Visitors and members of the public who are unfamiliar with the building and procedures are advised that:

(a)      There is no scheduled test of the fire alarm during this meeting. If the alarm does sound, please leave the building quickly without collecting any of your possessions, using the doors signed as fire escapes.

(b)      Assemble outside where directed. Await instructions before re-entering the building.

(c)      Anyone who requires assistance in evacuating the building, should make themselves known during this agenda item.

The Chair read out the emergency evacuation procedure.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their families or friends.

The Chair will ask Members if they have any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) or disclosable non-pecuniary interests (DNPIs) to declare in respect of items on the agenda. Members with a DPI in an item must leave the room for that item and may not participate in the debate or vote. 

Aside from disclosable interests, where a fair-minded and informed observer would think there was a real possibility that a Member might be biased or predetermined on an item, the Member should declare this and leave the room while that item is considered.

Members who are in any doubt about interests, bias or predetermination should contact the monitoring officer for advice prior to the meeting.

Councillor Tony Winckless disclosed non-pecuniary interests as a Trustee of Milton Regis Society and Milton Creek Country Park.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 23 February 2023 (Minute Nos. 709 – 717) and the Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 May 2023 (to follow) as correct records.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 23 February 2023 (Minute Nos. 709 – 717) and the Meeting held on 17 May 2023 (Minutes Nos. 41 – 42) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as correct records.

Each Sittingbourne Area Committee Councillor introduced themselves.

The Policy & Engagement Officer introduced the report which would also be going to the Full Council meeting on 21 June 2023. The report provided background information about the Area Committees and described how they had evolved since their inaugural meetings in September 2020.

One of the objectives of the Administration formed in 2019 was to diffuse power amongst Members and improve public engagement in decision-making and, Area Committees were set up to help achieve this objective. The meetings provided people in the community with the opportunity to speak directly to their local councillors and raise issues that were a concern in the area. They were also a useful way to provide updates on projects coming up in the area and to consult with the community.

Meetings during the first year of Area Committees took place during the pandemic when it was not possible to meet face-to-face, but the ability to attend remotely proved very popular.  Many people were keen to continue attending the meetings remotely, so it was decided to trial hybrid meetings in community venues. The ‘Owl’ was therefore purchased and provided there was reliable Wi-Fi at the venues, the meetings could be attended either in person or remotely.

For the first three years, Area Committees were allocated funding.  They each set work plans which were used to develop priorities and criteria for awarding funding to projects and activities. The report set-out how the funds were operated  and listed how a total of £534,000 of funding was allocated across the four Area Committees over three years to a wide variety of projects overseen by both external organisations and internally led by Swale Borough Council (SBC).

As part of the budget setting process for 2023/24, Members considered how to deal with the budget gap which resulted in funds being unavailable to allocate to the four Area Committees this year.

Members noted the report and said that it was good to see that the funding had gone to projects that had benefitted the community.

The Policy & Engagement Officer introduced this item and explained that although there was no longer funding available for Area Committees to allocate to support their priorities, it was still possible for areas to agree priorities and work towards achieving them without funding.  

One of the first tasks for the new Council was to create a Corporate Plan which would set-out what the Council wanted to achieve over the next four years.  This would help to make sure Council resources were allocated in an accountable and effective way.

Area Committees were being asked to have an input into the Corporate Plan at an early stage by outlining their own aspirations for their individual areas. The aspirations of this Area Committee could be issues that were the responsibility of SBC to achieve, or items that were the responsibility of external organisations which the Council could try to influence.  They could also be ambitions the Area Committee would like to work towards in the future.

When considering what these aspirations should be, the Policy & Engagement Officer said it was important to bear in mind the challenging budget position which was likely to continue over the next few years and the capacity of SBC to deliver them on top of the previously agreed workloads.

A discussion activity took place with everyone in attendance splitting into groups to discuss what the priorities for the Sittingbourne Area were. Four questions were asked, and a summary of ideas included the following:

What issues affected residents in your Ward that fell within the responsibility of SBC?

·         Safety – use of closed circuit television (CCTV);

·         speed limits – 20 mph;

·         grass cutting;

·         anti-social behaviour;

·         parking;

·         graffiti;

·         vandalism;

·         bins;

·         parks and open spaces;

·         homelessness;

·         housing;

·         fly tipping/litter;

·         planting green spaces and grass cutting;

·         parking particularly outside schools; and

·         lack of toilets in Milton Recreation Ground.

What issues affected residents in your Ward that fell within the responsibility of external partners?

·         Noise;

·         pot holes;

·         bus services;

·         crime;

·         school and school transport;

·         GPs and health services;

·         public transport;

·         lack of bus service in Milton;

·         leisure services;

·         overgrown trees (bottom and top); and

·         illegal use of e-scooters.

What changes would you like to see that could improve the life of residents in the future?

·         Community Police, more police patrols;

·         Swale road cleaning;

·         heritage;

·         improved situation for the homeless;

·         empty shops, look to see if they could be used as a community asset;

·         anti-social behaviour – use of CCTV;

·         police community engagement; and

·         more to do in Sittingbourne.

What were the top three issues you would like the Area Committee to take forward in the coming year?

·         Increased CCTV;

·         bins;

·         pollution;

·         anti-social behaviour including vandalism and policing, working with young people – constructive activities;

·         tourism, leisure, hospitality and heritage offer – link together and prove information on attractions;

·         bring rural element into the town, Milton Regis Country Park was an asset to the town;

·         housing;

·         employment;

·         holistic approach to uniting the community (leisure, health, mental health services);

·         condition and maintenance of roads;

·         green spaces  ...  view the full minutes text for item 113.

Members noted the progress on actions.

Pond safety – both Councillor Tim Gibson and KCC Councillor Mike Dendor, Divisional Member for Sittingbourne North, said they would follow up with the Kent Fire and Rescue Service to see what educational programmes they had planned for schools to ensure safety around ponds and lakes in icy conditions this winter.

Mr Jackie Davidson (resident) said before the Pandemic there used to be a Swale Public Transport Group led by SBC which looked at improving public transport in Swale. Mr Davidson asked if this group could be reinstated. The Policy & Engagement Officer said she would pass on this request to the relevant Members and officers. Related to this the Chair confirmed that bus companies and representatives from KCC would be invited to the September 2023 Sittingbourne Area Committee meeting.

Councillor Charlie Miller raised the issue of anti-social behaviour in Sittingbourne Town Centre. He spoke about incidents of vandalism and dangerous and illegal riding of e-scooters which needed to be addressed by the Police. He asked if this Area Committee could assist with bringing this matter to the attention of multi-agency forums with a view to resolve the problem. Councillor Tony Winckless said that the CCTV camera opposite the Wine Bar in Milton Regis High Street, Sittingbourne had been removed and it needed to be reinstated to address the increasing problems in that area. It was agreed to invite a representative from Kent Police to a future Sittingbourne Area Committee.

Councillor Tony Winckless asked why flowers in Milton Regis High Street had to be paid for by the Milton Regis Society but the flowers in Sittingbourne town were paid for by SBC. The Policy & Engagement Officer said that she had consulted officers about this issue, and they advised SBC funded planters in the three main towns of Swale - Sittingbourne, Faversham and Sheerness, but there was no funding provision for planters in every area. Other sources of funding were suggested that the Society could apply for.

Resolved:

1)      That a representative from Kent Police be invited to a future Sittingbourne Area Committee meeting to speak to Members and residents about anti-social behaviour.

No issues were raised.

No issues were raised.