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; 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 fire evacuation procedure.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 31 August 2016 (Minute Nos. 838 - 849) as a correct record.

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 31 August 2016 (Minute Nos. 838 – 849) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record subject to the following amendment to Minute No. 843, Recommendation (i) ‘…..and ensure that the Project Management discipline is recognised.

Post meeting note

Cabinet considered the Scrutiny Committee recommendations at their meeting on 5 October 2016 including the recommendation as originally minuted.

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.

No interests were declared.

The Committee is asked to consider the Financial Management Report April – June 2016.

The Chairman welcomed the Head of Finance to the meeting.  Apologies had been received from Councillor Duncan Dewar-Whalley.

The Head of Finance introduced the report which set-out the capital projected outturn for 2016/17 as at end of June 2016.  He reported that the total revenue projected underspend on services was forecast to be £199,000. 

The Chairman invited Members to consider the report page-by-page.

Members made comments and asked questions as follows: suggested the format of the tables be amended to three columns showing the Actuals, Balance and Variance, this would make it more reader-friendly; noted the £119,000 overspend for homelessness in relation to net bed and breakfast budget, and requested that the Task and Finish Group reviewing housing services take account of this in their review as the figures for homelessness will make it look like the homelessness situation had not got worse when it had; seemed impossible not to have any variance on  MKIP; an explanation for the £5k overspend for enforcement salaries; query the £100k fee for net pressure for planning fees; an explanation for the private sector housing £11k underspend due to maternity leave; an explanation for the £52k estimated contract cost savings; request feedback that the £20,000 consultancy support for renegotiation of Grounds Maintenance contract did save the Council money; and request information on why there were already so many staffing overspends.

There was some discussion about Table 4 on page 8 of the report which provided details of the outturn position on improvement and regeneration funds.  The Head of Finance explained what each fund covered and drew attention to Appendix I of the report which detailed the allocations from each fund during 2016/17.   He stated that the transformation project was a two-year project and the full cost for it was likely to increase. 

Some Members considered that the £49,000 website re-design was excessive.  The Head of Finance stated that there had been a lot of discussion about the provision of this which would also allow for smarter digital services.  He agreed to forward the justification information he had received to the Committee. 

In response to queries about the Transformation project, the Head of Finance advised that this was separate from the Transformation Challenge Award which was receiving funding from Central Government.  The Transformation project was looking at the Council’s services and looking at how they could be handled more efficiently and where possible digitally.  The project was being managed by internal officers.

The Head of Finance undertook to provide written answers to the questions raised by Members at the meeting.

The Chairman thanked the Head of Finance for attending the meeting.

The Committee is asked to review the updated log of recommendations.

The Policy and Performance Officer introduced the report and highlighted that all six of the recommendations were from a single review completed early in 2015.

Resolved:

(1)  That the report be noted.

The Committee is asked to consider updates on other reviews:

·         Development Management;

·         Leisure and Tourism (report to-follow);

·         Housing Services

To-follow report published 7 October 2016.

Tabled paper for Housing Services item published 14 October 2016.

Leisure and Tourism review – Draft report by the Task and Finish Group

The Chairman drew attention to the Leisure and Tourism draft report and invited the Review Coordinator to introduce the item.

The Review Coordinator introduced the report which outlined the findings of the Task and Finish Group to establish whether the Council was making the most of Swale’s leisure and tourism offer in order to encourage people to visit the Borough.  He drew attention to paragraph 5.1 of the report which focused on how important tourism was to the Borough and it’s economy and that it supported 7% of the total employment in Swale.  The Review Coordinator spoke about the importance of branding Swale and whether this should be as a single designation or whether to separate Faversham, Sheppey, Sittingbourne, plus the villages and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  

The Review Coordinator noted that over 65% of visitors to Swale were from people visiting family, so it was important also to promote tourism in Swale to local people.  He noted the strong response from those working within the tourism industry about the importance of Councillors working together and with local groups to improve local tourism.

The Review Coordinator explained that the Policy and Performance Officer and himself had visited Tendring District Council and Maldon District Council.  He considered that as authorities they were both doing more than Swale to promote tourism.  In response to queries, the Review Coordinator explained that Tendering were heavily marketing and promotion the two-day Clacton Air Show, and also Harwich which had an attractive historic town centre. 

Members raised the following points: full and useful report; report did not give enough ‘weight’ to things already being done in Faversham, particularly by Visit Faversham.  It also did not acknowledge the work undertaken by volunteers.

The Review Coordinator considered that the report did acknowledge tourism work already being undertaken, particularly in Faversham.  He added that the purpose of the report was to expand on the good work that was already happening. 

The Review Coordinator drew attention to the recommendations outlined in the report.  Members considered each recommendation separately, raising comments and suggesting amendments as necessary.   

There was some discussion about branding and the following points were raised: Faversham already had its own branding ‘Market Town of Kings’; the branding should be aimed at what Swale had to offer as a whole and not by separating the areas; suggested focusing on history, tranquil and active – Swale rather than places; and did not matter which area an attraction comes from, it was more about how it was ‘packaged’.

The Policy and Performance Officer advised that branding was likely to be included within the Visitor Economy Strategy was currently listed on the Forward Plan for consideration by Cabinet in 2017. 

The Chairman and Members applauded the Review Coordinator and members of the Task and Finish Group for the “exceptional” report.  The Chairman stated that he looked forward to the Cabinet response.

Development Management

The Chairman, also the Review  ...  view the full minutes text for item 934.

The Committee is asked to review and discuss the Committee’s Work Programme for the remainder of the year.

Tabled Briefing Note on empty homes published 14 October 2016.

The Policy and Performance Officer introduced the report which set-out the suggestions made at the meeting on 9 June 2016 to help the Committee to select and prioritise what reviews might be taken forward. 

The Policy and Performance Officer drew attention to Appendix I of the report, which set out possible review activity for 2016/17, as well as existing reviews.  He stated that the Committee would be reviewing the Fees and Charges for Council Services at their next meeting on 16 November 2016. 

A Member suggested the Committee should prepare to review Street Cleansing as soon as possible in the new Municipal Year.  He stated that this would allow time to agree the scope of the review in principle.  This was agreed by Members.

The Policy and Performance Officer drew attention to the tabled report from officers in Resident Services, which provided a response to a request the Committee made at a previous meeting on Empty Homes which the Committee previously reviewed in 2013.

A Member requested that the item be considered at a future meeting and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Wellbeing and the Revenues and Benefits Manager – Technical & Financial be invited to attend.

Resolved: 

(1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That a review of Street Cleansing be commenced February/March 2017.

(3)  That Empty Homes be considered at a future meeting and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Wellbeing and the Revenues and Benefits Manager – Technical & Financial be invited to attend.

The Committee is asked to consider any requests from Committee Members to commence a review.

There were no urgent business requests.

The Committee is asked to consider the Forward Plan with a view to identifying possible items for pre-decision scrutiny.

Updated Forward Plan published 14 October 2016.

The Chairman drew attention to the updated version of the Forward Plan which was tabled for Members.

Resolved: 

(1)  That the Forward Plan be noted.