HERITAGE, CULTURE AND LEISURE COMMITTEE			1 MARCH 2016
Is the final decision on the recommendations in this report to be made at this meeting?				Yes

Plaques and People protocol

Final Decision-Maker	Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee
Lead Head of Service	Paul Riley, Head of Finance and Resources
Lead Officer and Report Author	Poppy Collier, Democratic Services Officer
Classification	Public
Wards affected

This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee:
1. That the Plaques and People protocol attached at Appendix A be considered.

This report relates to the following corporate priorities:
� Keeping Maidstone Borough an attractive place for all � through promoting Maidstone�s heritage

Timetable
*Meeting*		*Date*
Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee		1 March 2016
Council		NA

Plaques and People protocol

1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 This report presents the Plaques and People protocol written by Councillor Pickett with input from Councillors English, Paterson and Newton, attached at appendix A, who request that it is considered by the Committee.

2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2.1 Maidstone Borough Council does not currently operate a plaque scheme.

2.2 There are several plaque schemes in place nationwide. A range of bodies can administer plaque schemes including local authorities, civic societies, residents associations, and societies of special groups.

2.3 �There are plaques visible in the borough of Maidstone which have been erected by private persons and groups. An owner of a building can place a plaque on a building they own, subject to planning requirements.� A notable example of a plaque already visible in the town centre is that dedicated to Edith Cavell, as erected on the wall of the Congregational Church in Week Street.

2.4 Members have drafted the attached Plaques and People protocol with the aim of standardising the process for the erection of plaques across the borough.

3. ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED

3.1 The Committee is asked to give consideration to the following Officer advice:

Paragraph

Advice

Paragraph 8: Depending on the merits, design, funding requirements and gravity of the application the HCL Committee could pass the application and recommend, in the first instance, to The Policy & Resources Committee and if listed building consent was required would go before the Planning Committee for approval, where a fee may be payable.

If a protocol was put in place this would negate the need for the application to pass through committee as the process would be delegated to officers.

The applicant would need to be responsible for gaining consent to place a plaque on a building from the building owner, and for going before the planning committee in the instance of an application regarding a listed building.

If a proposal was of sufficient merit e.g. a large memorial of artistic significance then it could be determined by a meeting of the full Council.

A large memorial would most certainly require planning permission. Funding for such a memorial would be determined via committee budget setting.

Paragraph 12: [12] Funding: Following deliberation and consultation the HCL should, if necessary amend or confirm the application accordingly. If proposed funding is not in place then research, if not already undertaken at the initial application stage, should be carried out to determine funding streams

Work would be required to establish how the research process would be implemented and by whom.

If funds are not available from section 106 contributions or funds allocated to the Committee from other sources then the committee should seek alternate resources.� Funds could be raised by public subscription if it feels that the project has sufficient merit and should be taken forward.

Use of S106 money for such a scheme would need to meet all three legal tests for a S106 agreement, one of which is that it must be directly related to application in question. As such the proposal for a commemorative plaque would need to be identified before negotiations with the developer and a planning application S106 agreement was drawn up.

Further work would be required to identify how public subscription would be led and managed.

Paragraph 14: Ownership & Maintenance: This would remain with Maidstone Borough Council [or the ruling body] who will be responsible for arranging the installation of the plaque or memorial and the future upkeep and repair as part of our Heritage and Culture strategy.

A budget would need to be allocated for the maintenance and upkeep of the plaques.

There is not a Heritage and Culture strategy in place.

3.2 In addition, an Equalities Impact Assessment would be required as with all new policies or procedures.

4. AVAILABLE OPTIONS

4.1�� The Committee could decide to consider the Plaques and People protocol attached at appendix A.

4.2 The Committee could decide not to consider the protocol attached at appendix A, but this is not recommended at the matter has come to Committee at Members� request.

5 NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

5.1 The Committee could request Officers to conduct research into the budget, resource and implementation implications of the proposed protocol and report back to the next meeting of the Committee.

6 CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

Issue	Implications	Sign-off
Impact on Corporate Priorities	Keeping Maidstone Borough an attractive place for all, by highlighting the heritage of the borough.	Head of Finance and Resources
Risk Management
Financial	Potential unaffordable costs to the Council exist in funding plaques, as well as future upkeep and repair.	Head of Finance & Resources
Staffing	Will require staff time allocated to the implementation of a new plaque scheme, research and in maintenance of the plaques.	Dawn Hudd, Head of Commercial and Economic Development
Legal	Legal had not reviewed at time of publication	[Legal Team]
Equality Impact Needs Assessment	New Policy EQIA Required as per Equality Policy	Clare Wood, Policy & Information Officer
Environmental/Sustainable Development		[Head of Service or Manager]
Community Safety		[Head of Service or Manager]
Human Rights Act		[Head of Service or Manager]
Procurement		[Head of Service & Section 151 Officer]
Asset Management		[Head of Service & Manager]

7 REPORT APPENDICES

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

� Appendix A: Plaques and People protocol

8 BACKGROUND PAPERS

None.