to introduce the presentation of an ‘Investors in People' certificate to the Mayor by the Central Services Director, following the re-accreditation of the Council under the latest, more stringent, criteria. Finally, the Leader was also pleased to announce the award of the Institution of Civil Engineers' prestigious Brassey 2006 Conservation and Environment Award to the East Peckham Flood Relief Partnership. The project was commended for working closely with local people and for its outstanding submission. The award represented a triumph for the Council and he congratulated all involved. The Director of Planning and Transportation presented the Mayor with a Brassey Award certificate. |
| C 06/070 |
Diversity Action Plan Item CB 06/076 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/076 be adopted. |
| C 06/071 |
Human Resources Strategy Item CB 06/077 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/077 be adopted. |
| C 06/072 |
Stress Management Policy Item CB 06/078 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/078 be adopted. |
| C 06/073 |
Capital Strategy 2006/07 Item CB 06/079 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/079 be adopted. |
| C 06/074 |
Risk Management Strategy Item CB 06/080 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/080 be adopted. |
| C 06/075 |
Local Development Framework - Submission Stage Item CB 06/081 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/081 be adopted subject to the amendment of the wording of Paragraph 7.24 of the Tonbridge Central Area Action Plan quoted in recommendation (1) to read: "Furthermore, the progressive upgrading of the A228 corridor, including the construction of the Colts Hill Link and other improvements, will enable through traffic destined for Tunbridge Wells to be diverted away from the A26 through the centre of Tonbridge and the village of Hadlow". |
| C 06/076 |
Indoor Leisure Facilities - Internal Duct Cleaning Item CB 06/082 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/082 be adopted. |
| C 06/077 |
Wateringbury Village Hall Item FP 06/045 referred from Finance and Property Advisory Board minutes of 10th May, 2006 . Item CB 06/083 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
and as Item CB 06/83 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006. RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/083 be adopted. |
| C 06/078 |
Housing Assistance/Disabled Facilities Grants Review 2005/06 and Budget Allocations for 2006/07 Item SH 06/031 referred from Strategic Housing Advisory Board minutes of 15th May, 2006 . Item CB 06/084 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
and as Item CB 06/84 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006. RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/084 be adopted. |
| C 06/079 |
Kent Design Guide Item PE 06/022 referred from Planning and Transportation Advisory Board minutes of 22nd May, 2006 . Item CB 06/085 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006 . |
and as Item CB 06/85 referred from Cabinet minutes of 21st June, 2006. RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute CB 06/085 be adopted. |
| C 06/080 |
Calculation of Costs and Terms for Early Retirement Item GP 06/016 referred from General Purposes Committee minutes of 28th June, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute GP 06/016 be adopted. |
| C 06/081 |
Appointments |
The report of the Central Services Director set out details of the vacancies on committees, boards and outside bodies arising from the death of Councillor Mrs G Bowden. In addition the Council was invited to consider reappointments to two other outside bodies upon the expiry of the terms of office of the current representatives. RESOLVED: That (1) the following appointments be made to fill vacancies arising from the death of Councillor Mrs Bowden: Chairmanship of Environmental Health, Refuse and Recycling Advisory Board - Councillor D Cure (current vice-chairman) Vice-Chairmanship of Environmental Health, Refuse and Recycling Advisory Board - Councillor C Smith Vice-Chairmanship of Scrutiny Committee - Councillor A Allison Vacancy on Management Liaison Panel - Councillor A Sullivan Vacancy on Electoral Review Working Group - Councillor P Bolt Representative to Kent Downs AONB Advisory Committee - Councillor M Balfour (on an interim basis); (2) the remaining vacancies on a number of committees and boards and appointment of a replacement representative on Malling Area Volunteer Bureau and West Kent Relate be held over to the next Council meeting; (3) Councillor G Rowe be renominated as a trustee of the Hospital of the Holy Trinity, Aylesford for a further four year period; and (4) Mr M Mitchell be renominated as a Community Governor of St Mark's CE (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School, Eccles for a further three year term. |
| C 06/082 |
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 06/083 |
Anti-Social Behaviour Officer (Reason: LGA 1972 Sch 12A Para 1 - Information relating to an individual) Item GP 06/024 referred from General Purposes Committee minutes of 28th June, 2006 . |
RESOLVED: That the recommendation at Minute GP 06/024 be adopted. |