Audio Recording

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 ensured that those present were aware of the emergency evacuation procedure.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 24 June 2019 (Minute Nos. 72 - 84) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2019 (Minute Nos. 72 – 84) 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.

During discussion on Item 6 Petition – Extension to Residents’ Parking Scheme, Park Road, Sittingbourne, Councillor Simon Clark declared a non-pecuniary interest as he lived in Park Road, Sittingbourne.

Members of the public have the opportunity to speak at this meeting.  Anyone wishing to present a petition or speak on this item is required to register with the Democratic Services Section by noon on Friday 6 September 2019  Questions that have not been submitted by this deadline will not be accepted.  Only two people will be allowed to speak on each item and each person is limited to asking two questions.  Each speaker will have a maximum of three minutes to speak.

Petitions, questions and statements will only be accepted if they are in relation to an item being considered at this meeting.

The Chairman welcomed the members of the public to the meeting.

Elizabeth Grogan-Cane presented a petition to reduce the speed limit on Plough Road, Eastchurch from the national speed limit to 30mph, and advised that there were 600 signatures on the petition.  She called for slower, safer driving on the Isle of Sheppey, spoke of the risk to residents, tourists and wildlife from fast drivers and urged Members to consider installing speed humps at each end of Plough Road.

Melissa Keefe presented a petition with 190 signatures, on behalf of Shortlands Road Residents Group, to redesign the junction of Shortlands Road and Harold Road, Sittingbourne.  She described how motorists frequently drove the wrong way down the one-way section of Shortlands Road, using it as a short cut, and asked that the curb at Harold Road be extended out to deter the dangerous activity which had caused damage to cars and injuries to people.

The Chairman read out a petition from Jacinta Hernandez, on behalf of the residents of St. Helens Road, Sheerness asking for traffic calming measures to improve road safety in St. Helens Road, Sheerness. The petition referred to incidents of speeding and dangerous driving that had caused damage to vehicles as well as personal injury.  The Chairman advised that 54 out of 69 properties in the road had signed the petition.

An update report following submission of a petition by Councillor Simon Clark at the Swale JTB meeting held on 24 June 2019 and for Members to consider the recommendation to take no further action.

Members considered the report of the Seafront and Engineering Manager provided an update on the petition from residents of Park Road, Sittingbourne which was submitted to the Swale Joint Transportation Board (JTB) meeting held on 24 June 2019.

There was a short break whilst Members considered the tabled update.

Members referred to the consultation carried out to seek residents’ views to extend the residents’ parking scheme in Park Road, from the junction with Valenciennes Road south to the junction with Gore Court Road/Ufton Lane.  In the debate that followed the following points were raised:

·         There was a strong steer in support of extending the residents parking scheme;

·         there were strong views on both sides, dependent on which part of the road a resident lived;

·         implementation of the scheme might displace parking;

·         the strongest views came from those affected more;

·         many residents were against extending the scheme but more were in favour; and

·         different parts of Park Road experienced parking issues at different parts of the day.

Several Members spoke against the officer recommendation and on being put to the vote, the recommendation was refused.

Councillor Mike Baldock proposed that the Residents’ Parking Scheme in Park Road, Sittingbourne be extended as far as the Ufton Lane junction, and a further consultation be carried out to include this proposal. On being put to the vote, Members agreed.

Recommended to Cabinet:

(1)  That Members note the report and a further consultation with residents to include extending the Residents’ Parking Scheme in Park Road, Sittingbourne as far as the junction with Ufton Lane, Sittingbourne be carried out.

A report on any formal objections received to the latest advertised Traffic Regulation Order and for Members to agree to progress, abandon or alter the length of the restriction, as per the recommendations in (a) to (e), dependent on consultation responses.

Members considered the report of the Seafront and Engineering Manager which provided details of objections received to the recently advertised Traffic Regulation Order, Swale Amendment 7, which covered various amendments to on-street waiting restrictions in the Borough.

(a)  Church Road, Eastchurch

There was no discussion.

(b)  Cormorant Road, Iwade

A Member commented that implementing the scheme might displace parking nearby.  Councillor Mike Baldock proposed and Parish Councillor Richard Palmer seconded that the scheme be abandoned.  On being put to the vote, Members agreed to abandon the scheme.

(c)  The Mall, Faversham

Eleanor Jupp, local resident, spoke against the waiting restrictions and KCC scheme at The Mall Faversham, highlighting the difficulty for all ages in crossing the road safely. She suggested that further time and consideration should be given to develop a more effective solution to the current proposal.  In the debate that followed Members made points including:

·         A more suitable location should be sought;

·         more input and consultation from local residents was required;

·         the road would become even busier when the proposed housing nearby was built;

·         a more user-friendly, revised scheme should be progressed;

·         further consultation and survey work was necessary; and

·         cars approaching the area should be slowed down in advance to support any proposed scheme.

Councilllor Mike Baldock proposed, and Councillor Benjamin A Martin seconded that the waiting restrictions and KCC Scheme be abandoned and a further consultation on a workable scheme should be carried out.

(d)  Gore Court Road/Whitehall Road, Sittingbourne

Members highlighted the dangerous junction and poor sightlines in the location and encouraged parking enforcement in the area.

County Councillor John Wright proposed, and Councillor Mike Baldock seconded an amendment to the proposal to install double yellow lines on the junction of Gore Court Road and Whitehall Road, Sittingbourne, in Gore Court Road for a distance of 10 metres east and 15 metres west of its junction with Whitehall Road and by 10m into Whitehall Road from its junction with Gore Court Road, Sittingbourne.  On being put to the vote, Members agreed the amendment to the proposal.

(e)  Conyer Road, Teynham

The Seafront and Engineering Manager gave an update and advised that following formal objections, he was waiting for the results of KCC’s Traffic Scheme’s sweep path analysis of the junction. He confirmed that he had not received any comments from the Parish Council.

County Councillor Andrew Bowles proposed that the proposal be considered after the results of the sweep path analysis had been received.  On being put to the vote, Members agreed.

Recommended to SBC Cabinet:

(a)  That the proposed double yellow lines in Church Road, Eastchurch be progressed as detailed in the Traffic Regulation Order.

(b)  That the proposed double yellow lines in Cormorant Road, Iwade be abandoned.

(c)  That the proposed waiting restrictions and KCC Scheme in The Mall, Faversham be abandoned, and a further consultation on a workable scheme be carried out.

(d)  That the proposed double yellow lines on the junction of Gore Court Road and Whitehall Road, Sittingbourne be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 207.

The Chairman stated that if Members had questions, they should contact the relevant KCC Officer whose contact details were on the report.

There was a general discussion on how to improve communication between Members and KCC Officers, and a Member said that responses from questions raised at the Swale JTB meeting, were not always received. He highlighted the delay in written updates on the Progress Update report.  Several Members praised the District Manager (Swale) for his assistance in passing information on.

The District Manager (Canterbury) advised that she could take any questions back to officers.  A Kent County Councillor explained that general issues could be reported on KCC’s website and said that County Councillors would assist with progressing issues. The Vice-Chairman agreed to raise the issue of poor communication at the Growth and Economic Committee meeting.

The Chairman advised that she would arrange to meet with the Vice-Chairman of the Swale JTB and KCC’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to discuss progress on items and communication with Members.

Resolved:

(1)  That the report be noted.

To consider the Progress Update which outlines progress made following recommendations and agreed action at previous meetings.

Resolved:

(1)  That the report be noted.

A newsletter with an update on Lower Road, Minster will be circulated to Members prior to the meeting.

Members confirmed that the newsletter had been circulated.

The next meeting will be held at 5.30pm on Monday 2 December 2019.

The next meeting of the Board would be at 5.30pm on Monday 2 December 2019.  The Chairman advised that a request for future Agenda items would be circulated to Members, and at the request of the Vice-Chairman, circulated to Parish Councils.