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.  Nobody must leave the assembly point until everybody can be accounted for and nobody must return to the building until the Chairman has informed them that it is safe to do so; 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.

The Chairman outlined the emergency evacuation procedure.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 30 October 2019 (Minute Nos. 328 - 337) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 30 October 2019 (Minute Nos. 328 – 337) 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 (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.

Councillor Ben Martin declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of Appendix II to item 5 (Medium Term Financial Plan and 2020/21 Budget) as he was a Trustee of Faversham Pools.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report which set out the draft 2020/21 revenue and capital budgets and the draft Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

The Cabinet Member reported that the base budget was constricted but that there was the possibility of some expansion from the reserves, although the Council would need to be prudent with its spending.  The Cabinet Member further reported that there was uncertainty around the amount of government funding that would be available with regard to business rates and that the New Homes Bonus funding would be lost.

The Cabinet Member spoke about the pressure on the budget with regard to combatting homelessness in the Borough, and that Members were asked to agree £10m borrowing facility to support affordable housing initiatives.

The Cabinet Member referred to the final sentence of paragraph 2.5 of the Committee report, which referred to £800k previously allocated to support M2 Junction 5 improvements.  The Cabinet Member explained that this money would not be used to fund those improvements but would be used to support the Council’s priorities for the Borough.  He considered it disproportionate of Kent County Council (KCC) to ask the local authority to fund this as highway improvements were the responsibility of KCC and no firm agreement had been made to do so. 

The Cabinet Member proposed the recommendations outlined in the report, and moved the following amendment by addition of a fourth recommendation:

That Members confirm the £800k previously allocated to support M2 Junction 5 improvements be now used to help achieve Council priorities.  This was seconded by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning.  On being put to the vote the recommendation was agreed.

The Cabinet Member for Housing considered that the £10m to support affordable housing initiatives was fairly low compared to the amount other local authorities were borrowing.  He considered this was a prudent strategy, and that the Council would be lobbying Government for long-term funding for housing.

Recommendations:

(1)      That the draft 2020/21 revenue and capital budgets be endorsed.

(2)      That the Medium Term Financial Plan be endorsed.

(3)      That £10m of borrowing facility be allocated to support affordable housing initiatives.

(4)      That the £800k previously allocated to support M2 Junction 5 improvements be now used to help achieve Council priorities.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report which set-out the revenue and capital projected outturn position for 2019/20 as at the end of September 2019.  The total revenue underspend was £5,000 and the capital expenditure was £8,853,740.  The Cabinet Member gave an overview of the report and proposed the recommendations.

The Cabinet Member spoke about the transfer of £500,000 from the general reserve to the Communities Fund, and the transfer of £250,000 from the Kent Pool Economic Development Reserve to the Heritage Strategy and that these were key areas of development for the Council.  He spoke about the Capital Variances on page 38 of the report and welcomed the capital investments from capital receipts rather than from the Communities Fund.

Resolved:

(1)      That the projected revenue underspend on services of £5,000 (Table 1 refers) be noted.

(2)      That the transfer of £500,000 from the General Reserve to the Communities Fund as detailed in paragraph 3.12 be approved.

(3)      That the transfer of £250,000 from the Kent Pool Economic Development Reserve to the Heritage Strategy as detailed in paragraph 3.17 be approved.

(4)      That the capital expenditure of £8,853,740 to end of September 2019 (paragraph 3.19 and Appendix I Table 2 refers) be noted.

(5)      That the capital variances and their funding as detailed in paragraph 3.22 and Appendix I Table 2 be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration introduced the report which sought approval for the award of the Contract for the CCTV control room move and system upgrade, which also included ongoing maintenance of the system, for up-to 5 years.  The Cabinet Member gave an overview of the report and proposed the recommendation.

The Cabinet Member reported that wi-fi would not be provided.

In response to a query from a Member, the Head of Housing, Economy and Community confirmed that due diligence had been carried out on all the contractors that had tendered.  She also confirmed that a specialist on the panel of assessment had confirmed that DSSL Security Ltd met all the technical elements required.  Positive references on their work had been received.

Resolved:

(1)      That the appointment of DSSL Security Ltd as the supplier for the CCTV Control Room Move and System Upgrade from the 16 January 2020 for a period of 3 years with the option to extend by a further 2 years be approved.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning introduced the report to agree the draft Swale Borough-wide Heritage Strategy and its accompanying (3 year period) Draft Action Plan for public consultation purposes.  The Cabinet Member drew attention to a typographical error in paragraph 5.1 of the report, and stated that the public consultation exercise was for 6 weeks not 7 weeks as stated.

The Cabinet Member stated that the Borough had a range of heritage assets including 1,400 listed buildings, 4 registered parks and gardens, 22 scheduled monuments, 50 conservation areas, and many archaeologically important sites.  He explained that the Heritage Strategy would greatly assist the Council in protecting and conserving those heritage assets, which would also help with the development of tourism in the Borough.  The Cabinet Member also spoke about the importance of public engagement on the Strategy.  He thanked the Conservation and Design Manager for his work on the document, and proposed the recommendation in the report.

The Conservation and Design Manager explained that the Heritage Strategy would also support the Council in ensuring it had a sound Local Plan, and would assist in the positive regeneration of neglected areas of the Borough.

Members fully endorsed and supported the document for public consultation.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance moved the following amendment by way of an additional recommendation:  That Councillor Mike Baldock (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning) be Heritage Champion for the Borough of Swale.  This was seconded by the Cabinet Member for Economy and Property.

A Member considered that the proposed 6 week consultation should be over a longer period given that it commenced within the festive period.  The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning assured the Member that they would push hard to promote the consultation early in January 2020.

Resolved:    

(1)      That the draft Heritage Strategy and associated Action Plan be agreed for public consultation.

(2)      That Councillor Mike Baldock (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning) be Heritage Champion for the Borough of Swale.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Property introduced the report which restated the scale and extent of the problem of lorry parking in the Borough, and considered whether the Council should continue to engage with partners, in respect of identifying potential options for lorry parking.  The Member proposed the recommendations.

The Cabinet Member spoke about the pilot enforcement scheme in Ashford which had now concluded, and considered that a county-wide scheme was required.  She explained that resolving the problem was a priority of Swale Council and considered that lobbying central Government for a solution was the way forward.

The Economy and Community Services Manager considered that enforcement and lorry parking were symbiotic, but really it was a Secretary of State issue.

A Member agreed that it was a county-wide issue but given the problems of lorry parking in Swale asked that it remained as a high priority for the Council. 

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Property explained that she would be happy to draft a cross-party letter to the Secretary of State asking for a Kent Wide Scheme.  The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance suggested a way forward may be to put in a motion to the Secretary of State.

A Member welcomed the report, and in particular recommendation (2).  He considered a lorry park close to Brenley Corner at this time could have an adverse impact on potential improvements to Junction 7 of the M2.  

Resolved:

(1)      That the Council maintains its dialogue with the Highway Authorities and other relevant stakeholders to help develop a set of actions to help address lorry parking in the Borough, but would wish to see this come forward as part of a wider strategy for Kent.

(2)      That the Council will not pursue any specific proposals to identify a site for lorry parking close to Brenley Corner.

To-follow paper added 11 December 2019.

Cabinet considered the recommendations from the Local Plan Panel meeting on 27 November 2019 which were tabled.

Resolved:

(1)      That the recommendations in Minute Nos. 378, 379, 380, 381 and 382 be agreed.