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MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
Cabinet
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON Wednesday 24 January 2024
Attendees:
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Committee Members:
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Councillors Burton (Chairman), Cooper, Garten, Parfitt-Reid, Perry and Russell
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Visiting Members:
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Councillors English and Jeffery |
92. Apologies for Absence
There were no apologies.
93. Urgent Items
The Chairman stated that there were four urgent updates to Item 23 – Report Archbishops Palace Agreement for Lease which contributed to the item’s consideration and consisted of:
· The related Minute from the Corporate Services Policy Advisory Committee;
· Draft Recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee; and
· Two exempt appendices.
94. Notification of Visiting Members
Councillor English was present as a Visiting Member for Item 17 - River Medway Basin Task Force; Item 18 – Provision of Wheeled Bins and; Item 23 - Archbishop’s Palace – Agreement for Lease.
Councillor Jeffery was present as a Visiting Member for Item 17 - River Medway Basin Task Force.
95. Disclosures by Members or Officers
There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.
96. Disclosures of Lobbying
There were no disclosures of lobbying.
97. Exempt Items
RESOLVED: That all items be taken in public, unless any Cabinet Member wished to refer to the information contained within Exempt Appendix to Item 22 - Maidstone Leisure Centre Operator Contract or Exempt Appendix 23 - Archbishops Palace - Agreement for Lease, in which case the Cabinet would enter into closed session due to the likely disclosure of exempt information, for the reason specified having applied the public interest test.
98. Minutes of the Meeting held on 20 December 2023
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 December 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed.
99. Presentation of Petitions
There were no petitions.
100. Questions from Local Residents to the Leader or Individual Cabinet Member
There were no questions from Local Residents.
101. Questions from Members to the Leader or Individual Cabinet Member
There were no questions from Members.
102. Matters Referred to the Cabinet for Reconsideration
There were no matters referred to the Cabinet for reconsideration.
103. Issues Arising from Overview and Scrutiny
There were no issues arising from Overview and Scrutiny.
104. Matters Referred to the Executive by another Committee
There were none.
105. Any Matter Relating to a Serious Service Failure or Nuisance
There were none.
106. Receipt of Written Representations from Members of the Council
There were none.
107. Cabinet Forward Plan
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
108. River Medway Basin Task Force
RESOLVED: That a Task Force not be setup, but to ensure Maidstone has active representation and input to the existing River Medway groups and strategies that operate to manage the river and its basin, and ask the relevant Head of Service that a log of these engagements be maintained and reported back in 12 months’ time.
(See Record of Decision)
109. Provision of Wheeled Bins
RESOLVED: That
1. The lessons learnt
from the policy change be noted.
2. The new revised policy for the provision of replacement bins be approved.
(See Record of Decision)
110. 1,000 Homes Update
RESOLVED: That
1.
The contents of the report be noted.
2. The Director of Finance, Resources and Business Improvement, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to enter into “Local Authority Grant Agreement for the Affordable Homes Programme 2021 to 2026”, with Homes England as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.
(See Record of Decision)
111. Medium Term Financial Strategy – Capital Programme
RESOLVED: That
1.
The
capital strategy principles set out in paragraph 2.7 of the report, be agreed;
2. The
capital funding projection set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be agreed;
3. The
capital programme 2024/25 onwards as set out in Appendix 3 to the report, be
agreed; and
4. In
agreeing recommendations 2 and 3 above the Cabinet will set a prudential
borrowing limit of £369.1 million over the period of the programme which will
be recommended to Council as part of the Treasury Management Strategy 2024/25.
(See Record of Decision)
112. Council Tax Base 2024/25 and Collection Fund Adjustment
RESOLVED: That
1. Pursuant to this
report and in accordance with the Local Authority (Calculation of Council Tax
Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by this Authority as
its Council Tax Base for the year 2024-25 will be 68,263.55;
2. In accordance with
the Local Authority (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations
2012, the amount calculated by this Authority as the Council Tax Base for each
parish area for the year 2024-25 will be as identified in Appendix 2 to this
report; and
3. The 2023-24 Council
Tax projection and proposed distribution detailed in Appendix 3 of this report
be agreed.
(See Record of Decision)
113. Maidstone Leisure Centre
RESOLVED: That
1. The current proposals
from Maidstone Leisure Trust and Serco Leisure for a contract extension be
noted;
2. The leisure services
contract for Maidstone Leisure Centre, Mote Park Outdoor Adventure and
Lockmeadow Health Club for the period August 2024 onwards be extended for a
period of five years, with up to three one-year extensions thereafter;
3. Delegated authority
be given to the Director of Finance, Resources and Business Improvement, in consultation
with the Cabinet Member for Communities, Leisure and Arts, to finalise details
of the contract extension;
4. An additional
£250,000 for minor capital improvements be included in the capital programme;
5. £1,000,000 for bringing
forward plans for a new or refurbished leisure centre be included in the
capital programme, with
a view to a final decision on the way forward by August 2026; and
6. Delegated authority
be given to the Head of Legal Partnership to negotiate, execute and complete
all necessary agreements, deeds and documents arising from or ancillary to the
decisions.
(See Record of Decision)
114. Report Archbishops palace agreement for lease
RESOLVED: That
1.
Capital
expenditure of up to £1.5 million be agreed;
2. The
Director of Finance, Resources and Business Improvement be given delegated
authority to select and appoint professional advisers to obtain all relevant
consents, enter into contracts for applicable services as necessary, and to
enter into a conditional agreement for lease with the preferred tenant.
3. The Head of Legal Partnership be given delegated authority to:
i. negotiate and complete all necessary legal formalities for the agreement for lease, the lease and purchase of services as set out above and
ii.
negotiate,
execute and complete all necessary agreements, deeds and documents arising from
or ancillary to the decision.
(See Record of Decision)
115. Duration of Meeting
6.30 p.m. to 7.38 p.m.
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