Contact your Parish Council
|
Democracy and General Purposes Committee |
8 September 2021 |
|||
|
|
||||
|
Request for an Additional Outside Body |
||||
|
|
||||
|
Final Decision-Maker |
Democracy and General Purposes Committee |
|||
|
Lead Head of Service |
Angela Woodhouse, Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
|||
|
Lead Officer and Report Author |
Ryan O’Connell, Democratic and Electoral Services Manager Oliviya Parfitt, Democratic Services Officer |
|||
|
Classification |
Public
|
|||
|
Wards affected |
All |
|||
|
|
||||
|
Executive Summary |
||||
|
To outline a request from the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure (SPI) Committee to consider the addition of the Kent Downs Line Partnership as an Outside Body within the remit of that Committee.
|
||||
|
Purpose of Report
Decision
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee: That: |
||||
|
1. The request for the Kent Downs Line Partnership to be added as an additional Outside Body, within the remit of SPI Committee, be approved; |
||||
|
|
|
|||
|
Timetable |
||||
|
Meeting |
Date |
|||
|
Democracy and General Purposes Committee |
8 September 2021 |
|||
|
Request for an Additional Outside Body |
|
|
1. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
|
Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
|
Impact on Corporate Priorities |
The four Strategic Plan objectives are:
· Embracing Growth and Enabling Infrastructure · Safe, Clean and Green · Homes and Communities · A Thriving Place
The report ensures that the strategic plan objectives are met through the proper addition of and administration to Outside Bodies |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
|
Cross Cutting Objectives |
The four cross-cutting objectives are:
· Heritage is Respected · Health Inequalities are Addressed and Reduced · Deprivation and Social Mobility is Improved · Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability is respected
The report ensures that the cross-cutting objectives are met through the proper addition of and administration to Outside Bodies |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
|
Risk Management |
See section 5 of this report.
|
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
|
Financial |
No impact identified. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
|
Staffing |
No impact identified. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
|
Legal |
Acting on the recommendations is within the Council’s powers as set out in s1 of the Localism Act 201, general power of competence. |
Legal Team |
|
Privacy and Data Protection |
No impact identified. |
Policy and Information Team |
|
Equalities |
The recommendations do not propose a change in service therefore will not require an equalities impact assessment |
Policy & Information Manager |
|
Public Health
|
No impact identified. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
|
Crime and Disorder |
No impact identified. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
|
Procurement |
No impact identified. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
|
Biodiversity and Climate Change |
No impact identified. |
Biodiversity and Climate Change Manager |
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1 During the 6 July 2021 meeting of the SPI Committee, consideration was given to having a Council Representative on the Kent Downs Line Partnership (KDLP).
Excerpt from Minute 37:
‘It was also requested that consideration be given to having a Council representative to the Kent Downs Line Group’.
2.2 The KDLP is part of the Kent Community Rail Partnership. The Partnership includes three community rail lines; Medway Valley, Swale and most recently, Kent. The aim of the partnership is to work alongside a multitude of organisations to ‘bring social, economic and environmental benefits to the communities served by rural and secondary rail services’[1].
The Council currently appoints Councillors as representatives to the Medway Valley Line.
2.3 In response, the KDLP was approached by Democratic Services to discuss whether this would be a suitable option. The Partnership confirmed that two positions could be provided, but that any number of Councillors that wished to volunteer their time to the KDLP would be welcome, albeit in a voluntary capacity.
2.4 The KDLP also confirmed that several Borough Councillors had already been working with the partnership in a voluntary capacity.
3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
3.1 Option 1 – Approve the request. The Kent Downs Line Partnership would be added as an additional Outside Body, with the respective appointments to be made by the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee at a later date.
Part 5, Schedule 2 of the Constitution would then be updated by the Monitoring Officer to reflect this change.
3.2 Option 2 – Do nothing. The Kent Downs Line Partnership would not be approved as an additional Outside Body and any future interactions between Councillors and the KDLP would be in a voluntary capacity.
4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Option 1 is the preferred option, due to the mutual interest expressed from Maidstone Borough Council Councillors and the KDLP in having formally recognised positions on the latter.
4.2 The Committee should be aware that any Councillors currently working with the KDLP would still be subject to the proper process of making appointments to Outside Body’s.
5. RISK
5.1 The risks associated with this proposal, including the risks if the Council does not act as recommended, have been considered in line with the Council’s Risk Management Framework. We are satisfied that the risks associated are within the Council’s risk appetite and will be managed as per the Policy.
6. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK
6.1 Not applicable.
7. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
7.1 If the request is agreed, then the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee will be informed. The positions will then be advertised to all Councillors, with the final appointments to be made by that Committee.
8. REPORT APPENDICES
None.
9. BACKGROUND PAPERS
Minutes from the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee Meeting held on 6 July 2021: Minutes Template (maidstone.gov.uk)
Kent Community Rail Partnership Website:
[1] ‘Our Partnership’, Kent Community Rail Partnership, Website: https://kentcrp.org/our-partnership/