Issue - meetings

As this was the first full Council meeting since the local elections, the Leader welcomed the opportunity to record appreciation for the relatively smooth first few weeks for the newly elected Council.  He had attended all the committee meetings, advisory boards and the majority of area planning committee meetings and had found the quality of scrutiny and debate to be of a high quality.

The Leader was pleased that the Motion on Climate Change had been adopted, so that crucially the Borough Council would review current activities for its contribution to improving the environment while considering additional measures.

Finance

Members were aware that in setting the budget for 2019/2010 in February, projections at that time suggested a funding gap between expenditure and income of circa £550,000.  This ‘gap’ was translated into three savings and transformation contributions of £100,000, £400,000 and £50,000 to be achieved by the start of the year 2020/21, 2024/25 and 2028/29 respectively.  Latest projections were that this had increased to over £600,000 highlighting why it was important to identify and implement opportunities to deliver at least this year’s savings and transformation contribution of £100,000.   The funding gap would undoubtedly change many times throughout the year and the challenge sat alongside the cumulative savings of £2.5 million achieved since 2016 and the cumulative savings in excess of £4m achieved over the past 6-7 years.

The Leader advised that Cabinet recently reviewed both the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and the Savings and Transformation Strategy (STS), with a view to identifying and considering opportunities for both income generation and savings in the medium term.  The immediate task was to meet this year’s saving tranche and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been tasked to review three areas: the community safety function, including CCTV provision and the role of the Community Safety Unit; Disabled Facilities Grants; and the Borough Council’s Public Health Function.

As of 31 March 2019, the final collection rate for Council Tax, for the year 2018/19, was 98.91%; and for Business Rates, 99.42%. Once again, both of these collection rates were the highest in Kent.

The Borough Council had recently received two Geoplace Exemplar awards for local address data quality in 2019 and congratulations were extended to the officers in achieving this accolade.  Both awards recognised quantifiable benefits to residents of the ‘My Account’ facility on the website.  The judges also focussed on evidence of both savings delivered and collaboration across the Council for service delivery whilst meeting a clear user need.

Local Plan

Officers continued active dialogue with the Planning Inspectors regarding the submitted Local Plan and remained confident that all of the Inspectors’ questions could be responded to. It was likely that there would be further engagement on some specific supplementary material over the summer and early autumn and as soon as this was agreed with the Inspectors Members would be updated.

Members were advised that a bid was made last November to the Government’s Garden Communities Programme in respect of the proposed Borough Green  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62