Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3HT

Contact: Democratic Services, 01795 417330 

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Items
No. Item

250.

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

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.

 

Minutes:

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

251.

Minutes

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 March 2021 (Minute Nos. 531 – 533) and the Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held on 1 July 2021 (Minute Nos. 124 - 126) as correct records and to accept the Minutes of the following Sub-Committees:

 

17 March 2021 (Minute Nos. 544 – 547)

8 April 2021 (Minute Nos. 614 – 617)

27 April 2021 (Minute Nos. 623 – 626)

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 March 2021 (Minute Nos. 531 – 533) and the Extraordinary Meeting held on 1 July 2021 (Minute Nos. 124 – 126) were taken as read, approved, and signed by the Chairman as correct records.

 

The Minutes of the following Sub-Committees were accepted by the Committee and signed by the Chairman:

 

17 March 2021 (Minute Nos. 544 – 547)

8 April 2021 (Minute Nos. 614 – 617)

27 April 2021 (Minute Nos. 623 – 626)

252.

Declarations of Interest

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 Interests (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 meeting 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.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Cameron Beart declared a Disclosable Non-Pecuniary Interest in respect of item 5 (Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005) and item 6 (Local Area Profile under the Gambling Act 2005), as both items had been considered recently at a meeting of the Queenborough Town Council of which he was a member.  Councillor Beart stated that he had not voted on either item at that meeting.

Part A Minutes for Recommendation to Council

253.

Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005 pdf icon PDF 106 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Licensing Officer introduced the report which presented the draft Statement of Principles for Gambling Act 2005 policy at Appendix I of the report following the public consultation.  The Licensing Officer reported that despite a widespread consultation no responses had been received, which she considered was because they had used a model template recommended by the Gambling Commission which satisfied both operators and members of the public. 

 

The Licensing Officer stated that the Committee were asked to endorse the document and recommend to Council that the draft Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005 be adopted.

 

Recommended:

 

(1)   That Council note that there were no responses to the public consultation on the draft Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005.

(2)   That Council adopt the draft Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005.

254.

Local Area Profile under the Gambling Act 2005 pdf icon PDF 95 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Licensing Officer introduced the report which presented the draft Local Area Profile to the current Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Principles set-out at Appendix I of the report and detailed the consultation response.

 

The Licensing Officer drew attention to Appendix II on page 92 of the report which set-out the two responses received and the Council’s response.  The first response was from Queenborough Town Council who noted and supported the policy.  The second from Gamble Aware who also supported the Policy and provided links and contact details to signpost people to organisations that offered free, confidential advice and support if they had any gambling related problems.  The Licensing Officer reported that the links and contacts had been included in the draft Local Area Profile.

 

The Licensing Officer stated that the Committee were asked to recommend to Council that the draft Local Area Profile be adopted.

 

Recommended:

 

(1)   That Council adopts the Local Area Profile under the Gambling Act 2005.