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 drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 3 October 2018 (Minute Nos. 255 - 263) as a correct record.  Minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 3 October 2018 (Minute Nos. 255 – 263) 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.

No interests were declared.

The Committee is asked to consider the proposals.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance, the Deputy Cabinet Members for Finance and Performance, the Chief Financial Officer and the Head of Commissioning, Environment and Leisure have been invited to attend the meeting for this item.

The Chairman welcomed the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance, the Deputy Cabinet Members for Finance and Performance, the Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Communities, the Chief Financial Officer and the Head of Commissioning, Environment and Leisure to the meeting. 

The Chairman advised that the report had been considered by Cabinet the previous week, and would be considered by Council the following week.  He suggested that the Scrutiny Committee should focus its attention on Appendix I in the report which were areas where the Council had some discretion on charges. Appendix II listed the fees and charges set by Government which Swale Borough Council had no discretion over.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance introduced the report which invited the Scrutiny Committee to consider the proposals for the level of fees and charges to be levied for the next financial year 2019/20. He referred to the commentary provided in Appendix I which should assist the Committee in its consideration of the proposed fees and charges.

The Chairman invited Members to ask questions on the fees and charges set out in Appendix I, which was considered page-by-page.

Page 11

The Chairman invited the Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Communities to explain the rationale behind the charging regime for Bourne Place Multi-Storey Car Park.  In doing so, the Cabinet Member referred to the new technology that would be in place, and reminded the Committee that all Council car parks were free between 6pm and 8am. 

In response to questions:

·         The Cabinet Member clarified why it would not be possible to have the free concession for disabled drivers at Bourne Place, as with an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and barrier system there was no way of validating blue badges.  However, more disabled spaces would be made available in the Forum car park to compensate for this.

·         Members were advised that there would be a ‘help’ system should the automatic barrier fail.

·         The Head of Commissioning, Environment and Leisure clarified that the charging structure proposed was to keep it in-line with other short-stay Council car parks although it was possible that real-time tariffs rather than hourly slots could be looked at in the future. 

·         In respect of the number of long-term parking spaces in Sittingbourne, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Communities advised that in the short term there would be a surplus of spaces, referring to the current provision at Cockelshell Walk and Spring Street Car Parks.  In the long-term, Albany Road car park would be changed to a long-stay car park and there was an increase in car parking spaces at the train station.

Page 12

In response to a question regarding long-stay car park charges, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Communities explained that the car park charges were cheaper in Cockleshell Walk (than in Faversham) to encourage its use.

Page 13

In response to a question regarding the charge to close parking bays for events or  ...  view the full minutes text for item 315.

The Committee is asked to consider the Performance Monitoring Report for the 1^st Quarter.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance, the Deputy Cabinet Members for Finance and Performance and the Business Improvement Officer (Policy) have been invited to attend the meeting for this item.

The Chairman explained that the Business Improvement Officer (Policy) was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, and welcomed the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance and the Deputy Cabinet Members to the meeting.

The Deputy Cabinet Member for Performance reminded the Committee that the report was for the first quarter, and that the second quarter would be considered at the next Scrutiny Committee meeting.

Members considered the reports page-by-page and the Deputy Cabinet Member for Performance introduced each balanced scorecard, and answered Members’ questions.  The Deputy Cabinet Member agreed to provide further information on how the risk scores for homelessness and cyber security had been calculated (Corporate Overview Scorecard).

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member for Performance and Finance and his Deputy Cabinet Members for attending the meeting.

To receive a written update.

The Committee considered the written update.  The Chairman asked Members to send questions for the next meeting to Democratic Services.

Resolved:

(1) That the report be noted.

The Committee is asked to consider updates on other reviews.

Reports published 30 October 2018.

The Chairman drew attention to the update provided in respect of the review of Regeneration Schemes (other than Sittingbourne Town Centre).  The Lead Review Member suggested that the review should be deferred until after the elections in May 2019, and Members concurred with this view.

In respect of the review of Development Management, the Lead Review Member advised that a meeting would be taking place with officers in the Planning Department.  He would give an update at the next Scrutiny Committee meeting, and hoped that the review would conclude by the end of the civic year.

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

The Chairman drew attention to the updated Forward Plan which had been tabled.

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 note the Committee’s Work Programme (attached) for the remainder of the year.

The Chairman drew attention to the Committee’s work programme, and advised that a revised date was being looked at for the March 2019 meeting.  He also suggested that utility companies should be invited to that meeting.