To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 9 February 2022 (Minute Nos. 579 - 586) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 9 February 2022 (Minute Nos. 579 - 586) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

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 Interests (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 meeting 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.

Councillor Julian Saunders declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of Item 15 – Recommendations for Approval from the Swale Joint Transportation Board, as he was Chair of the Faversham Town Council Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan working group.

Councillor Monique Bonney declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of Item 6 Proposed Rodmersham Church Street Conservation Area as she was chair of Rodmersham Parish Council.

The Chairman announced there would be a change to the order of the Agenda, moving Item 10 – Levelling-up Fund Business Case Development to the end of the Agenda so that Members could discuss the Exempt Appendix in conjunction with the report.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing introduced the report which sought to agree the award of contract for the design and installation of a new play area at Millfield Open Space Faversham.

Members spoke positively about the scheme and the benefits it would bring to the wider community and highlighted that in being Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant, it would encourage visitors from outside Faversham.  A Member drew attention to paragraph 2.8 of the report and was pleased that the chosen company was not the cheapest but offered the best quality.

Members congratulated the Cabinet and Deputy Cabinet Member and the staff involved.

Resolved:

(1)  That company B be awarded the contract for the design and installation of a new play area at Millfield Open Space Faversham.

The Conservation and Design Manager introduced the report which proposed the designation of a new Conservation Area following the recent Conservation Area review of Rodmersham. He said that following an assessment, the area possessed the appropriate qualities to be considered as a Conservation Area.

The Conservation and Design Manager explained that a public consultation had been carried out and the responses were included on pages 23 to 37 of the report.  As a result of the responses, the proposed boundary designation had now been extended to include Ashgores House.

Members spoke in support of the new Conservation Area designation.

The Cabinet Member for Planning advised Members that hard copies of information documents on individual Conservation Areas in Swale were being produced and would be available at a cost, and he praised the quality of the publications.

Resolved:

(1)      That the content of the public consultation draft of the character appraisal and management strategy document produced for the assessment relating to the proposed new conservation area, and the representations made on this by interested parties, the details of which are set out in the report appendices be noted.

(2)      That the changes to the assessment document proposed by officers in response to the representations received during the course of the public consultation be agreed.

(3)      That it be agreed that in light of 1 and 2 above, that the area in question is of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, and that as such, that it should be designated as a conservation area in accordance with section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, 1990.

(4)      That it be agreed that in light of 1 and 2 above, that the boundary to the proposed new conservation area be re-drawn as indicated in the amended character appraisal and management plan document, and that this document for the proposed new conservation area be formally adopted for development management purposes.

(5)      That it be agreed that the proposed new conservation area should be formally known/referenced as the Rodmersham Church Street Conservation Area.

The Cabinet Member for Environment introduced the report which sought Members’ approval of the refreshed Environmental Enforcement and Prosecution policy.  He said that it provided a consistent, efficient approach to enforcement and was an improvement on the previous out-of-date policy.

Resolved:

(1)          That the refreshed Environmental Enforcement and Prosecution Policy be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing introduced the report which provided an update of progress of the Health and Wellbeing Improvement Plan and sought approval of the 2022/23 action plan proposals. 

The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing stressed the importance of district Councils building relationships  and working in partnership with the NHS.  She said there needed to be an increased awareness and acceptance of responsibility and health providers welcomed the input from district councils.  The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing spoke of the need to address childhood obesity and said it was important that information was accessible to those that needed it.  She drew attention to the proposal to provide an online catalogue of services at paragraph 2.5 of the report.  Finally, she thanked the Deputy Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, the Health and Wellbeing Officer and the Community Team for their input.

In the discussion that followed Members said the issues of health and wellbeing crossed into all other portfolios.

Members all spoke in support of proactive partnership working and congratulated the Cabinet and Deputy Cabinet Members for Health and Wellbeing, and officers, for their work on the ongoing project.

Resolved:

(1)  That the progress to date be noted and the Health and Wellbeing Improvement Plan 2022/23 be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Community introduced the report which provided a background to parking arrangements in Swale Borough Council car parks and sought approval to award the 7-year contract to replace off-street car parking units.

The Cabinet Member for Community stressed that the contract offered many different payment options, including the ability to pay by cash.  He referred to the evaluation scores at paragraph 2.19 on page 128 of the report and said Supplier A offered good value and quality. 

In response to a Member’s question on whether a paper ticket would be provided, the Head of Environment and Leisure explained that the new units would continue to provide a paper ticket. The same Member said that the current trial units in Faversham were out of order earlier in the day.  The Head of Environment and Leisure explained that the replacement units reported far fewer faults during the trial than the previous units.

Resolved:

(1)   That the contract for off-street car park pay units be awarded to Supplier A with a lifetime value of £902,685.14 for the supply and installation of 38 units and associated maintenance and payment processing for 7 years, with an option to extend for a further 7 years.

(2)   That delegated authority be given to the Head of Environment and Leisure and Head of Legal, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community, to complete the contract award.

The Leader introduced the report which set out the revenue and capital projected outturn position for 2021/22 based on service activity up to the end of December 2021.

The Leader highlighted there was a projected revenue underspend of £99k.  The £1million that had been set aside for the Covid19 Pandemic pressures that occurred in Housing, Planning, and Environment and Leisure had not been required this year as they were offset by underspends across our services.

The Leader drew attention to the compensation payment to the bus companies that was agreed in 2017, as a result of the disruption caused when highways works were being carried out as part of the Spirit of Sittingbourne Scheme.  He explained this would be funded from the Kent Pool Economic Development Business Rates reserve as it was a cost associated with the regeneration project.

Referring to the Covid Recovery Fund, the Leader said that money from the fund had not been used for revenue spending but would be needed to finance impacts from the Covid-19 Pandemic and there would still be a substantial balance on the fund which would be carried forward.

The Leader reminded Members that £1.6million would be needed to balance the revenue budget in 2022/23 which would be drawn from the budget contingency reserve as highlighted in paragraph 3.10 of the report.

The Leader said that reserves would continue to be rationalised to free up any funds no longer needed and funding from the Government was still expected to cover part of the losses incurred in Fees and Charges during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Resolved:

(1)   That the projected revenue underspend of £99,000 be noted.

(2)   That the funding from the Covid Recovery Fund towards the schemes detailed in paragraph 3.9 be approved.

(3)   That the funding of the bus compensation from the Kent Pool Economic Development Business Rates reserve as shown in Corporate Items Appendix I Table 6 be approved.

(4)   That the creation of the Budget Contingency reserve and delegated authority of the Director of Resources to rationalise reserves that are no longer required as detailed in paragraph 3.10 of the report be approved.

(5)   That the change to the capital funding as detailed in paragraph 3.14 of the report be approved.

(6)   That the capital expenditure of £3,997,700 as detailed in paragraph 3.15 and Appendix I Table 7 of the report be noted.

(7)   That the capital variances and their funding as detailed in paragraph 3.15 and Appendix I Table 7 of the report be noted.

(8)   That the additional Government funding received by the Council in response to the Covid-10 Pandemic as detailed in paragraph 3.3 of the report be noted.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Property introduced the report which sought agreement for the award of tenders for repairs to Swale House.  She said the costs included professional fees and a contingency fund.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Property said there had been no upgrading of Swale House for many years and it was important to maintain the building to offer opportunities to other employers to use the space in the future.

The Cabinet Member for Climate and Ecological Emergency spoke in support of the refurbishment project and in response to his question on what the expected carbon reduction and energy cost reduction, as a result of the repairs, the Cabinet Member for Economy and Property agreed to find out and notify him.

A Member spoke in support of the scheme and in improving working conditions for staff.

Resolved:

(1)   That the appointment of Company A & Company G for Swale House Windows & Roof Finishes Replacement PSSC048A807 from March 2022 at values of £314,774.00 & £1,271,429.60 respectively be approved.

(2)   That the recommendations in respect of the revised proposed works and award of tender(s) as set out in the evaluation document be agreed.

(3)   To delegate the award of contracts to the Director of Resources and Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods in consultation with the Portfolio Holder.

(4)   That any underspend up to the approved sum of £1.9 million to be allocated for future internal refurbishment/ decoration works be agreed.

The Leader introduced the report which sought to agree to move the Revenues and Benefits service from Civica Document Management System to Information@work, hosted through Maidstone Borough Council.

Resolved:

(1)  That the proposal to move the Revenues and Benefits service from the Civica Document Management System to Information@Work hosted through Maidstone Borough Council be agreed.

Resolved:

(1)  That the recommendations in Minute Nos. 609 and 610 be agreed.

To-follow report added 15 March 2022.

Resolved:

(1)  That the recommendations in Minute Nos. 634 and 636 be agreed.

To decide whether to pass the resolution set out below in respect of the following item:

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act:

3.  Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Resolved:

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The Leader introduced the report which set out and sought approval to agree the project proposals for the Levelling-Up Fund bid for the Sheerness Revival, and sought approval to delegate authority to submit the final business case.  In addition, the report sought approval for the contribution of Bridge Road car park and the Old Library as match funding within the business case.

The Leader said that Government had not yet announced the launch date for round 2 of the Levelling-Up Fund but this was expected by Spring 2022.  He praised the content of the bid.

Resolved:

(1)   That the Sheerness Revival Levelling-Up Fund project proposals be approved and delegated authority for the submission of the final business case for round 2 of the government’s Levelling-Up Fund be given to the Director of Regeneration and Neighbourhoods in consultation with the Leader.

(2)   That the contribution as the disposal of the Bridge Road car park and Old Library building in Sheerness as match funding within the business case be approved.