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You are hereby summoned to attend a meeting of the
MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
Date: Wednesday 22 April 2015 Time: 6.30 p.m. Venue: Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone
Membership:
Councillors Thick (The Mayor), Ash, Black, Mrs Blackmore, Burton, Butler, Chittenden, Collins, Cox, Cuming, Daley, Ells, English, Fissenden, Garland, Mrs Gooch, Greer, Mrs Grigg, Harper, Harwood, Mrs Hinder, Hogg, Mrs Joy, Long, McKay, McLoughlin, Moriarty, B Mortimer, D Mortimer, Munford, Naghi, Newton, Paine, Mrs Parvin, Paterson, Perry, Pickett, Powell, Mrs Ring, Mrs Robertson, Ross, Round, Sams, Sargeant, Springett, Mrs Stockell, Vizzard, B Watson, P Watson, de Wiggondene, Willis, J.A. Wilson and Mrs Wilson
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AGENDA |
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Page No. |
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1. Prayers |
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2. Apologies for Absence |
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3. Dispensations (if any) |
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4. Disclosures by Members and Officers |
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5. Disclosures of Lobbying |
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6. To consider whether any items should be taken in private because of the possible disclosure of exempt information. |
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7. Minutes of the meeting of the Borough Council held on 25 February 2015 |
1 - 18 |
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8. Mayor's Announcements |
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9. Petitions |
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10. Question and Answer Session for Members of the Public |
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11. Questions from Members of the Council to the |
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(a) Leader of the Council (b) Cabinet Members (c) Chairmen of Overview and Scrutiny Committees (d) Chairmen of other Committees
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12. Current Issues - Report of the Leader of the Council, Response of the Group Leaders and Questions from Council Members |
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13. Report of the Cabinet held on 14 April 2015 - Maidstone Community Safety Partnership Plan 2013-2018 - Annual Refresh 2015-2016 |
19 - 93 |
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14. Report of the Councillor Working Group - New Constitution for Maidstone Borough Council |
94 - 99 |
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15. Oral Report of the Community, Environment and Housing Overview and Scrutiny to be held on 14 April 2015 (if any) |
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16. Oral Report of the Planning, Transport and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be held on 21 April 2015 (if any) |
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17. Notice of Motion - Gatland Park |
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Notice of the following motion has been given by Councillor Harper:
This Council notes that Gatland Park is a public open space and is subject to the regulations and by-laws governing public open spaces and parks. This is a valuable and popular local park, well used by the local community. There are concerns however over the plans by the Jubilee Free School to use it as an adjunct to the school to provide outdoor space. As a public open space, it is not possible to enclose an area for private use except for one off events following a particular application route. Therefore it is inappropriate for the school to be looking to use a park on a regular basis.
This Council resolves:
1. To continue to demonstrate its long term support to maintain Gatland Park as a well used public open space; and
2. Not to support any proposals in the future which would reduce the ability of the local community to continue to have free access to the park during normal opening hours.
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18. Notice of Motion - Cycling Infrastructure |
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Notice of the following motion has been given by Councillor Harper:
This Council recognises that cycling is an excellent carbon free form of transport. However, Maidstone currently has very low levels of cycling compared to similar communities elsewhere. The Council will work with the recently established Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum to promote cycling.
In particular it will work with Kent County Council and the Campaign Forum to get in place as quickly as possible a cycle path along the Medway from Allington Lock to either Barming or Teston Bridge. This will provide a safe and pleasant route through the middle of the town and a safe artery for cycling into the town avoiding in particular Tonbridge Road, a notoriously difficult road for cycling along.
The Council reconfirms that it has currently allocated £1m towards this project and that Kent County Council has an allocation of £2m. If the scheme can be delivered under budget the Council will give consideration to use any balance (of its, MBC's, earmarked funds) towards further infrastructure for Cycling in the Borough.
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19. Notice of Motion - Four Yearly Elections |
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Notice of the following motion has been given by Councillors Hogg, Black and Paine:
That the Council agrees to hold a referendum after the 2015 elections to allow the residents of the Borough of Maidstone to give their views on changing the way that the Council holds Borough elections.
Residents would be given the opportunity to show if they are in favour of having four yearly elections, and if more than 50% of the residents within the Borough are in favour, then the Council should honour their wishes and vote conclusively to start the process for changeover.
Furthermore this will show the taxpaying residents in the Borough that the Council is trying to save money and staff time on the carrying out of the election process freeing staff up so to provide the services our residents deserve.
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20. Report of the Head of Finance and Resources - Members' Allowance Scheme |
100 - 128 |
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21. Report of the Head of Finance and Resources - Calendar of Meetings 2015-2016 |
129 - 131 |
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22. Report of the Head of Finance and Resources - Urgent Decision Taken by the Executive
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132 - 133 |
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PLEASE NOTE:
MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED TO BRING WITH THEM TO THE MEETING THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT WHICH HAS BEEN CIRCULATED SEPARATELY:
APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE COUNCILLOR WORKING GROUP RELATING TO A NEW CONSTITUTION FOR MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
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