Agenda, decisions and minutes

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

With reference to the item on Review of Cemetery Charges, in the interests of transparency, Councillor A Kennedy advised that a member of his family was a Funeral Director. 

To confirm as a correct record the Notes of the meeting of the Communities and Housing Advisory Board held on 20 July 2021.

RESOLVED:  That the notes of the meeting of the Communities and Housing Advisory Board held on 20 July 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Advisory Board received a presentation from Mr Martin Guyton, Chief Executive of Tonbridge and Malling Leisure Trust, providing an update on matters of the Trust. Particular reference was made to the formation, scope and structure of the Trust and a number of topical matters including the impact of the coronavirus and operational performance.

After answering questions from Members on the leisure facilities across the borough, the Chairman thanked Mr Guyton for his contribution to the meeting.

This report provides updates on the existing fee charged to licence a house in multiple occupation (HMO) or caravan site for permanent residential use and details the proposed fee charge following a review of the costs to process the respective applications.

The report provided an update of the existing fees charges to licence a house in multiple occupation (HMO) or caravan site for permanent residential use and the recommended fee charge following a review of the costs to process the respective applications.  The proposals if adopted would result in fee increases for both HMO and Caravan site licencing.

RECOMMENDED: that charges from the 1 April 2022 be agreed as follows:

(1)   £570 for processing a new mandatory HMO licence application;

(2)   £520 for the processing of a renewal application for a mandatory HMO licence;

(3)   £410 for processing a new caravan site licence application where the use of the site is for permanent residential use;

(4)   £200 for the transfer of a caravan site licence for a permanent residential use site; and

(5)   £235 for processing a fit and proper person test application for licence holders of relevant protected sites other than non-commercial family occupied sites.

This report provides information to Members to consider a strategic approach to the review and implementation of charges applied at Tonbridge Cemetery.

Consideration was given to the joint report of the Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services and the Director of Finance and Transformation regarding a strategic approach to the review and implementation of charges applied at Tonbridge Cemetery.  A list of existing charges for the cemetery compared where possible with charges applied by other Kent councils were set out at Annex 2 to the report. 

RECOMMENDED: That

1)      the approach to pass the increase in material costs directly on to the purchasers to ensure the subsidy currently provided did not increase, be agreed; and

2)      Option 3, to apply a one-off increase to eliminate the entire subsidy and allow fees and charges to cover the full management and maintenance costs of the Cemetery site, which would need an 89% increase to be applied across all charges based on the 2021/22 Original Estimates, be agreed.

The report seeks approval of a draft Housing Strategy ahead of public consultation.

(Decision Notice D210101MEM)

The report presented a draft Housing Strategy for members review and approval ahead of public consultation.  The Housing Strategy set out the Council’s strategic approach to housing in the borough for 2022-2027.  A revised and final draft of the Housing Strategy would be presented for further review, approval and adoption as soon as possible.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1)        the draft Housing Strategy 2022-2027 be approved for public consultation (as set out at Annex 1); and

(2)        approval of the final consultation material be delegated to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health in liaison with the Cabinet Member for Housing.

This report presents the outcome of the recent ‘Roadside Nature Reserve’ (RNR) trial and proposes a future approach that could be adopted at other sites across the borough.

(Decision Notice D210102MEM)

The report presented the outcome of the recent ‘Roadside Nature Reserve’ (RNR) trial and proposed a future approach for Member consideration that could be adopted at other sites across the borough.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1)        that Medway Valley Countryside Partnership report be noted;

(2)        the cutting regime trialled and outlined in the report at 1.3.1 be adopted at other sites across the borough; and

(3)        future sites be identified for Member’s approval and implementation in the 2022 growing season.

This report seeks endorsement of the revised Community Trigger (or Anti Social Behaviour Case Review) process.

(Decision Notice D210103MEM)

The report provided Members with information about the revised Community Trigger process.  Details on the available interim protection steps were provided and timescales for each stage of the process outlined.

RECOMMENDED: That the Community Trigger process be endorsed.

This report provides an update on drainage investigations into the long-term ponding of water on the Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground following high rainfall or flooding. 

The report of the Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services providing an update following recent drainage investigations into the long-term ponding of water on the Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground following high rainfall or flooding was noted.

This report provides an update on some of the latest work of the Community Safety Partnership.

The report of the Director of Central Service and Deputy Chief Executive providing an update on some of the latest work of the Community Safety Partnership was noted.

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.

There were no items considered in private.