Resolved: That agenda items 1-8 and 10-11 be web cast.

There were none.

There were no substitute members.

It was noted that Councillor Stephen Paine was a visiting Member interested in agenda items 9 and 10. 

a) Election of Chairman

b) Election of Vice-Chairman

Resolved: That

a)  Councillor Burton be elected Chairman for the Municipal Year 2011/12; and

b)  Councillor Beerling be elected as Vice-Chairman for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

It was noted that for agenda Item 9, Work Programming Workshop,  Councillor Burton declared a personal interest by virtue of his membership of the Marden Business Forum, Councillors Mrs Joy and Beerling declared a personal interest by virtue of previously being Directors for Golding Homes, Housing Association, and Councillor Springett declared a personal interest as her husband owned a civil engineering company who had on occasion been under tender by Kent County Council.

Resolved:  That all items be taken in public as proposed.

Resolved:  That subject to the amendment of minute forty seven, to amend ‘the website for the NRBF was managed by members of the forum’ to ‘the website for the MBF was managed by members of the forum’, the minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2011 be agreed as a correct record and duly signed by the Chairman.

Please note this item will not be web cast.

The Committee held a Work Programme Workshop to discuss key service issues with senior officers and to consider a number of potential topics for the Committee’s 2011-12 work programme.  The Committee viewed the information stands regarding services relevant to its remit and Members discussed service issues and possible work programme reviews with the officers present.  The Chairman thanked the officers for attending and after half an hour the Committee reconvened to discuss their ideas. The Chairman then asked the Committee to go thorough the complete list of suggested topics and decided which could be considered for their two main reviews of the year and which topics could be addressed at one off Meetings.

Members narrowed down their detailed list to three topics for major reviews with tourism being undertaken subject to time and focus for the review:

·  Employment & Skills Analysis;

·  Traffic Congestion; and

·  Tourism.

The Committee highlighted the need for the borough to be able to provide schemes that neighbouring authorities had established regarding skills for adults who were returning to training. The Committee agreed that whilst the review for employment and skills should learn from the Rural Economy review that was completed by Leisure & Prosperity OSC during 2010-11, the town centre’s economy should not be forgotten and vocational skills should be included in the investigation.

A Member reminded the Committee that the Integrated Transport Strategy from Kent County Council and the Core Strategy within Maidstone Borough Council would need to be taken into consideration when reviewing transport. It was suggested that a visit to the traffic control centre would be a good starting point.  The Committee noted that information for the transport review would be subject to timescales on current documents from County and related to the Local Development Document Framework. 

The Committee considered tourism as a way of generating income and revenue within the borough. A Member gave examples of events that promote neighbouring towns on an annual calendar, not just seasonal. The Committee agreed that the tourism review would be a smaller review, subject to the availability and timescales of the transport review.

Resolved:  That:

a)  The Committee visit the Control Room as part of its transport review, and that the Overview and Scrutiny Officer circulate information gathered by scrutiny during 2010-11 on transport; 

b)  The Overview and Scrutiny Officer send copies of the Rural Economy review to the Committee;

c)  The Overview and Scrutiny Officer establish the timeline for the integrated transport strategy and County transport planning; and

d)  circulate the Kent transportation Plan to the Committee.

Angela Woodhouse, Head of Change and Scrutiny explained the proposed structure of the task and finish panel. Mrs Woodhouse explained that the Local Development Document Advisory Group had been disbanded and  the Regeneration and Economic Development Scrutiny Committee had been requested to take on this work through a task and finish panel. The Panel would take on the advisory function to the Executive during the Local Development Document process as well as the role of Overview and Scrutiny within the policy framework. In answer to a question Mrs Woodhouse explained that 9 Members had been proposed to keep the political balance in-line with Scrutiny Membership. The Committee proposed that Membership be reduced to 8 Members, comprising 4 Conservatives, 3 Liberal Democrats and 1 Independent.

Resolved:  That the task and finish panel be set with 8 Members comprised of 4 Conservatives, 3 Liberal Democrats and 1 Independent plus the opportunity to co-opt members of the public and other interested parties. 

The Committee considered the future work programme.  Following agenda item 9, Work Programming Workshop the Committee concluded that 2.5 reviews would be undertaken during 2011-12.

Resolved: That Employment & Skills Analysis, Transport Congestion and Tourism be added to the Committee’s work programme as major reviews for 2011-12.

6.30pm to 8.20pm.