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Maidstone Borough Council

Corporate Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Tuesday 7 August 2012

The Leader and Cabinet Priorities for the Municipal Year 2012-13

Report of: Overview & Scrutiny Officer

1.          Introduction

1.1        Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny has an overarching role within the Overview and Scrutiny structure which includes sole responsibility for Cabinet Scrutiny.

1.2        The Leader of Maidstone Borough Council for the 2012/13 Municipal Year is Councillor Chris Garland.  His Cabinet comprise of Councillor Malcolm Greer, Cabinet Member for Economic and Commercial Development, Councillor Marion Ring, Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Eric Hotson, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Councillor John A. Wilson, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services and Councillor Stephen Paine, Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development.

2.          Recommendation

2.1    The Committee are advised to consider the verbal updates from the Leader and members of the Cabinet, their portfolios and any schemes of work they deem significant for the coming year.  

2.2    The Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee are solely responsible for holding the Leader and Cabinet to account. Issues that the Committee consider priority areas should remain foremost in its mind when considering the Forward Plan of Key Decisions and they should look to include reports, as applicable, in its future work programme.

3.      Reasons for Recommendation

3.1     The Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee are responsible for holding the Leader and Cabinet to account.

3.2     The areas of responsibility for each Member of the Cabinet are detailed at Appendix A. 

3.3     Each Cabinet Member’s role is given a strategic overview under the heading ‘Strategic Planning’ followed by a detailed list of their areas of responsibility under ‘Performance Management’.  The final heading ‘External Affairs & Partnerships’ defines the role from and external point of view, clarifying the relations with partners and stakeholders that are being maintained and developed. The Cabinet Member for the Environment has an additional area of responsibility detailed in Appendix A which is explained under the heading ‘Climate Change & Sustainability’ and is specific to the role.

3.4     The Committee may wish to explore the remit of the additional Cabinet post of Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development for the 2012-13 Municipal Year with the Leader and the reasons for this appointment.

4.      Impact on Corporate Objectives

4.1     The Committee will consider reports that deliver against all the          Council priorities:

·         ‘For Maidstone to have a growing economy’, ‘For Maidstone to be a decent place to live’, and ‘Corporate and Customer Excellence’.

          4.2    The Strategic Plan sets the Council’s key objectives for the medium   term and has a range of objectives which support the delivery of   the Council’s priorities.  Actions to deliver these key objectives may          therefore include work that the Committee will consider over the           next year.