Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Civic Suite, Gibson Building, Kings Hill, West Malling

Contact: Committee Services  Email: committee.services@tmbc.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

PART 1 - PUBLIC

CB 14/1

Declarations of interest

Minutes:

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

CB 14/2

Minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on Wednesday, 9 October 2013

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 October 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

CB 14/3

Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2014/15 pdf icon PDF 84 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation provided details of investments undertaken and returns achieved in the first nine months of the current financial year.  Members were invited to consider amending the current split of investment responsibilities for in-house and externally managed funds.  It was noted that the size of the core fund had diminished to the extent that its investment could now be managed with in-house resources.  The report concluded with a recommendation to adopt the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2014/15.

 

The Cabinet was advised that the Audit Committee had reviewed the matters covered by the report at its meeting on 27 January 2014 and the revised arrangements had been commended for adoption.

 

The Director of Finance and Transformation reported that, following a sale by auction of the Landsbanki claim, the Council had now received the final tranche of monies due and the matter was now closed.  She advised that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council had recovered 95% of the £1million that was deposited in 2008.

 

RECOMMENDED:  That

 

(1)  the treasury management position as at 31 December 2013 be noted;

 

(2)  the current minimum counterparty credit ratings and the current maximum sovereign/counterparty exposure limits be retained;

 

(3)  all cash flow funds in 2014/15 be managed in-house with no requirement to transfer funds to the external fund manager;

 

(4)  the transfer of responsibility for the Council's core fund investments from the external fund manager to in-house management during 2014/15 be approved;

 

(5)  some flexibility over the duration of investments placed with UK financial institutions be allowed as outlined in paragraph 1.3.12 of the report; and

 

(6)  the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2014/15, as set out at Annex 3 to the report, be adopted.

CB 14/4

Setting the Budget for 2014/15 pdf icon PDF 66 KB

Minutes:

This matter was deferred to a special Budget meeting of the Cabinet to be held on 13 February 2014.

CB 14/5

Setting the Council Tax for 2014/15

This report will take the Cabinet through the process of setting the Council Tax for 2014/15.  As the process follows on from “Setting the Budget for 2014/15”, a report will be circulated in advance of the meeting once the preceding report has also been finalised.

Minutes:

This matter was deferred to a special Budget meeting of the Cabinet to be held on 13 February 2014.

CB 14/6

Update of Anti Fraud Policies pdf icon PDF 35 KB

Minutes:

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation gave details of the outcome of the review of the Anti-Fraud Policies of the Council.  A number of changes had been identified which were commended for adoption following consideration by the Audit Committee at its meeting on 27 January 2014.  It was noted that the Audit Committee had also recommended that the General Purposes Committee approve the Whistleblowing Charter (Confidential Reporting Policy).

 

 

RECOMMENDED:  That the Council approve the following draft policies:

 

Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy as set out at Annex 1 to the report to the Audit Committee;

 

Housing and Council Tax Benefit Anti-Fraud Policy as set out at Annex 2 to the report to the Audit Committee;

 

Council Tax Reduction, Discount and Exemption Anti-Fraud Policy as set out at Annex 3 to the report to the Audit Committee.

CB 14/7

Response to Draft High Weald and Kent Downs AONB Draft Management Plans and Adoption of Final Plans

Item PE 13/028 referred from Planning and Transportation Advisory Board of 19 November 2013

Minutes:

Item PE 13/028 referred from Planning and Transportation Advisory Board minutes of 19th November, 2013

 

The Cabinet received the recommendations of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board at its meeting on 19 November 2013 regarding adoption of Management Plans for the High Weald and Kent Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

 

RECOMMENDED:  That

 

(1)  the third edition of the Management Plan for the High Weald AONB be adopted by 1 April 2014; and

 

(2)  in respect of the Kent Downs AONB Management Plan, confirmation be given to the action taken in delegating authority to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health to ensure that the Plan does not conflict with, or appear to conflict with, the NPPF/Draft NPPG/Local Plan and agree any further amendments following which the Management Plan for the Kent Downs AONB be adopted by 1 April 2014.

CB 14/8

Revenue Estimates 2014/15 pdf icon PDF 111 KB

Item FIP 14/003 referred from Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board minutes of 8 January 2014

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Item FIP 14/003 referred from Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board minutes of 8th January, 2014

 

The Cabinet received the recommendations of the Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board at its meeting of 8 January 2014 in relation to the formulation of initial draft proposals in respect of the Budget.  It was agreed that all budgetary matters would be considered in detail at the subsequent Budget meeting of the Cabinet on 13 February 2014.

 

 

 

RECOMMENDED:  That confirmation be given to the action taken in endorsing the following for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

(1)  the Draft Revenue Estimates contained in the booklet be endorsed; and

 

(2)  within the context of the financial pressures outlined in the report, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be requested to consider the Draft Revenue Estimates contained in the booklet and make appropriate recommendations to the Cabinet for its Budget meeting.

CB 14/9

Capital Plan Review pdf icon PDF 79 KB

Item FIP 14/004 referred from Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board minutes of 8 January 2014

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Item FIP 14/004 referred from Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board minutes of 8th January, 2014

 

The Cabinet received the recommendations of the Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board at its meeting on 8 January 2014 in relation to the initial stage of the Capital Plan Review process.  It was agreed that all budgetary matters would be considered in detail at the subsequent Budget meeting of the Cabinet on 13 February 2014.

 

RECOMMENDED:  That confirmation be given to the action taken in endorsing the following for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

 

(1)  the Capital Plan (List A) position as shown in Annex 2 to the report;

 

(2)  the amendment of List C as detailed in paragraph 1.5.1 of the report;

 

(3)  the selection for evaluation of those List C schemes shown in paragraph 1.6.3 of the report;

 

(4)  the transfer of the schemes listed in paragraph 1.7.3 of the report from List C to List B and in the case of the river wall, Wouldham scheme a specific earmarked reserve be established in the sum of £700,000 and this scheme sit outside the annual allowance of £320,000 with an implementation date for Capital Plan purposes of 2015/16; and

 

(5)  endorsement of the draft Capital Strategy, as set out at Annex 5 to the report, for adoption and publication on the Council's website.

Decisions taken in accordance with Paragraph 4, Part 3 of the Constitution

CB 14/10

Review of Environmental Health Services Fees and Charges

Item LEM 13/052 referred from Local Environmental Management Advisory Board minutes of 26 November 2013

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140009CAB

CB 14/11

Leisure Facilities - Establishment of New Trust pdf icon PDF 43 KB

Item LAA 13/048 referred from Leisure and Arts Advisory Board minutes of 9 December 2013

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140010CAB

CB 14/12

Leisure Services - Review of Charges 2014/15 pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Item LAA 13/049 referred from Leisure and Arts Advisory Board minutes of 9 December 2013

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140011CAB

 

CB 14/13

Review of Fees and Charges 2014/15 pdf icon PDF 46 KB

Item FIP 14/006 referred from Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board minutes of 8 January 2014

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140012CAB

 

CB 14/14

Review of Fees for Street Naming and Numbering Services pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Item FIP 14/007 referred from Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board minutes of 8 January 2014

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140013CAB

 

CB 14/15

Building Regulations Fees

Item PE 14/002 referred from Planning and Transportation Advisory Board minutes of 20 January 2014

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140014CAB

 

CB 14/16

Car Parking Fees, Charges and Operations pdf icon PDF 90 KB

Item PE 14/003 referred from Planning and Transportation Advisory Board minutes of 20 January 2014

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140015CAB

 

CB 14/17

Overview and Scrutiny Review of Concessionary Fees and Charges for Benefits Claimants pdf icon PDF 36 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140016CAB

 

CB 14/18

Overview and Scrutiny Review of Disabled Facilities Grant Contributions and Housing Assistance Funding pdf icon PDF 32 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140017CAB

 

CB 14/19

Recent Flooding Emergency pdf icon PDF 229 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140018CAB

 

CB 14/20

West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group Health and Wellbeing Board

Item CH 13/014 referred from Communities and Health Advisory Board minutes of 18 November 2013

Minutes:

Decision Notice D140019CAB

 

Matters submitted for Information

CB 14/21

Matters referred from Advisory Boards pdf icon PDF 7 KB

The notes of meetings of Advisory Boards are attached, any recommendations identified by an arrow being for determination by the Cabinet.  Notices relating to any decisions already taken by Cabinet Members under the arrangements for delegated decision making are annexed to the notes.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The notes of the meetings of the following Advisory Boards were received, any recommendations contained therein being incorporated within the decisions of the Cabinet reproduced at the Annex to these Minutes.

 

Strategic Housing Advisory Board of 11 November 2013

Economic Regeneration Advisory Board of 12 November 2013

Communities and Health Advisory Board of 18 November 2013

Planning and Transportation Advisory Board of 19 November 2013

Local Environmental Management Advisory Board of 26 November 2013

Leisure and Arts Advisory Board of 9 December 2013

Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board of 8 January 2014

Planning and Transportation Advisory Board of 20 January 2013

 

RESOLVED:  That the report be received and noted.

CB 14/22

Matters referred from Advisory Panels and Other Groups

The minutes of meetings of Advisory Panels and Other Groups are attached, any recommendations being identified by an arrow.

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meetings of the following Advisory Panels and other Groups were received, any recommendations contained therein being incorporated within the decisions of the Cabinet reproduced at the Annex to these Minutes.

 

Parish Partnership Panel of 14 November 2013

Tonbridge Forum of 25 November 2013

Joint Transportation Board of 2 December 2013

 

RESOLVED:  That the report be received and noted.

CB 14/23

Local Indicators 2013/14 pdf icon PDF 26 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Central Services presented the results for the first half of the current financial year for those local indicators that were monitored regularly.

 

RESOLVED:  The report be received and noted.

Matters for consideration in Private

CB 14/24

Exclusion of Press and Public

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.

 

Minutes:

There were no items considered in private.