Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:That the amended response to Kent County Council's Community Services Consultation, published as an urgent update to the report, be approved and be submitted on behalf of the Council.

(See Record of Decision)

The Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement introduced the report, stating that Kent County Council (KCC) were consulting on the way community services were delivered across the Kent Districts. The proposals affected Maidstone with the proposed closure of two children’s centres in the Marden and Yalding and East Wards, with the adult education centre to be moved from the High Street Ward to Bridge Ward.

The Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement stated that following an assessment of the proposals and supporting data provided, it was felt that the proposals’ impacts to Maidstone had not been properly considered. The consultation response attached at appendix A to the report reflected that residents should have access to these services and was substantiated with the 2021 Census data and health inequalities data that had not supplemented the proposals originally. The impact to vulnerable residents within the wards where the services were currently provided was emphasised, if the proposals were agreed by KCC, particularly to the High Street and Shepway North Wards which were classed as areas of significant deprivation. The minor data errors contained within appendix A to the report were outlined.

The workshops proposed by KCC to discuss the data supporting the proposals with the other district authorities had not taken place.

The committee expressed support for the comments made by the Visiting Members, emphasising the points raised, including: the proposals would reduce KCC’s carbon footprint, but would increase Kent’s carbon footprint as the number of journeys to the alternative sites proposed would increase; the significant costs, increased travel time and unreliability associated with using public transport to access the proposed alternative sites; the lack of and increased age of the data accompanying the proposals and the detrimental impacts that would be experienced by vulnerable individuals and families, particularly in areas of deprivation, through moving the facilities. 

The Officers were thanked for the work undertaken and the detail contained within the papers.

RESOLVED: That the Executive be recommended to submit the response attached at Appendix A to the report on behalf of the Council, in accordance with the Committee’s comments.