Agenda, decisions and minutes
Venue: Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone
Contact: Caroline Matthews 01622 602743
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Apologies for Absence Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillors Mrs Joy, Munford and Ross.
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Notification of Substitute Members Minutes: It was noted that Councillor Derek Mortimer was substituting for Councillor Mrs Joy. Councillor Mrs Ring was substituting for Councillor Ross and Councillor Mrs Gooch was substituting for Councillor Munford.
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Urgent Items Minutes: The Chairman indicated
that she intended to take the following agenda items as urgent
items -
Agenda Item 19 -
Report of the Head of Finance and Resources – Medium Term
Financial Strategy 2016/17 Onwards Revised Appendix to Agenda Item 25 – Proposed Senior Officer Leadership Arrangements
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Notification of Visiting Members Minutes: Councillor Perry indicated that he was just observing but reserved his right to speak on any item on the agenda.
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Date of Adjourned Meeting - 5 August 2015 Minutes: The Chairman indicated that the adjourned meeting date had been reserved in the event that the business on the agenda could not be concluded.
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Disclosures by Members and Officers Minutes: The Chief Executive and both Directors disclosed an interest in Agenda Item 24 – Proposed Senior Officer Leadership Arrangements.
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Disclosures of Lobbying Minutes: There were no disclosures of lobbying.
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Exempt Items Minutes: RESOLVED: That the items on Part II of the agenda be taken in private as proposed.
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Minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2015 PDF 56 KB Minutes: RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2015 be approved subject to the insertion of the word ‘some’ before the fourth paragraph of the minute under Annual Performance Report 2014/15.
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Presentation of Petitions (if any) Minutes: There were no petitions.
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Questions and Answer Session for members of the public Minutes: It was noted that no questions had been received from members of the public.
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Additional documents:
Decision: That the Annual Governance Statement and Local Code of Corporate Governance be reviewed and approved prior to signing by the Leader and Chief Executive. Minutes: The Head of Policy and Communications presented her report on the Annual Governance Statement for 2014-15 and the Local Code of Corporate Governance.
Members noted that the
report had been presented to the Audit, Governance and Standards
Committee at its meeting on 20 July 2015 and their changes had been
incorporated within this report.
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Additional documents:
Decision:
1)
That the Quarter 4 Customer Feedback Briefing as set out in
Appendix A to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications
be noted; and 2) That the 2014/15 Customer Feedback Briefing as set out in Appendix B to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications be noted. Minutes: The Policy and
Information Manager presented her report on Customer Feedback
– Quarter 4 of 2014/15 and End of Year 2014/15.
1)
That the Quarter 4 Customer Feedback Briefing as set out in
Appendix A to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications
be noted; and
2)
That the 2014/15 Customer Feedback Briefing as set out in Appendix
B to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications be
noted. Voting: For: 15 Against: 0 Abstentions: 0
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Report of the Head of Policy and Communications - Equality Objectives PDF 88 KB Additional documents:
Decision:
1)
That the progress made on the Equalities Objectives (set in
2012) as set out in Appendix A to the
report of the Head of Policy and Communications be noted;
2)
That the new Equality Objectives and actions as set out in Appendix
B to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications, together
with evidence set out in Appendix C to the report, be approved;
and 3) That an annual report on the objectives be reported to this Committee in April 2016. Minutes: The Policy and
Information Manager presented her report on Equality Objectives for
the period 2015 to 2019.
1)
That the progress made on the Equalities Objectives (set in
2012) as set out in Appendix A to the
report of the Head of Policy and Communications be noted;
2)
That the new Equality Objectives and actions as set out in Appendix
B to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications, together
with evidence set out in Appendix C to the report, be approved;
and
3)
That an annual report on the objectives be reported to this Committee in April
2016. Voting: For: 15 Against: 0 Abstentions: 0
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Report of the Head of Revenues and Benefits - Irrecoverable Business Rates PDF 83 KB Additional documents: Decision: That the unpaid business rates debt as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Head of Revenues and Benefits be approved for write off. Minutes: The Head of Revenues
and Benefits presented his report on the business rates debt
accrued where the council had exhausted all options to collect the
debt and has no prospect of recovery.
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Report of the Communications Manager - Maidstone Borough Council Annual Report PDF 81 KB Additional documents: Decision:
1)
That the Council’s Annual Report 2014-15, as set out in the
revised Appendix circulated as an Urgent Update to the report of
the Communications Manager, be approved for publication on the
Council’s website subject to some amendments made at the
meeting being incorporated;
2)
That the report be advertised in the Borough Update, on the
Council’s social media accounts and through the
Council’s internal communication channels; and 3) That the report be made available on request and for collection at the Council’s receptions.
Minutes: The Head of Policy and
Communications presented the report on the Maidstone Borough
Council – Annual Report 2014-15.
It was proposed by
Councillor Mrs Blackmore and seconded by Councillor Brice that the
last two paragraphs of the introduction as set out on page 3 of the
Appendix be taken out.
RESOLVED:
1)
That the Council’s Annual Report 2014-15, as set out in the
revised Appendix circulated as an Urgent Update to the report of
the Communications Manager, be approved for publication on the
Council’s website subject to some amendments made at the
meeting being incorporated;
2)
That the report be advertised in the Borough Update, on the
Council’s social media accounts and through the
Council’s internal communication channels; and
3)
That the report be made available on request and for collection at
the Council’s receptions. Voting: For: 15 Against: 0 Abstentions: 0
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Report of the Head of Finance & Resources - Revenue & Capital Outturn 2014/15 PDF 95 KB Additional documents:
Decision:
1)
That the provisional outturn for revenue and capital for the
2014-15 financial year be noted;
2)
That the carry forward of grant funding from 2014-15 to 2015-16, as
set out in Appendix II to the report of the Head of Finance and
Resources be noted; and 3) That the provisional funding of capital expenditure in 2014-15 as set out in paragraph 4.3.3 of the report be approved. Minutes: The Director of
Regeneration and Communities presented the report relating to
Revenue and Capital Outturn 2014/15.
1)
That the provisional outturn for revenue and capital for the
2014-15 financial year be noted;
2)
That the carry forward of grant funding from 2014-15 to 2015-16, as
set out in Appendix II to the report of the Head of Finance and
Resources be noted; and
3)
That the provisional funding of capital expenditure in 2014-15 as
set out in paragraph 4.3.3 of the report be approved. Voting: For: 15 Against: 0 Abstentions: 0 |
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Additional documents:
Decision:
1)
That, for planning purposes, a council tax increase of 1.99% be
agreed for the development of the medium term financial
strategy;
2)
That the officer recommended strategic revenue projection as set
out in Appendix C to the report of the Head of Revenues and
Resources be agreed for submission to all Service Committees for
their consideration and respond back to this Committee on the
factors outlined;
3)
That the current capital programme be advanced by one year as set
out in Appendix D to the report and agreed for planning purposes;
and 4) That all Service Committees be requested to consider possible submission for the future capital programme. Minutes: The Director of
Regeneration and Communities presented the report on Medium Term
Financial Strategy 2016/17 Onwards.
1)
That, for planning purposes, a council tax increase of 1.99% be
agreed for the development of the medium term financial
strategy;
2)
That the officer recommended strategic revenue projection as set
out in Appendix C to the report of the Head of Revenues and
Resources be agreed for submission to all Service Committees for
their consideration and respond back to this Committee on the
factors outlined;
3)
That the current capital programme be advanced by one year as set
out in Appendix D to the report and agreed for planning purposes;
and
4)
That all Service Committees be requested to consider possible
submission for the future capital programme. Voting: For: 15 Against: 0 Abstentions: 0 |
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Exclusion of the Public from the Meeting To move that the public be excluded for the items set out in Part II of the Agenda because of the likely disclosure of exempt information for the reasons specified having applied the Public Interest Test.
Head of Schedule 12 A and Brief Description
Minutes: RESOLVED: That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business because of the likely disclosure of exempt information for the reason specified having applied the Public Interest Test:
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Exempt Report of the Property and Procurement Manager - Bus Shelters
Decision:
1)
That the Committee approves the purchase and installation of the
specified range of bus shelters as set out in the exempt report of
the Property and Procurement Manager;
2)
That the Committee approves the purchase and installation of
specified bus shelters in the town centre as set out in the exempt
report of the Property and Procurement Manager;
3)
That the Committee approves the arrangements for selling of
advertising, and maintaining and cleaning shelters as set out in
the exempt report of the Property and Procurement
Manager;
4)
That the Committee approves the inclusion of a profit share option
in the contract as set out in the exempt report of the Property and
Procurement Manager; and 5) Consider a policy for advertising which reflects the Council’s objectives with respect to health and wellbeing and the consequences for revenue and payback for our capital investment. |
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Exempt Report of the Property & Procurement Manager - Maidstone Gateway
Decision:
1)
That the plans for the Gateway contained in the exempt report of
the Property and Procurement Manager be noted and approved;
and 2) That the allocation of £25,000 for the next stage of the Gateway project be approved. Minutes: The Director of Regeneration and Communities presented her exempt report on the Gateway Project.
RESOLVED:
1)
That the plans for the Gateway contained in the exempt report of
the Property and Procurement Manager be noted and approved;
and 2) That the allocation of £25,000 for the next stage of the Gateway project be approved.
Voting: For: 15 Against: 0 Abstentions: 0 |
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Exempt Report of the Property & Procurement Manager - Office Accommodation Strategy
Decision:
1)
That the Committee approves the recommendations of the Montagu
Evans report;
2)
That the Committee approves a budget of £50,000 to
investigate in more detail the three options identified by Montagu
Evans;
3)
That further reports are brought to the Committee at the
appropriate time; and 4) That the informal Member working group continue to meet as and when required. Minutes: The Property and Procurement Manager presented his exempt report on the Office Accommodation Strategy.
RESOLVED:
1)
That the Committee approves the recommendations of the Montagu
Evans report;
2)
That the Committee approves a budget of £50,000 to
investigate in more detail the three options identified by Montagu
Evans;
3)
That further reports are brought to the Committee at the
appropriate time; and 4) That the informal Member working group continue to meet as and when required.
Voting: For: 14 Against: 0 Abstention: 1 |
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Exempt Report of the Chief Executive - Proposed Senior Officer Leadership Arrangements
Additional documents:
Decision:
1)
That the option for future senior leadership arrangements set out
in section 4 and Appendix 4 of the exempt report of the Chief
Executive be agreed for the purpose of formal consultation with
staff affected; and 2) That subsequent to the consultation in 1) above, the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee be authorised to consider the consultation responses and finalise the future senior leadership arrangements for implementation in accordance with the Council’s policies for organisational change and appointment of directors. Minutes: The Chief Executive presented her exempt report on the proposals for future senior leadership arrangements.
Members noted comments
and observations made by the Consultant who had been brought in to
assist the Chief Executive in formulating her proposals.
Voting: For: 5 Against: 10 Abstentions: 0
1)
That the option for future senior leadership arrangements set out
in section 4 and Appendix 4 of the exempt report of the Chief
Executive be agreed for the purpose of formal consultation with
staff affected; and
2)
That subsequent to the consultation in 1) above, the Chief
Executive, in consultation with the Chairman of Policy and
Resources Committee be authorised to consider the consultation
responses and finalise the future senior leadership arrangements
for implementation in accordance with the Council’s policies
for organisational change and appointment of directors. Voting: For: 10 Against: 1 Abstentions: 4 |
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Duration of Meeting Minutes: 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. |