Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are reminded of their obligation under the Council’s Code of Conduct to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Other Significant Interests in any matter(s) to be considered or being considered at the meeting. These are explained in the Code of Conduct on the Council’s website at Code of conduct – Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (tmbc.gov.uk).

Members in any doubt about such declarations are advised to contact Legal or Democratic Services in advance of the meeting

There were no declarations of interest made in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 8 November 2022 and of the extraordinary meeting of the Cabinet held on 14 December 2022

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 8 November 2022 and the extraordinary meeting of Cabinet held on 14 December 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

This report seeks Cabinet’s recommendations on proposed changes to Council Tax premium charges from 1 April 2024.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation sought Cabinet’s recommendations on proposed changes to Council Tax premium charges.  A supplementary report clarified the proposed changes to Council Tax premium charges for empty properties.

RECOMMENDED: That

1)    the amendments to Council Tax empty home premiums from the 2024/25 financial year onwards, be adopted by the Council, subject to the bill being enacted and guidance being published by Central Government; and

2)    a Council Tax premium be introduced to second homes from the 2024/25 financial year onwards, subject to the bill being enacted and guidance being published by Central Government.

Item HP 22/19 referred from the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 6 December 2022

Decision Notice: D230004CAB

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 6 December 2022 (as set out at Minute Number HP 22/19).

Members were reminded that the Regulation 18 consultation in respect of the Local Plan and the associated Interim Sustainability Appraisal had finished on 3 November 2022.  The report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health provided high-level summaries and statistics of the responses received and the key themes identified.  Members were advised that a further detailed analysis would be presented to a future meeting of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee.

RESOLVED that:

(1)            the initial outputs of the Regulation 18 consultation on the draft Local Plan and Interim Sustainability Appraisal be noted;

(2)            the approach to promoting the Local Plan through other Council communications, as set out in 1.3.10 and subject to GDPR restrictions, be noted; and

(3)            the programme for bringing more detailed outputs to Members at the meeting of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee in March 2023 be approved.

A record of the decisions taken by portfolio holders since the last meeting of Cabinet are attached.

Details of the Decisions taken in accordance with the rules for the making of decisions by executive members, as set out in Part 4 of the Constitution, were presented for information.

Subsequent to the publication of the agenda, the following decisions had also been taken by Cabinet Members:

·       D230001MEM – Easement and Lease for Gas Governor at St Benedict Road, Snodland

·       D230002MEM – LGA Housing Advisers Programme – Sustainable Temporary Accommodation Options Research

The minutes of meetings of Advisory Panels, Boards and Other Groups are attached.

Notes of Tonbridge Community Forum of 28 November 2022 to follow.

The Minutes of the meetings of the following Panels, Boards and other Groups were received and noted:

·       Parish Partnership Panel of 3 November 2022

·       Joint Transformation Board of 21 November 2022

·       Tonbridge Community Forum of 27 November 2022

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

The Chairman moved, it was seconded and

RESOLVED:  That as public discussion would disclose exempt information, the following matters be considered in private.

Decision Notice: D230005CAB

(Reasons: LGA 1972 - Sch 12A Paragraph 3 – Financial or business affairs of any particular person)

The Cabinet gave careful consideration to a number of options regarding the future of 2 properties at Pembury Road, Tonbridge as detailed in Annex 1 to the report.  In assessing the options, particular attention was given to the financial and legal implications, value for money considerations and the potential risks associated with the delivery options available.

RESOLVED: That

(1)             subject to (2) below, the option to utilise the properties as 2 x 4 bed need temporary accommodation units be progressed and implemented;

(2)             the public sector partner be given the opportunity to reach agreement on heads of terms by 31 January 2023 and any agreement to be reported to Cabinet for consideration as soon as possible thereafter; and

(3)             £944,000 be set aside for future temporary accommodation purchases, subject to the required approval processes and due diligence.