The Leader opened the Cabinet Meeting for Swale, and welcomed Members and Officers from Swale, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils to the co-located meeting.  The Chairman of Maidstone Borough Council’s Communities, Housing and Environment Committee opened their meeting, as did the Vice-Chairman of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s Cabinet.

The Mid Kent Environmental Health Manager introduced the report, advising that since the joint service had been formed in 2014, it had delivered its business case and demonstrated resilience, savings and service quality.  There were many challenges ahead and the proposal for a single employer would help the service to continue to deliver their objectives.  No changes were proposed to the structure of the team and she outlined the reasons, as set out in the report, for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to become the single employing authority.

Members of each authority were given the opportunity to ask questions, during which it was confirmed that there would be no reduction in the level of service as a result of the proposals. 

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs proposed the recommendations in the report, which were seconded by the Leader and then put to the vote.

After being proposed and seconded, Maidstone Borough Council’s Communities, Housing and Environment Committee put the recommendations to the vote.

After being proposed and seconded, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s Cabinet put the recommendations to the vote.

Resolved:

(1) That staff within the Mid Kent Environmental Health Service move to a single employing authority from 1 June 2017.

(2) That Tunbridge Wells Borough Council becomes the single employing authority for the Mid Kent Environmental Health Service.

(3) That delegated authority is given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs, to finalise the arrangements and sign any documents necessary to implement the decision.