The Chairman will advise the meeting of the evacuation procedures to follow in the event of an emergency.

The Chairman advised Members of the arrangements should a fire alarm sound.

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.

No interests were declared.

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.