Updated report added to agenda 28 October 2019.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report which invited Cabinet to consider the proposals for the level of fees and charges to be levied for the next financial year 2020/21.   He explained that, as far as possible, the Council was trying to maintain the status quo.  The Cabinet Member highlighted the following: the proposal to increase the pre-application planning advice charges for large planning applications; that there was no inflationary increase proposed for burial charges; and that the long stay multi-storey car park charges in Sittingbourne would be reduced from £15 per day to £7 per day.

In response to a question as to whether the Council could increase planning fees, the Chief Financial Officer explained that the pre-application planning advice charges, as set-out on page 7 of the report, were not laid down by statute.  He advised that Swale Borough Council (SBC) were towards the top chargers within the Kent Councils, and the level of charge was down to Members’ discretion.  There had been a concern that if the charge was too high, it could cut off income coming to the Council.

A Member considered there should be an hourly charge for officers time in relation to pre-application planning advice.  The Member also sought clarification that the proposed reduction of the multi-storey car park daily charge to £7 did not conflict with any agreement previously made with the hotel or cinema operators.  The Head of Commissioning, Environment and Leisure confirmed that this did not conflict with the pre-lease agreement and the charge was in-line with other day car park charges in Sittingbourne.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing proposed the following amendment:  that the charges for pre-application advice for very large major and major planning applications be increased in-line with the highest in Kent.  The Chief Financial Officer said that officers would look into what other Kent authorities charged, prior to this report being considered by the Scrutiny Committee, and then forming part of the recommendation going to Full Council on 13 November 2019.

Members spoke in support of the proposal.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Property also requested that an hourly rate for officers time be included on the schedule, in order to gain more income.  A Member queried the impact this could have on Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs) that had been negotiated.

The Director of Regeneration confirmed that more information would be sought to clarify the impact on PPAs.

Recommended:

(1)       That the proposed fees and charges 2020/21 as set-out in the report for submission to Council be approved, subject to the following amendments:  that the charges for pre-application advice for very large major and major planning applications be increased in-line with the highest in Kent, and that an hourly rate for officers time be included on the schedule.