Issue - meetings

The programme of meetings for the municipal year 2023/24 is attached for consideration.  Management Team, Senior Officers and Cabinet Members have been consulted on the proposed dates.  The draft programme for 2024/25 is also attached for consideration.  Subject to any amendments identified by Members the programmes will be presented to Annual Council for endorsement.

The proposed programme of meetings for the municipal years 2023/24 and 2024/25 were presented for consideration and were attached as Annexes 1 and 2 respectively.  Management Team, Senior Officers and Cabinet Members had been consulted on the proposed dates.  Subject to any amendments identified by Members the programmes would be presented to Annual Council for endorsement.

It was the responsibility of the annual meeting of the Council to approve a programme of meetings for the coming year.  However, it was considered sensible to present the programmes to this meeting to allow time for any proposed revisions to be made.

As a result of the local election on Thursday 4 May 2023 and the Coronation Bank Holiday on Monday 8 May 2023, there had been a number of changes to the programme previously agreed in 2022 and Members attention was drawn to the amendments as detailed in paragraph 1.1.2 of the report. 

In addition, the budget setting cycle for 2024 was subject to confirmation of dates for Kent County Council, Kent Police and Kent Fire and Rescue Service budget meetings.  Currently, the provisional Borough Council programme allowed for Cabinet on 11 February 2024 and Council on 18 February 2024 and remained subject to change. 

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the programme of meetings for 2023/24 (as set out in Annex 1) be approved and presented to Annual Council for endorsement; and

(2)               the draft programme of meetings for 2024/25 (as set out in Annex 2) be agreed, subject to final approval at Annual Council in May 2023.