Agenda and minutes

The Mayor and the Council stood in silence for one minute in memory of Charlie Bogg, a member of the Council’s IT Team, who had died suddenly on 12 January 2011.

It was noted that apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Harwood, Miss Langley, Parr and Sharp.

Councillors Ash, Burton, English, Mrs Gibson, Mrs Gooch, Hinder, Mrs Hinder, Horne, Marchant, B Mortimer, D Mortimer, Nelson-Gracie, Sams and J A Wilson disclosed personal interests, by virtue of being Parish Councillors, in the question to be asked of the Cabinet Member for Community Services regarding concurrent functions and the recommendations of the Cabinet to the Council relating to the Budget Strategy 2011/12 onwards in so far as they included a proposed reduction in concurrent functions funding.

Councillors Mrs Hinder, Sellar, Vizzard and Yates disclosed personal interests in the question to be asked of the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture regarding future support for the Maidstone/Beauvais Twinning Association by virtue of being the Council’s representatives on the Executive Committee of the Association.

Councillors FitzGerald, Mrs Joy and Parvin disclosed personal interests in the question to be asked of the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture regarding future support for the Maidstone/Beauvais Twinning Association by virtue of being members of the Executive Committee of the Association.

All Members disclosed personal interests in the report of the Standards Committee relating to the online registration of interests by virtue of being prospective users of the new system.

The Mayor, on behalf of all Members present, disclosed a personal interest in the report of the Standards Committee relating to Members’ Allowances by virtue of them being potential recipients.

Councillor Mrs Hinder disclosed a personal interest in the report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration relating to the adoption of byelaws for the Boxley Warren Local Nature Reserve by virtue of being a member of the Boxley Warren Local Nature Reserve Advisory Committee.

Councillor Greer disclosed a personal interest in his report relating to the adoption of byelaws for the Boxley Warren Local Nature Reserve because he had been co-opted onto the Boxley Warren Local Nature Reserve Advisory Committee to oversee various works at the site.

There were no disclosures of lobbying.

RESOLVED:  That the items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the Borough Council held on 15 December 2010 (Whole Council Elections) be approved as a correct record and signed.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Borough Council held on 15 December 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the Borough Council held on 15 December 2010 (New Executive Arrangements) be approved as a correct record and signed.

The Mayor announced that it had been a privilege, together with the Lord Lieutenant and the Commanding Officer of 36 Engineer Regiment, to receive Her Majesty the Queen on her visit to the Invicta Barracks the previous week.  The Queen had inspected the troops and met injured soldiers and their families.

The Mayor then presided over the presentation of the Award of the Honorary Recorder.  Councillor John Horne, who had devised the Award, marked the occasion with a speech on the history of the judiciary in Maidstone.

Having received the Award from Councillor Horne, the Mayor presented it to His Honour Judge Carey, the Honorary Recorder, who then presented it to students from Chelmsford County High School, the winners of the Regional Final of the Citizenship Foundation Mock Trial Competition held at the Law Courts in January.  The Council congratulated the Chelmsford Team on their achievement, and wished them every success in the national finals of the Competition to be held in Belfast on 12 March.

There were no petitions.

Questions to the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture

Mrs Glenda Goldfinch asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture.

The Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture responded to the question.

Councillor English, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor FitzGerald, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

Mrs Goldfinch asked a supplementary question of the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture.

The Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture responded to the question.

Councillor English, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor FitzGerald, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

Questions to the Leader of the Council

Mr Martin Cox asked a question of the Leader of the Council.

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor FitzGerald, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

Mr Anthony Hill asked a question of the Leader of the Council.

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor FitzGerald, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

Mr Hill asked a supplementary question of the Leader of the Council.

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor FitzGerald, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

(a)  Leader of the Council

(b)  Cabinet Members

(c)  Chairmen of Overview and Scrutiny Committees

(d)  Chairmen of other Committees

Questions to the Leader of the Council

Councillor Horne asked questions and supplementary questions of the Leader of the Council.

The Leader of the Council responded to these questions.

Questions to Cabinet Members

Councillor Mortimer asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Community Services.

The Cabinet Member for Community Services responded to the question.

Councillor FitzGerald asked a question and a supplementary question of the Cabinet Member for Community Services.

The Cabinet Member for Community Services responded to these questions.

There was no report from the Leader of the Council on current issues.

Before calling upon Councillor Garland to move the recommendations of the Cabinet relating to the Budget Strategy - Corporate Revenue and Capital Budgets 2011/12 onwards, the Mayor reminded Members that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.4, each Group Leader could speak for up to ten minutes when moving his/her Group’s budget proposals.

It was moved by Councillor Garland, seconded by Councillor Mrs Ring, that the recommendations of the Cabinet relating to the Budget Strategy - Corporate Revenue and Capital Budgets 2011/12 onwards be approved.

Amendment moved by Councillor Ash, seconded by Councillor Garland, that on Page 132 of Appendix A to the Record of Recommendation of the Cabinet, under Revenue Savings 2011/12 in the Leisure and Culture Portfolio, the saving for Parks and Open Spaces – Mote Park Parking of £15,000 be deleted and Parks and Open Spaces – Increased Income from Other Events of £15,000 be inserted.

AMENDMENT CARRIED

Amendment moved by Councillor Mrs Wilson, seconded by Councillor English, that the recommendations of the Cabinet to the Council relating to the Budget Strategy - Corporate Revenue and Capital Budgets 2011/12 onwards, as amended, be approved subject to the following amendments:-

1.  That £40,000 be provided from revenue for the continuation of the Disabled Travel Voucher Scheme currently administered through Age Concern to be funded by the removal of £27,320 for Pest Control and the removal of £13,020 for Health Promotion from the Environment Revenue Budget.

2.  That £2,000 be diverted from the Gypsy Site Improvements Account in the Regeneration Capital Programme and put towards landscaping and tree planting at the land recently acquired in Chatham Road.

3.  That £250,000 be retained in the High Street Regeneration Budget 2011/12 to promote and pursue the business rate option for funding regeneration projects with central government and to complete any survey work that may still be required for the High Street and that £750,000 be diverted to a renewable energy project and £250,000 to the setting up of a green revolving loan.

The Cabinet Member for Environment advised the Council that he did not consider the first amendment to be necessary.  A report would be submitted to him in the near future regarding the continuation of the Disabled Travel Voucher Scheme until April 2012 funded from balances.

With the agreement of her seconder, Councillor Mrs Wilson withdrew her first amendment.

The second and third amendments were voted on separately as follows:-

SECOND AMENDMENT CARRIED

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 19.4, five Members of the Council requested that a named vote be taken on the third amendment.

FOR (21)

Councillors Beerling, Chittenden, Daley, English, Field, Ms Griffin, Mrs Joy, Marchant, B Mortimer, D Mortimer, Naghi, Paterson, Pickett,

Mrs Robertson, Robertson, Sams, Sellar, Mrs Smith, Warner, Mrs Wilson and J E Wilson.

AGAINST (28)

Councillors Ash, Barned, Mrs Blackmore, Bradshaw, Brindle, Burton, Butler, Garland, Mrs Gibson, Mrs Gooch, Greer, Hinder, Mrs Hinder, Horne, Hotson (The Mayor), Lusty, Nelson-Gracie, Paine, Mrs Parvin, Parvin, Mrs Ring, Ross, Sherreard, Mrs Stockell, Thick, Verrall, J A  ...  view the full minutes text for item 128.

It was moved by Councillor Garland, seconded by Councillor Mrs Wilson, that the recommendation of the Cabinet relating to the Treasury Management Strategy 2011/12 - 2013/14 be approved.

RESOLVED:  That the Treasury Management Strategy for 2011/12 be approved.

It was moved by Councillor Garland, seconded by Councillor J A Wilson, that the recommendations of the Cabinet relating to the Strategic Plan 2011-15 be approved.

RESOLVED:

1.  That subject to the addition of a foreword from the Leader of the Council and an introduction from the Chief Executive, the proposed Strategic Plan 2011-15, attached as an Appendix to the Record of Recommendation of the Cabinet, be adopted.

2.  That the Chief Executive be given delegated authority in consultation with the Leader of the Council to make minor amendments to the document as required.

It was moved by Councillor Greer, seconded by Councillor Mrs Wilson, that the recommendations of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration relating to the adoption of byelaws for the Boxley Warren Local Nature Reserve be approved.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the byelaws for Boxley Warren Local Nature Reserve, attached as Appendix A to the Record of Recommendation of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, be adopted.

2.  That delegated authority be given to the Head of Legal Services to seal and confirm the byelaws following completion of the necessary legal process including the placing of an advertisement in the local newspaper.

3.  That the appropriate Members and Officers be thanked for their work in connection with the making of these byelaws.

It was moved by Councillor Parvin, seconded by Councillor Marchant, that the recommendation of the Standards Committee relating to the online registration of interests be approved.

RESOLVED:  That the use of the Mod.Gov committee administration software to enable all Borough Councillors and Co-opted Members of the Standards Committee to register their interests online and members of the public to inspect the Register of Interests forms online be approved and that the new arrangements be introduced at the start of the new Municipal Year.

It was moved by Councillor Parvin, seconded by Councillor Marchant, that the recommendation of the Standards Committee relating to Members’ Allowances be approved.

RESOLVED:  That the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel on Members’ Allowances for Maidstone Borough Council, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Standards Committee, be approved.

It was moved by Councillor Parvin, seconded by Councillor Sellar, that the recommendations of the Licensing Committee relating to the licensing of sex establishments be approved.

RESOLVED:

1.  That Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as amended by Section 27 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 relating to sex establishments be adopted to take effect from 1 May 2011, which will be the first appointed day as set out in the legislation.

2.  That the Policy for Sex Establishments, including Sex Shops, Sex Cinemas and Sexual Entertainment Venues, attached as Appendix 1 to the report of the Licensing Committee, be adopted with effect from 1 May 2011.

Notice of the following motion has been given by Councillor Garland:-

The Council notes that whilst Maidstone is facing a massive 16.7% reduction in its financial settlement in 2011/12, the UK’s contribution to the European Union (EU) is set to rise by 60% over two years.

This Council notes that, despite the opposition of some parliamentary MPs and MEPs, it is likely that the government will agree to a further 2.9% increase in the overall EU budget.

This Council believes the EU should be treated the same as the other tiers of government and in these austere times should share responsibility, along with central and local government, for public spending reductions.  Sharing the burden would result in less severe cuts for local authorities, and give more assistance to councils to protect front line services.

This Council therefore urges Maidstone’s two MPs not to support an increase in the EU budget.

The Mayor advised the Council that Councillor Garland had withdrawn his motion relating to EU funding.

It was moved by the Mayor, seconded by Councillor Ash, that the recommendations contained in the report of the Head of Democratic Services relating to the absence from Council meetings of Councillor Miss Langley be approved.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the approval of the reason of ill-health for non-attendance at Council meetings by Councillor Miss Langley be confirmed.

2.  That the approval of the reason for absence be reviewed again at the meeting of the Council scheduled to be held on 22 June 2011.

The Mayor announced that this report was for information only.

It was moved by Councillor Mrs Joy, seconded by Councillor FitzGerald, supported by Councillor Horne and:-

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Brian Mortimer be appointed as Mayor Select for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

It was moved by Councillor Lusty, seconded by Councillor Robertson, supported by Councillor Marchant and:-

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Rodd Nelson-Gracie be appointed as Deputy Mayor Select for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

6.30 p.m. to 9.50 p.m.