Decisions

Consideration was given to recommendation AU 23/15 of the Audit Committee of 17 April 2023.

Cabinet noted that the risks categorised as ‘RED’ were:

·        Financial position/budget deficit;

·        Economic stability;

·        Corporate strategy and Savings and Transformation Strategy;

·        Local Plan;

·        Organisational development including recruitment and retention/skills mix;

·        Homes for Ukraine Scheme; and

·        Implementation of the Agile software system

RESOLVED: That

(1)             the updates to the Strategic Risk Register since the last iteration with particular emphasis on those risks categorised as ‘RED’ (summarised above) be noted.

(Report of Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health)

Members were updated on the Government focus on improving housing standards in rented properties and how the Borough Council had responded to the requests of the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in respect of damp and mould issues affecting privately rented properties in the borough and enforcement of housing standards.

A copy of the Borough Council’s initial response was attached at Annex 1 and a full response was subsequently submitted via online survey with a focus on Housing Health and Safety Rating Scheme.  It was highlighted from both responses that the Borough Council already had a robust approach to dealing with damp and mould complaints/issues within the borough, however it was recognised that a jointly agreed formal approach to damp and mould complaints needed to be developed with Clarion Housing Group, being the main housing provider in the borough.

In addition, Members were updated on how Clarion Housing Group were responding on this important issue and noted the Borough Council’s intention to work with them in a more formal manner to ensure social housing in the borough was of an acceptable standard and to develop a targeted repairs monitoring framework with them to ensure the Borough Council were regularly updated on the condition of their housing stock and could offer support when needed to.

Following consideration by the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing resolved that:

(1)        a written request be sent from the Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing to Clarion Housing Group to seek their cooperation in agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding on how property condition complaints would be dealt with by both parties; and

(2)        a monitoring framework be adopted and reported on regularly, including to the Housing Association Liaison Panel.

(Joint report of Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Transformation)

In accordance with the Borough Council’s Financial Procedure Rules, the report detailed actual Revenue and Capital Outturn for the year ended 31 March 2023 and subsequent adjustments made in light of the Outturn position.

As part of the closedown of accounts, a review of specific earmarked reserves held by the Borough Council had been undertaken and these were detailed in 1.2.3 of the report.

Cabinet welcomed the positive outturn position, which could be attributed to above profile performance on investment returns and major operational income streams, recognised that the financial outlook remained challenging and that the focus in 2023/24 would be to identify and deliver the savings target of £500,000 before 2024/25.

To ensure that this target was achieved, proposals in respect of potential savings would be formulated in consultation with Officers at an earlier stage, in advance of the budget setting process for 2024/25.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the Revenue and Capital Outturn for year 2022/23 be endorsed and noted;

(2)             the action taken following a review of specific earmarked reserves, set out at paragraph 1.2.3, be endorsed and noted;

(3)             the Treasury Management and Investment Strategy Review 2022/23, set out at Annex 2) be endorsed and noted; and

(4)             a timetable for the programme of savings and transformation contributions be progressed, in consultation with Officers, as soon as possible to meet the demands of the budget setting process to ensure the target of £500,000 was achieved by the start of the financial year 2024/25

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

The report set out proposals for changes to car parking tariffs in the Borough Council’s Haysden Country Park in Tonbridge.  The proposed changes were outlined in the Formal Consultation Notice attached at Annex 1.

A number of objections and comments had been received during the statutory consultation period and these responses were set out in Annex 2.

Cabinet noted that the proposed changes were reviewed within the context of a set of guiding principles, the cost of the parking service to the Borough Council and ongoing investment in the parking management service.  It was anticipated that the new charges would be introduced in late July 2023.

Careful consideration was given to the legal, financial and value for money implications and the responses to the public consultation were taken into account.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the objections to the proposed changes to the off-street parking charges (as detailed in Annex 2) be set aside; and

(2)             the appropriate Traffic Regulation Order be approved to facilitate the variation of the off-street parking charges (as detailed in Annex 1 and summarised below) to come into effect as soon as possible:

·        an increase of 20p (to £2.00) to the ‘up to 4 hour’ tariff

·        an increase of 50p (to £4.50) for the ‘over 4 hour’ tariff

·        an increase of £5 (up to £65) for 12 month car park season tickets

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

As part of the Borough’s Parking Action Plan, a parking review of Hadlow was being undertaken.  The proposals which were taken to informal consultation were set out at Annex 1 to the report.  The informal consultation was carried out with the immediate frontagers to the proposals and details of the responses were set out at Annex 2 and a response from the Parish Council at Annex 3 to the report.

Following consideration by the Joint Transportation Board, the Cabinet Member for Transformation and Infrastructure resolved that:

(1)        The revisions discussed in Section 5 of the report be taken forward to formal consultation, and the results reported to a future meeting of the Joint Transportation Board for further consideration.

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

As part of the Borough’s Parking Action Plan, a parking review of Hildenborough was being undertaken.  The proposals which were taken to informal consultation were set out at Annex 1 to the report.  The informal consultation was carried out with the immediate frontagers to the proposals and details of the responses were set out at Annex 2 and a response from the Parish Council at Annex 3 to the report.

Following consideration by the Joint Transportation Board, the Cabinet Member for Transformation and Infrastructure resolved that:

(1)        The revisions discussed in Section 4 of the report be taken forward to formal consultation, and the results reported to a future meeting of the Joint Transportation Board for further consideration.

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

The report covered the progress of the current Phase (Phase 14), the content of the next Phase (Phase 15) of the Action Plan and an update on the Borough’s parking reviews. 

Those sites within Phase 14 which had already been assessed and progressed to an initial design were listed at Annex 1 to the report.   A list of locations recommended for consideration in Phase 15 of the Parking Action Plan was attached at Annex 2 to the report.  A further list was attached at Annex 3 and would be held on a ‘holding list’ for consideration in future phases of the Plan.  It was recommended that the locations and proposals in Annex 2 be taken forward for investigation and then to informal consultation; and that the response to the informal consultation be reported to a future meeting of the Board.

Following consideration by the Joint Transportation Board, the Cabinet Member for Transformation and Infrastructure resolved that:

(1)        the proposals for each located listed in Phase 15 of the Parking Action Plan, as set out at Annex 2 to the report, be taken forward for investigation and informal consultation; and

(2)        the list of requests, as set out at Annex 3 to the report, be held for future consideration in future phases of the Parking Action Plan.