The Mayor’s Chaplain’s Curate said Prayers.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 July 2015 (Minute Nos. 134 - 141) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 July 2015 (Minute Nos. 135 – 141) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.  Councillor Harrison advised the Cabinet Member for Environmental and Rural Affairs that she had not yet received the briefing note referred to in the answer to Supplementary Question 10 (Minute No.139).

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.

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 Director of Corporate Services as Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

No interests were declared.

The Mayor advised Members of future events.  She encouraged Members to attend the Macmillan Coffee morning in the Staff Room on Friday 25 September 2015 from 10am to 12 noon. She advised Members she would be attending a  presentation ceremony by the Lord-Lieutenant of Kent of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade to be presented to a local company, AbBaltis Ltd, on 30 September 2015, and the Swale Business Awards Gala Dinner at The Barnyard, Upchurch on 9 October 2015.  The Mayor announced that the date of the Swale Civic Ball at the West Faversham Community Centre would be 11 March 2016, and the Faversham Mayor’s Ball at the Alexander Centre, would be on 18 March 2016.

To consider any questions submitted by the public.  (The deadline for questions is 4.30 pm the Friday before the meeting – please contact Democratic Services by e-mailing democraticservices@swale.gov.uk or call 01795 417330).

There were no questions from Members of the Public.

To consider any questions submitted by Members.  (The deadline for questions is 4.30 pm the Wednesday before the meeting – please contact Democratic Services by e-mailing democraticservices@swale.gov.uk or call 01795 417330).

Responses to Council Questions published Tuesday 22 September 2015.

The Mayor advised there were 12 questions, the answers to which have been provided to Members and a copy is attached at Appendix 1 to these Minutes.  The Mayor reminded Members that there was a three minute time limit for supplementary questions and their answers, and invited Members to ask a supplementary question.

Question 1

Councillor Roger Truelove clarified the location of the site and asked the Cabinet Member for Regeneration what type of development he would he like to see at the site?  The Cabinet Member advised he would like to see sustainable development.

Question 2

Councillor Ghlin Whelan asked when any development on site would commence?  The Cabinet Member for Regeneration reiterated his original response that the date would be dependent on the outcome of the planning application to be discussed at Planning Committee on 24 September 2015.

Question 3

Councillor Ghlin Whelan referred to the Minutes of the last Council meeting that advised that the identity of the Cinema Operator would be revealed at the end of August, and asked when there would be more progress?  The Cabinet Member for Regeneration advised that communications were on-going and the Cinema Operator would be releasing a Public Relations statement shortly.

Question 4

Councillor Roger Truelove asked what the cost implications were and whether it was viable to adopt such a drainage scheme?  The Cabinet Member for Environmental and Rural Affairs advised that it was a Kent County Council scheme. He acknowledged there was a drainage problem in Sittingbourne High Street, and sustainable underground drainage with planting and urban design features would enhance the Town Centre.  He did not yet know the costs.

Question 5

Councillor Alan Horton raised his concern that the United Reform Church in Sittingbourne High Street could fall into decay if left empty, and that this would have a negative impact in the Conservation Area. He asked if the building would be brought into the Heritage Centre of the Town?  The Cabinet Member for Regeneration agreed that there were some very interesting buildings in Sittingbourne, some hidden, including the United Reform Church. He compared any possible refurbishment with the pleasing refurbishment of the Magistrates Court, and agreed that the Church should be incorporated into phase 2.

Councillor Roger Truelove corrected the Cabinet Member’s reference to not being approached by the Diocese in his written response, to Synod, and was advised by the Cabinet Member that an approach had not been made by anybody.

Question 6

Councillor Mike Baldock questioned the accuracy of the Conservation Area Management Strategies and their usefulness in decision making, as he considered the plans were out of date.  The Cabinet Member for Planning stated that the plans were a valued resource and gave examples where they had been used in recent development.  He agreed that they had not been updated for some time and should be considered as part of the service  plan after the examination and adoption of the Local Plan.

Question 7

Councillor Mick Galvin thanked the Cabinet Member for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 235.

Members may ask questions on the Leader’s Statement.  (Leader’s Statement added 23 September 2015).

The Leader presented his Statement to Members which gave updates on the Migrant Situation, Police Reform, Medway NHS Foundation Trust and the Local Plan.

Migrant Update

The Leader advised that he had attended a meeting that afternoon and the situation was being constantly updated.  He invited Members to ask questions.

The Leader of the UKIP Group raised an issue about the help being given to genuine Yazidi refugees, and asked for his concerns to be raised to the Prime Minster.  The Leader agreed that it was Yazadi refugees that had the greatest need, and highlighted migrants moving from one EU area to another.  He also spoke of the major issues with unaccompanied minors and those economic migrants from outside of the EU.

The Leader of the Independent Group asked that when the issue was raised with Ministers, the focus should be on Christian refugees not in camps, and asked for the Leader’s views on the numbers of refugees being offered housing?  The Leader agreed and advised that the Government would be concentrating on those authorities with housing stock to assist. To house 100 individuals (30/40 households) equated to three or four per Borough. He advised that since there were approximately 12 million residents at risk in Syria, it would not be logistically possible to move them all, and so assistance should be given to restore order and make lives sustainable in Syria.  Many refugees were unaccompanied young males who would be needed to rebuild their own countries.

The Cabinet Member for Housing suggested that correct resources should be put in place to support those that had suffered from their traumatic experience.

A Member raised the issue that the Government was only taking 20,000 refugees, much less than other countries. The Leader advised that the situation was constantly changing and that the UK had given more in overseas aid than any other nation.

A Member advised that Kent already had approximately 1,100 young people that needed to be housed, and who would need to be looked after until they were 25, so emphasised that Kent were already assisting.  The Leader confirmed Councillor Harrison’s statement that there were 1,141 young people, 741 below the age of 18 and the remainder between 18 to 25.  He also spoke of the extra pressure put on services, such as social workers visiting the children that were placed outside of Kent.

A Member agreed that the best solution was to keep potential refugees in their own country, but also highlighted that equal consideration should be given to all refugees from around the world, not just those currently in the media.  The Leader agreed that he would relay this concern back to Government Ministers.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration spoke of historical refugee situations, how the United Kingdom had always been open to refugees,  and how the Government’s response should be humane and sustainable.  The Leader agreed.

Police Reform

The Leader’s Statement updated Members on the latest Police reform which proposed refining their Local Policing Model to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 236.

The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee introduced the report and invited all Members to attend future Scrutiny Committee meetings.  He thanked everyone for their work on the report, particularly Bob Pullen and David Clifford.  The Leader thanked the Chairman and all Members of the Scrutiny Committee for their work.

A Member spoke of the problems with the Planning Support shared service but also of the success of the Audit shared service.  The Leader stated that the shared service approach in Swale worked well in all services apart from Planning Support and questioned what the alternative may be as funding for services had been reduced.

RESOLVED:

(i)  That the report be noted.

The Chairman of the Policy Development and Review Committee introduced the report.  He thanked Members of the Committee and members of staff, particularly Democratic Services and Bob Pullen.

The Leader of the Independent Group advised that, whilst not a Member of the Committee, he did attend regularly and congratulated the Chairman on a well-run, open and fair Committee. He did, however, consider that the Committee should operate as a scrutiny committee.

The Leader responded that he considered that the Policy Development and Review Committee worked well and there was no need for two scrutiny committees.

RESOLVED:

(i)  The report was noted.

The Cabinet Member for Planning introduced the report and moved the recommendation.  This was seconded by the Leader, and upon being put to the vote was agreed.

RESOLVED:

(i)            That the Council adopts the Swale Borough Council Local Development Scheme April 2015 and it be confirmed that the date it had come into effect was 1 April 2015.