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 Vice-Chairman in the Chair drew attention to the evacuation procedure.

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 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.

Councillor David Simmons declared a Disclosable Non-Pecuniary Interest in respect of the Heritage Lottery Fund for Faversham Recreation Ground Improvement Project, as he was a Trustee of Faversham Municipal Charities.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs

Cabinet considered the report of the Leisure and Technical Services Manager and the above Cabinet Member, which reported the success in the first stage application to the Heritage Lottery Fund ‘Parks for People’ programme, and the awarded £117,800 to develop more detailed plans for the project.  The report requested approval of the terms and conditions, and the drawdown of the funding to progress the project.

The Cabinet Member explained that the Extraordinary Meeting had been called because of the time limit to formally accept the terms and conditions of the grant.  He explained that the deadline for submitting more detailed plans was July 2018, but it was intended to complete this phase before that date.  The Cabinet Member also advised that whilst the terms and conditions were particularly stringent and needed to be followed by officers, use of a project board including a range of officers and the lead Member would ensure these were met.

A Member welcomed the project but raised concern with the consequent additional costs for the upkeep and maintenance of the Recreation Ground in the future.  In response, the Cabinet Member referred to Paragraph 1.1 in the report which stated that the Recreation Ground lease required certain improvement works to be carried out in any case, and he advised that this was a way to finance these works.  He also explained that the project would draw on the development of volunteer programmes to help undertake future maintenance and reduce the burden of possible increased maintenance costs and that the bid itself contained 5 years of maintenance funding.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration congratulated the officers involved in the project, and considered that as the Recreation Ground was looking ‘tired’, this would be an excellent scheme.  He stated that the Council’s Conservation Officer would also need to be involved, as the Recreation Ground was within Faversham Conservation Area.

Resolved:

(1)      That the terms and conditions of the development funding review be agreed.

(2)      That approval be given to the drawdown of £117,800 funding to support the final stage bid development.

Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance

Cabinet considered the report of the Interim Head of Economy and Community Services and the above Cabinet Member, which set out an update on progress of the Great Easthall Community Centre project, and requested authority to award the Superstructure and SIPS contract to the preferred supplier.

The Cabinet Member drew particular attention to Paragraphs 2.8 and 2.9 in the report, and advised that legal advice had been sought on the procurement process, as there had not been any compliant tenders.

Resolved:

(1)      That the appointment of Glosford Timber Solutions Ltd as Superstructure and SIPS Contractor for the Great Easthall Community Centre for £90,565 be approved.