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

(a)      The fire alarm is a continuous loud ringing. In the event that a fire drill is planned during the meeting, the Chair will advise of this.

(b)      Exit routes from the chamber are located on each side of the room, one directly to a fire escape, the other to the stairs opposite the lifts.

(c)      In the event of the alarm sounding, leave the building via the nearest safe exit and gather at the assembly point on the far side of the car park. Do not leave the assembly point or re-enter the building until advised to do so. Do not use the lifts.

(d)      Anyone unable to use the stairs should make themselves known during this agenda item.

The Chair outlined the emergency evacuation procedure.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2024 (Minute Nos. 92 – 97) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 16 July 2024 (Minute Nos. 92 – 97) were taken as read, agreed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

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.

No interests were declared.

The Chair reported that members of the Committee were invited to attend Carbon Literacy Training.  The training would be split across two sessions, on the 9 December and 17 December 2024, and Members would need to attend both sessions to achieve the certification.

Post Meeting Note:  The second session would now be held on 18 December 2024.

Democratic Services would provide a full itinerary of the sessions and formally offer places on the sessions in due course.

The Chair reported that the verbal update would be provided under Item 7 of the agenda (Swale Waste and Street Cleansing Scrutiny Review – deferral request) and considered first. 

The Chair introduced the report which provided a short update on the progress of the Waste Scrutiny Panel set up to scrutinise the Waste and Street Cleansing Contract. 

The Chair reported that the Waste Scrutiny Panel had met four times and had considered: resources and staff to deal with the changeover to the new contract effectively; the initial revised routes implemented by Suez and operational questions; the decisions made by the Council, before, during and after the tendering process and implementation of the contract.  He said that the sessions had been very productive and informative, and the Panel had identified a number of recommendations and questions to ask representatives from Suez at one of the remaining sessions.

The Chair further reported that the Panel had raised concern that the remaining sessions due to be held week commencing 7 October 2024, would not allow sufficient time for a report to be produced with the level of care and attention it deserved. The Panel also noted that a considerable improvement in bin collections since the new routes were implemented in mid-September 2024, had helped to reduce the sense of urgency to publicly provide answers. 

The Committee were asked to agree to moving the presentation and discussion of the Waste & Street Cleansing Scrutiny Review report from the Extraordinary meeting arranged for 20 November 2024 to the scheduled meeting on 15 January 2025.  The Chair explained that the extension would allow an additional panel session prior to their meeting with Suez in order that the questions put to them were as thorough and robust as possible.  The questions would be shared with Suez in advance of the session to ensure that they came prepared.

The Chair thanked Members of the Panel for their dedication and thoughtful input.  He said that he looked forward to continued work as they aimed to ensure the ‘pain’ of the last months was not repeated again in the borough.

The Chair invited comments from Members, which included:

·         There had been improvements to the service but there were still delays in some wards, particularly in the rural areas;

·         how were the missed brown bin collections processed?;

·         agreed that the item should be deferred and that it was important that the review work be carried out properly;

·         Ward Members did not receive an update on a Friday which made it difficult to communicate with residents if the work was in-hand;

·         deferring the item would allow the Panel to review the public responses and the impact it had on residents lives; and

·         deferring the item was necessary to allow a three-month baseline of the contract to be established and analysed.

In response, the Chair explained that with regard to missed brown bins work was ongoing, but if a brown bin was missed and reported that would not count as notification.  If a brown bin was reported and still not collected within two weeks but reported again as missed, then the Council could look at extending their contract.  He said that officers  hoped  ...  view the full minutes text for item 308.

The Building operations and Maintenance Manager introduced the report which set out the invest to save business case for the installation of solar panels on Swale House, Sittingbourne.  She drew attention to the cost benefit analysis set out at Appendix I of the report.

The Chair invited comments from Members, and points raised included:

·         Fully supported the proposals which would demonstrate the Council’s aspirations to become more sustainable;

·         the proposals would help the Council to gain finances whilst helping to achieve the council’s climate goals;

·         thanked the officers for their hard work on the project; and

·         the Council should explore provision of canopies over the Council’s car parks so that solar panels could be added to them.

The Head of Environment and Leisure said that solar panels over car parks was possible, but due to the initial construction required the pay back would be longer than five years.

In response to a question from a Member, the Building Operations and Maintenance Manager advised that if agreed by the Policy and Resources Committee on 16 October 2024 the project would then go out to tender.

The Chair proposed the recommendations, which were seconded by Councillor Sarah Stephen.

Resolved:

(1)  That the Policy and Resources Committee allowed and delegated to the Director of Resources to use reserves up to £100,000 on an invest to save basis to provide solar panel coverage at Swale House with a payback of no longer than five years.

(2)  That the Director of Regeneration and Neighbourhoods be given delegated authority to prepare and award the contract for the delivery of solar panels on Swale House.

In response to a questions from a Member, the Head of Environment and Leisure explained that it was likely that the Open Spaces and Play Strategy and the Climate and Ecological Emergency Action Plan were likely to be considered at the March 2025 meeting.  The Paperless Reports report was likely to be considered at the January 2025 meeting.

The Chair clarified, following a question from a Member, that paper agendas would be provided to any Member that requested them.

Resolved:

(1)  That the Forward Decisions Plan be noted.