Appendix B

Proposed Committee Structure and Terms of Reference

Four service committees and one sub-committee of Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee have been proposed to replace the present Cabinet and Cabinet Advisory Committees (Property Investment) and Overview and Scrutiny Committees. It is proposed that officer support will have the same remit as for the present executive functions. The terms of reference are set out below. Under the Committee system no decision making can be delegated  to an individual. Reports from the Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance Officer will be to Council in the new system. The Committees outside of those being replaced in the present structure may need to have their terms of reference amended.

Terms of Reference for Committees Proposed

POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

(15 Members)

·      To be responsible for any key decisions involving more than one service committee

·      To receive reports on risk management

·      To be responsible for the annual budget submission to Full Council (including staffing budgets)

·      To make decisions regarding all land issues

·      To be responsible for all strategic budget related staffing issues within the committee’s remit

 

Strategic Planning—to oversee the development, review and implementation of the Council’s

·      People strategy and workforce plan including health and safety and equalities policies

·      Medium Term Financial Strategy to include, though not exclusively Capital Investment Strategy, Council tax support scheme, business rates and income generation

·      Information Management Strategy

·      Risk Management Strategy

·      Commissioning Strategy

·      Asset Management Strategy

·      Democratic Engagement Strategy

·      Emergency and Resilience Planning

·      Future Council Accommodation Strategy

·      Economic Development Strategy

·      Communications Strategy

·      Corporate Improvement Plan

·       Commercialisation Strategy

 

Performance management —to ensure excellent standards of performance and improvement with respect to the Council’s services for

• Workforce characteristics and a healthy workforce
• Customer service
• Corporate finance including overall budget setting and regular budget monitoring
• Legal advice
• Information technology
• Council tax and housing benefits
• Democratic services including electoral services, member services and the mayoralty
• Property services
• Commissioning

Sub Committees

• Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Sub Committee (T of R as they are now)
• The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum Trust (T of R as they are now)

ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN OF POLICY AND RESOURCES

Where appropriate the Committee may delegate the functions below to a member of the committee:  

• Being a figurehead for the Council
• Providing leadership in building a political consensus around council policies
• Taking the lead within this committee  and with the other chairmen of  working with others in building a vision for the Council and community   and for overall co-ordination of all committees work in this  respect
• Providing strong, clear leadership in the co-ordination of policies
• Represent the Council and its interests in regional and national bodies as appropriate including the Kent Council Leaders.
• To be responsible for the Council’s role in partnerships including leading the Council’s contribution to the Mid Kent Improvement Partnership and supporting partnerships and organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors. 
• To act as Ambassador for the Council and its activities amongst external advisory and interest groups not falling within the responsibility of the other committees.
• To act as an advocate for the Council in pressing for changes in national policy
• To foster close links with the business community and develop partnerships to achieve outcomes identified in the economic development strategy.
• To foster close links and develop partnerships with skills and education providers to achieve outcomes identified in the Economic Development Strategy.
• To take responsibility for relationships with funders including KCC and the Heritage Lottery fund, service delivery partners including the Chamber of Commerce, Federation of small businesses, locate in Kent, education and skills providers, voluntary and community groups.

 

STRATEGIC PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

(9 Members)

• To take the lead in ensuring that the Council delivers its strategic objectives for planning, sustainability and transportation
• To be responsible for reports to Full Council within its remit
• To submit to Policy and Resources (P&R) Committee all revenue estimates and capital programmes within the remit of the Committee with a view to P&R determining the budget for submission to Council
• To be responsible for all strategic budget related staffing matters within the committee’s remit. 

 

Strategic Planning—to oversee the development, review and implementation of the Council’s

• Spatial Planning Strategy including the local plan and other Spatial Planning documents including Development Plan documents, Development Management policies and Development briefs
• Integrated Transport Strategy
• Community Infrastructure levy (CIL) and Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP)
• Air Quality Management Strategy
• Blue and Green Infrastructure
• Landscape Character Assessment 

Performance Management

• Development Management including Planning Enforcement and Land Charges
• Spatial Planning
• Landscape
• Conservation
• Building Control
• Development of public transport initiatives and Parking Policy
• Local (district) highways functions as they relate to Planning

·      Capital projects and programmes relevant to this committee

·       Parking management and enforcement and day to day dealing with park and Ride Service

 

 Sub Committees

• Local Plan Sub Committee

ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPORT

Where appropriate the Committee may delegate the functions below to a member of the committee:  

• Working with others in building a vision for the Council and Community
• To represent the Council on all partnerships relevant to the committee 
• To  take the lead role in this committee of fostering close links with key stakeholders including Parish Councils, the Developers Forum, English Heritage and transport interest groups such as Quality Bus Partnership, Transport Users Group, Rail Stake Holders Group
• To take the lead role within this committee for  responsibility for relationships with funders  including Kent County Council and The Highways Agency
• To chair Joint Transportation Board in alternate years

 

 

COMMUNITIES, HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENT

(9 Members)

• To take the lead within the Council for ensuring that the Council delivers its strategic objectives with regard to Communities, Housing and the Environment
• To take the lead within the Council in ensuring that the Council achieves inclusiveness and productive community engagement
• To be responsible for reports to Full Council within its remit
• To submit to Policy and Resources (P&R) Committee all revenue estimates and capital programmes within the remit of the committee with a view to P&R determining the budget for submission to Council
• To act as the Council’s Crime and Disorder Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• To be responsible for all strategic budget related staffing matters within this committee’s remit

Strategic Planning—to oversee the development, review and implementation of the Council’s

• Housing Strategy
• Community Development Strategy
• Climate Change Framework
• Parish Charter
• Community Safety Strategy to include CCTV
• Compact with Voluntary and Community Sector
• Health Inequalities Strategy
• Waste Management Strategy
• Contaminated Land Strategy
• Private Water Management
• Licensing Strategy and Policies
• Street Scene and Environmental Strategy (to include Clean Neighbourhood Enforcement, monitoring and enforcement of Air Quality Policies)
• Renewable Energy Strategy
• Public Conveniences

 

 

 

Performance Management

· Community Safety in consultation with the Safer Maidstone Partnership

· Community Engagement

· Community KPI’s

· Healthy Living

· Waste minimisation and recycling

· Waste collection including collaboration with the Waste Disposal authority (KCC)

· Cleansing and street scene services

· Licensing

· Capital projects and programmes relevant to this committee

 

ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMUNITIES, HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

Where appropriate the Committee may delegate the functions below to a member of the committee:  

• Taking the lead within this committee of working with others in building a vision for the council and community
• To take the lead within this committee for external relationships with properly constituted Resident’s Groups and Parish Councils including the Parish Services Scheme
• To take the lead within this committee for all aspects of community engagement
• To work with groups such as the Older Person’s Forum and the Voluntary Sector including organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, Voluntary Action Maidstone, Maidstone Mediation and other important community organisations as well as represent the Council on important partnerships relevant to this committee  including the Health and Wellbeing Board.
• To  represent the Council on all relevant partnerships including the Kent Waste Partnership and the Kent Community Safety Partnership.
• To take the lead on this committee for ensuring good relationships with funders including Kent County Council and WRAP, service delivery partners including contractors, voluntary and community groups

 

HERITAGE CULTURE AND LEISURE COMMITTEE

(9 Members)

• To take the lead within the council for ensuring that the Council delivers its strategic objectives with respect to Maidstone as a decent place to live by providing opportunities for engagement in cultural and leisure pursuits, developing a sense of place and ensuring that everyone, no matter who they are, or where they live, has access to quality open space, sports and leisure facilities;
• To take the lead in ensuring that Maidstone’s Heritage and Culture together with its leisure facilities play a key role in regeneration and in improving and sustaining the Borough’s economic development and health and wellbeing;  
• To be responsible for reports to Full Council within its remit;
• To submit to Policy and Resources  Committee all revenue estimates and capital programmes within the remit of the committee with a view to P&R Committee determining the budget for submission to Council;
• To be responsible for all strategic budget related staffing matters within the committee’s remit.

 

Strategic Planning—to oversee the development, review and implementation of the council’s

·      Parks and Open Spaces strategy

·      Events Strategy

·      Destination Management Strategy

·      Visitor Economy

·      Theatre, events and festivals

·      Public Works of Art

·      Museum

·      Cobtree Golf Course

·      Bereavement Services ( crematorium and cemetery)

 

Performance management

·      The visitor economy, including the Hazlitt Arts Centre, Maidstone Museum, Tourism, the Kent Conference Bureau and Maidstone Market

·      To work with, and foster good relationships with sporting leisure and cultural organisations, service delivery partners and Trusts including Maidstone Leisure Trust, Cobtree Golf Course and funders in related spheres.

·      Parks, open spaces and allotments, including grounds maintenance and play areas

·      Public works of art

·      Leisure activities including sporting and recreational based activities and including services provided via Maidstone Leisure Centre

·      Capital projects and programmes, allocation and monitoring of grants, environmental schemes  relevant to this portfolio

ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN OF HERITAGE, CULTURE AND LEISURE COMMITTEE

Where appropriate the Committee may delegate the functions below to a member of the committee:  

• To take the lead on this committee on working with others in building a vision for the Council and community
• To represent the Council on all relevant partnerships to include Town Team, TCM in its role producing events and MAAP
• To take the lead within this committee for relationships with funders, service delivery partners including voluntary and community groups and Trusts including Maidstone Leisure Trust, Cobtree and the Museum Trust.