There will be a verbal update from the Cabinet Member for Economy and Property.

Update from the Cabinet Member for Community attached.

The Cabinet Member for Community introduced the community portfolio update which was attached to the agenda and welcomed questions from Members.  He also advised that: two members of the Community team had left the Council; the Milton Creek CCTV cameras would be going “live” on 12 January 2022; and he had attended a White Ribbon Campaign Awareness event at Sittingbourne Rugby Club.   

The Cabinet Member for Community also referred to the Swale Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Strategic Assessment report, due to be considered under Item 8 of the Agenda and explained that the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) were very keen to get feedback on that document. 

Members considered the update and raised points which included:

·         Concerned that the Covid-19 vaccine bus at Kemsley Community Centre had not been publicised by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG);

·         how could problems with Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) in Kemsley be enforced?;

·         was the Prevent scheme still in operation?

·         concerned about the turn-over of staff currently at the Council and Members needed to be informed of new officers and their specific roles within the Council;

·         what were the benefits of the Community Renewal Fund bid for East Kent College?;

·         what type of support were the Council providing to trusts in respect of assets transferred to them and was it financial?; and

·         could more information be provided on the Xantura pilot?.

In response the Cabinet Member for Community agreed that information to residents about where they could receive vaccinations locally was not being communicated properly by health providers.   The Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods advised that the Council had pressed the CCG via the Kent County Council led Strategic Command Group and the Kent Resilience Forum to co-ordinate better.  The Council had also pushed for more vaccination centres in Swale and hoped that the Covid-19 vaccine bus would be able to visit Sittingbourne again.  She added that the bus had been publicised via the social media channels with the agreement of the CCG. 

The Cabinet Member for Community asked any Member concerned that ASB issues in their areas not being dealt with the contact the CSU direct.  A Member advised that Police had recently launched “My Community Police” which helped Kent Police update users with news, alerts, appeals etc. and encouraged Members to join-up to the scheme.  The Economy and Community Manager advised that the Prevent Team were still delivering regular schools inputs. 

The Cabinet Member for Community said that there may be a limited amount of funding from the Council required in respect of asset transfers and they would also be seeking grant support to ensure work was completed particularly at Thistle Hill, Minster.

The Cabinet Member for Community gave a brief outline of the Xantura pilot scheme.  He explained that it would ensure early intervention for families that required support and hopefully as the scheme progressed more information would become available.  The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing reported that it was an extremely valuable tool that would assist Members in identifying those in their wards with issues such as homelessness, experiencing food poverty, rent arrears, council tax arrears etc. and hoped that a briefing for Members on the scheme could be provided in the future.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Property gave a verbal update on the Economy and Property portfolio which included.  

·         Clean Growth Grant – There had been an event at The Light Cinema, Sittingbourne presented by a consultant on how businesses could implement energy saving and environmental measures within their businesses.  This had been well attended by local businesses.  So far 79 enquiries and 49 applications and the scheme was now closed.  Additional support from Government was available for the hospitality and leisure sector and further clarification on the criteria was awaited;

·         reviewing the Council’s Business Support Contract which would be re-tendered in April 2022;

·         the Government had announced on 3 November 2021 the bids for the UK Community Renewal Fund and of the ten successful bids in Kent, five had committed to working in Swale: the Swale and Ashford Skills Renewal; Bridge the Gap; Diversity House; Growing Green; and Kent and Medway Partnership for Enterprise Food and Health;

·         there had been discussions around rail freight in Swale which fed into the North and East Kent Rail Strategy and requested the rail freight potential along the Sittingbourne and Sheerness line was acknowledged;

·         the HIF grant at Queenborough and Rushenden.  The works had been extended to completion September 2022 due to delays;

·         employment statistics for Swale - the current claimant count in November 2021 was 4.9% a small reduction on October 2021.  The Claimant count for the Isle of Sheppey was 6.5%; Sittingbourne 4.2%; Western area 2.9%; and Eastern area 4.2%.  So of the 4,450 unemployment claimants in Swale 2,495 were male and 1,900 were female.   At the end of September 2021 there were 1,900 furloughed jobs in Swale and youth unemployment in the borough was 7.8%.

·         the Council were working with the Town Centre Task Force consultant and there would be a Workshop in April 2022 to access those support streams through that programme;

·         Visitor Economy progress was on-going and pushing Visit Swale including digital media and in particular the blogs which were popular;

·         temporary coach park in Faversham;

·         Sittingbourne regeneration nearing completion; and

·         spoke about refurbishments undertaken and proposed in Sittingbourne and Sheerness high streets.

A Member raised a point of order and drew attention to paragraph 3.2.1 of the Council’s Constitution under the Committee’s Terms of Reference in Paragraph 5 which stated “The Committee would receive concise written updates from Cabinet Members on current issues”.  He said that it would have been courteous for the Member to have circulated the update with the agenda so that Members could raise comments and ask questions.

The Senior Democratic Services Officer suggested a short adjournment of the meeting whilst the Cabinet Members update was circulated to Members to read.  The Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods drew attention to the substantive items on the agenda and considered adjourning items for noting would prolong the meeting.  The Cabinet Member for Economy and Property agreed to circulate her update to all Members after the meeting.

A Member was delighted with the improvements being made to Sheerness High Street.  He asked if the railings around Rose Street toilets could be repainted.  The Cabinet Member for Economy and Property agreed to look into this.