Contact your Parish Council

Agenda

Council - Wednesday 17th July, 2024 6.30 pm

Venue: Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone

Contact: Debbie Snook 01622 602030

Items
No.	Item
1.	Prayers
2.	Apologies for Absence
3.	Dispensations (if any)
4.	Disclosures by Members and Officers
5.	Disclosures of Lobbying
6.	To consider whether any items should be taken in private because of the possible disclosure of exempt information
7.	Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Borough Council Held on 18 May 2024 PDF 115 KB
8.	Mayor's Announcements
9.	Petitions
10.	Question and Answer Session for Local Residents
11.	Questions from Members of the Council to the (a) Leader of the Council (b) Cabinet Members (c) Chairmen of Decision-Making Committees
12.	Current Issues - Report of the Leader of the Council, Response of the Group Leaders and Questions from Council Members
13.	To consider any motion moved by the Leader of the Council in respect of the Administration's Programme for the Municipal Year 2024/25
14.	Report from the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee and Democracy and General Purposes Committee - Revised Members' Code of Conduct and Arrangements for Dealing with Councillor Conduct Complaints PDF 137 KB View item 14. as HTML 46 KB Additional documents: Appendix 1 - Code of Conduct , item 14. PDF 169 KB View as HTML (14./2) 159 KB Appendix 2 - Arrangements for Code of Conduct Complaints , item 14. PDF 312 KB View as HTML (14./3) 392 KB Appendix 3 - Member Code of Conduct Complaint Form , item 14. PDF 134 KB View as HTML (14./4) 66 KB
15.	Report from the Democracy and General Purposes Committee held on 19 July 2024 - Constitutional Amendments PDF 95 KB View item 15. as HTML 19 KB
16.	Report from the Democracy and General Purposes Committee held on 19 July 2024 - Outside Bodies 2024/25 PDF 92 KB View item 16. as HTML 26 KB
17.	Notice of Motion - Voting Age to 16 Notice of the following motion has been given by Councillor Clark, seconded by Councillor Wilby: “This Council re-iterates its support for reducing the voting age to 16 and agrees that our worshipful Mayor should, following the general election on 4th July, write an open letter to the Prime Minister requesting the introduction of legislation to reduce the voting age to 16. Separately, this council will explore the creation of an advisory board, consisting of student representatives from colleges and secondary schools in the borough, allowing the sharing of opinions and perspective while considering issues faced by younger citizens. We believe that encouraging participation in the political process is a valuable means of engaging young people in modern society and note law changes in both Scotland and Wales, where under 16’s can vote in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly elections and also in local council elections. Historically “Voting at 16” motions have gained cross party support at Kent County Council and Maidstone Borough Council. We recognise the important contribution of 16 and 17 year olds in Wales and Scotland and continue to believe that the young citizens of Maidstone should also play an important role in determining the future of their borough and country.”
18.	Notice of Motion - Nature Recovery Declaration PDF 206 KB View item 18. as HTML 15 KB Notice of the following motion has been given by Councillor Harwood, seconded by Councillor Rodwell, and supported by Councillors Mike Thompson, Richard Conyard and Rob Field: “Maidstone Borough Council recognises the catastrophic and ongoing declines impacting the natural world and the profound harm this can inflict on local health and wellbeing and our economic resilience. Through a democratic confirmation of a Maidstone Borough Council Nature Recovery Declaration, this Local Authority makes a solemn commitment to embed positive change across all its interactions with the natural world and to become a powerful local advocate and champion for nature recovery.” The Maidstone Borough Council Nature Recovery Declaration is included on the agenda.
	Information for the Public In order to ask a question at this meeting, please call 01622 602899 or email committee@maidstone.gov.uk by 5 p.m. one clear working day before the meeting (i.e. by 5 p.m. on Monday 15 July 2024). You will need to provide the full text in writing. If your question is accepted, you will be provided with instructions as to how you can access the meeting. In order to make a statement in relation to an item on the agenda, please call 01622 602899 or email committee@maidstone.gov.uk by 5 p.m. one clear working day before the meeting (i.e. by 4 p.m. on Monday 15 July). You will need to tell us which agenda item you wish to speak on. If you require this information in an alternative format please contact us, call 01622 602899 or email committee@maidstone.gov.uk. To find out more about the work of the Committee, please visit the Council’s Website.