Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, - Swale House. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services, 01795 417330  Senior Democratic Services Officer

Note: Re-scheduled on 25 January 2017 

Items
No. Item

1206.

Fire Evacuation Procedure

The Chairman will advise the meeting of the evacuation procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. This is particularly important for visitors and members of the public who will be unfamiliar with the building and procedures.

 

The Chairman will inform the meeting whether there is a planned evacuation drill due to take place, what the alarm sounds like (i.e. ringing bells), where the closest emergency exit route is, and where the second closest emergency exit route is, in the event that the closest exit or route is blocked.

 

The Chairman will inform the meeting that:

 

(a) in the event of the alarm sounding, everybody must leave the building via the nearest safe available exit and gather at the Assembly points at the far side of the Car Park; and

 

(b) the lifts must not be used in the event of an evacuation.

 

Any officers present at the meeting will aid with the evacuation.

 

It is important that the Chairman is informed of any person attending who is disabled or unable to use the stairs, so that suitable arrangements may be made in the event of an emergency.

 

Minutes:

The Chairman drew attention to the Fire Evacuation Procedure.

1207.

Minutes

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 January 2017 (Minute Nos. 1109 - 1113) as a correct record.

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 January 2017 (Minute Nos. 1109 – 1113) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

1208.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner.  They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

 

The Chairman will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

 

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote.  This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

 

(b)          Disclosable Non Pecuniary (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

 

(c)          Where it is possible that a fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the facts would conclude that there was a real possibility that the Member might be predetermined or biased the Member should declare their predetermination or bias and then leave the room while that item is considered.

 

Advice to Members:  If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Sarah Aldridge requested that it be recorded that she was a Trustee of Grove Park School, Sittingbourne.

1209.

Property Strategy (including the Community Asset Transfer Policy) pdf icon PDF 77 KB

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance and the Head of Property Services have been invited to attend for this item.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance, and the Head of Property Services to the meeting.  The Chairman advised that the Committee would be considering the draft Property Asset Strategy 2017 – 2020, as part of the three-year cycle; this included the re-write and update of the previous version of the Strategy 2012 – 2015.  The final document would be presented to Cabinet on 15 March 2017.

 

The Cabinet Member drew Members’ attention to page 2 of the report which set-out the key changes between the current document and the previous version.

 

The Head of Property provided some background dates to the process as noted on page 1 of the report and further explained that the Community Asset Transfer Policy was the same version as that reviewed by the Committee in September 2014 as it was out of sync with the Property Asset Strategy.  It would therefore be due for a review in November 2017.

 

The Chairman suggested the Committee went through the document, section-by-section, and he welcomed questions and recommendations.

 

Section 1 – Overarching Strategy (pages 7 – 12 of the report) and Appendix A (page 21)

 

A Member outlined the various different types of organisations which applied for asset transfers, and he considered charitable status to be a real safeguard in the process.  He also stated the importance of the Council empowering organisations to engage with the asset transfer process.

 

In response to questions, the Cabinet Member explained that the Council did assist communities to take-over assets, and that work with limited companies needed to be looked at further by the legal team.  The Head of Property also confirmed that legal advice would need to be sought with regard to the type of organisation the Council went into a long-term lease with.

 

A Member suggested that improved processing of Section 106 Agreements could assist the transfer of assets, with the potential for further funding opportunities for the community group.  The Cabinet Member agreed to look into this further.

 

In response to a question, the Head of Property explained that with regard to repair and maintenance, where Swale Borough Council (SBC) had a liability to repair, a condition survey would be carried out, ideally once a year.  There was a 5-year rolling maintenance programme, with periodic inspections.  When there was a long lease, it was the lease-holders’ responsibility to carry out repairs.

 

A Member considered not enough was made of Council assets.  He considered there should be more information on the assets that had been transferred to community groups or Parish Councils, in Appendix A of the report.

 

Paragraph 1.7.2, Page 10

 

A Member considered that feasibility studies should be carried out throughout the Borough, not only in Sittingbourne town centre.

 

Paragraph 1.8.2, Page 11

 

A Member sought clarification on which councils had invested £800m into Commercial Property.

 

In response, the Cabinet Member saw no reason why the rest of the Borough could not be included in the feasibility studies.  The Head of Property stated that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1209.

1210.

Record of thanks

Minutes:

The Chairman thanked Members, both those at the meeting, and those who could not attend, for their input on the Committee over the past year.  He outlined the policies and strategies that had been considered by the Committee.

 

The Chairman thanked the Policy and Performance Officer for his support throughout the year, and he also thanked the Democratic Services Team.