Decisions

(Report of Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services)

The report brought forward comments received as part of the public consultation exercise on the draft Taddington Valley Woodland Management Plan.  The draft Plan was intended to provide guidance and direction for all aspects of the management of the woodland and be used to inform future maintenance and development of the site. 

Members of the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee were invited to consider the responses and any proposed amendments to enable the Plan to be submitted to the Forestry Commission for approval.

Particular reference was made to the core part of the Plan which was the nature recovery by regeneration of the woodland using coppicing and pollarding of trees where appropriate, however the Plan also covered many aspects of the site’s management including community engagement. 

Following consideration by the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee, the Cabinet Member for Community Services resolved that:

(1)     the draft Taddington Valley Woodland Management Plan, attached at Annex 1, be submitted to the Forestry Commission for formal adoption, subject to the incorporation of the proposed amendments listed at Annex 3 to the report.

(Report of Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services)

The report presented a draft Management Plan for Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground and sought Member comment prior to formal public consultation.

Members noted that the existing five-year Management Plan expired in December 2023, and therefore needed to be reviewed and updated for the next five years.  The draft Plan was intended to provide guidance and direction for the management of the Sportsground and be used to inform future maintenance and development of the site. 

Particular reference was made to the Plan having been developed in line with the criteria of the Green Flag Award, a national standard for parks and open spaces, and Members noted that a section of the Plan dealt specifically with environmental management of the site which was a key criterion for the Award. 

Following consideration by the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee, the Cabinet Member for Community Services resolved that: 

(1)     the draft Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground Management Plan, attached at Annex 1, be taken forward for public consultation.

(Report of Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services)

The report proposed Fixed Penalty Notice levels for littering and fly tipping for consideration.  In July 2023, as part of its Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, the UK Government laid down a Statutory Instrument to increase the levels of Fixed Penalty Notices for littering and fly tipping and guidance confirmed that the fees should be set at an appropriate level to reflect local circumstances, including local ability to pay.  The Council’s current level of fees was set at the previous maximum amounts as set by Government. 

Consideration was given to the options outlined in the report and it was noted that if two levels of Fixed Penalty Notice charges for littering were created, this would ensure that the maximum deterrent was available to the Council whilst retaining the ability to take into account the severity of the offence, impact on the environment and the relative cost to the taxpayer of clearing up the litter/fly tip.  Furthermore, two levels of Fixed Penalty Notices for littering offences would also ensure that the consequences were proportionate to the offence, as per the Council’s Corporate Enforcement Policy.

Following consideration by the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee, the Cabinet Member for Transformation and Infrastructure resolved that:

(1)     two levels of Fixed Penalty Notice charges for littering be introduced and that the one level of charges for fly tipping be retained, with an increase in charges as set out in Option 4 at 1.4.4 of the report.