Agenda item

Before updating Members on a range of activities since the July Council meeting, the Leader took the opportunity to welcome Steve and Carol Humphrey as observers of the proceedings prior to the former Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health receiving a presentation by the Mayor on behalf of the Council in recognition of his service.

Financial matters

The Leader referred to the previous day’s Budget Statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which there were a number of tax and spending announcements of relevance to local government.  While the exact timing of the local government settlement was not clear, it appeared likely that the government would confirm the intention of the consultation on negative revenue support grant, in itself a temporary piece of good news for the Council.  However, the future for New Homes Bonus was unknown together with the outcome of the Spending Review next year and Fairer Funding Review.

The Leader said that Members would be aware that the Kent and Medway authorities had been successful in bidding for the pilot of the business rates retention for 2018/19.  The package available was divided two ways: one was a financial sustainability fund and for this authority should amount to a sum of around £800,000 as a one–off payment by the end of the fiscal year.  This did not count towards the savings target but would provide an opportunity to invest.

The second pot was a Housing and Commercial Growth Fund to support investment in local economic initiatives.  Kent Leaders had agreed that the funding would be distributed across Kent and Medway via three clusters: West Kent, North Kent (including Maidstone) and East Kent with Kent County Council being part of each cluster group.

The initial projection was that the West Kent cluster would receive funding in the region of £1,055,000.  Based on current projections, this had now been revised upwards to circa £1,520,000 subject to ongoing performance in 2018/19.  However, a final sum could not be confirmed until the end of the fiscal year.

Members were advised that the Kent Leaders had also agreed that the West Kent Partnership would receive and administer funding for the West Kent cluster.  The outcome was that a number of projects would be supported across West Kent such as provision of support and advice to smaller businesses wishing to grow and expand. 

Each West Kent authority additionally had its own allocation and, on the advice of the Economic Regeneration Advisory Board, it had been agreed to support a number of initiatives across the Borough.  These included a grant scheme of up to £5,000 to independent shopkeepers to help renovate and improve their shop fronts, support for pop-up shops and creative start-ups and a Tourism Promotion Campaign for Malling, working with Visit Kent to develop a campaign to promote the tourism offer in the Malling area.  At its next meeting, the Economic Regeneration Advisory Board would consider the arrangements for the Commercial Frontages Grant Scheme.

As reported to the Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board, the Kent and Medway Councils had made a bid for the second pilot of the Business Rate Retention in 2019/20.  This time it was for 75% retention so the sums involved would be scaled down but the outcome of the bidding process was awaited.

Local Plan

The Leader mentioned that the Local Plan was now out to consultation through the Regulation 19 process, the purpose of which was to inform the Inspector at the Local Inquiry to be held next year.   The consultation period had been extended by a week to 19 November having considered the request for an extension including from Parish Councils.  The volume of work associated with the regulation 19 exercise was significant for the whole team and the Leader wished to place on record his appreciation for their professionalism in managing the exercise.

Waste Services Contract

Reference was made to the award of an eight-year contract for a new recycling and waste collection and street cleansing service to Urbaser Ltd.   The Leader indicated that the new contract would begin on 1 March 2019 and realise an improved recycling service for the residents as well as enhanced street cleansing services.    The Street Scene and Environment Services Advisory Board would give further consideration to the roll-out of the new service, including how best to get information to residents, at its meeting the following Monday.

Property management

The Leader was pleased to advise Members that the proposed sale of the Teen & Twenty site to Assura and the Tonbridge Medical Group was imminent.   Work was expected to commence on site next month for the construction of a new state of the art medical centre by March 2020.

The six temporary accommodation flats purchased in Tonbridge town centre now had their first residents, giving the Borough Council the option for providing such accommodation.  Preventing homelessness was an objective that officers worked very hard to achieve.

M26

The Leader reported that today he joined the leaders of Kent County Council, Sevenoaks District Council and the MPs for Sevenoaks and Tonbridge and Malling in making representations to the roads minister about the Highways England proposal for using the M26 to stack lorries if and when the channel ports were closed after Brexit.   The meeting was helpful if not robust and the discussions with the representatives were ongoing.

New Director

The Leader was pleased to advise that an offer had been made for the appointment of a new Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health and the Chief Executive would make a formal announcement once the appointment had been confirmed.

Voluntary groups

The Leader indicated that the contribution of the various voluntary groups within the Borough was worthy of celebration.  In that spirit, he was pleased to attend a recent celebration of volunteering held in the Borough and present certificates to a number of particularly dedicated volunteers.  There were, he said, many unsung folk within the local communities who, day in, day out, played their part without fanfare or glory.

Remembrance

Finally and by no means least, the Leader referred to the approach of Remembrance Sunday, this year being particularly significant as the 100^th anniversary of the end of World War One was marked.

The Mayor would be attending services in Tonbridge and West Malling, the Deputy Mayor those in Aylesford and Kings Hill and Councillor Luker was representing the Mayor at a service to be held in Snodland.  There were other services throughout the Borough that individual Members would attend.  The Chief Executive and Leader would be attending services in Tonbridge and Aylesford and the Director of Finance and Transformation at West Malling.

In addition to the Remembrance Services taking place across the Borough, there would be the lighting of a beacon at Tonbridge Castle at 7pm.