The Leader said that it had been a momentous period since the last Council meeting in July 2022, with the country sadly losing a Queen, and gaining a King and a new Prime Minister.  He referred to the high temperatures during the hot summer and of the highest levels of inflation, not experienced for decades.  In referring to the impact of the cost of living crisis, energy crises and chaotic Government, the Leader spoke of the uncertainty the country were experiencing.

The Leader said that the Government were continuing to expect Councils to respond to proposals with tight schedules without sufficient details and he recounted a recent example of Kent County Council (KCC) being invited by Government to offer an expression of interest in an Investment Zone Project bid without any details being available, forms to provide information continually changing or not being available online, detailed information required at short notice, and liaison with district Councils necessary to collate information.  The Leader said that officers had spent a lot of time working to provide information but whilst criteria had still not been set out, information was then received from Government that there was an expectation that additional development including housing would be built in an Investment Zone.  He said that given the unsustainable levels of housing numbers already forced upon Councils by Government, the bid was therefore not pursued by Swale Borough Council (SBC).  The Leader said that it would be easier and cheaper for developers of those other authorities that were pursuing the grant to push through development, and he spoke about the resource impact on officers collating information.  He was critical of the chaotic processes inflicted by Government and the rampant inflation, economic mayhem, energy uncertainty and constant changes by Government and he warned of the impact it would have on what SBC could do for its residents. The Leader said a miracle was needed.

In response, the Leader of the main opposition group thanked the Leader for his statement and said he agreed with much of what had been said.  He said he had recently spoken with the Council’s Section 151 Officer about the difficult processes required to receive funding from Government.  The Leader of the main opposition group then gave his own example from schools in the area who had similar difficulties due to criteria in applying for grant funding.

Other members were invited to speak, and points raised included:

·         The Government was in chaos yet expected Councils to set their own budgets without providing any information on grant funding they would be allocating;

·         was critical of Government’s mini budget and the resultant doubling of the interest borrowing rates for local Councils;

·         expressed fears over the impact on contracts;

·         spoke of the effect that the current financial issues would have on affordable housing projects;

·         referred to the ever changing goalposts from Government when bidding for funding;

·         was critical of the Government encouraging more housing when public were struggling to afford mortgages;

·         needed to address the impact on SBC’s budget and suggested it work with other Kent authorities and the Local Government Association to approach Government ministers for help;

·         concerned that SBC could just about provide statutory obligations provided it did not provide non-statutory obligations, such as leisure facilities and enforcement, and said Local Government had to stand up to Government;

·         with reference to the hot summer, said that Government was still not addressing the Climate and Ecological Emergency;

·         spoke about how lack of action from Government was affecting nature and wildlife and said the Climate Emergency would cause mass immigration as large parts of the world became uninhabitable;

·         said that alliances between organisations had been formed to lobby Government to take action;

·         said that growth lay in a ‘green economy’ and taking action such as insulating homes;

·         agreed with all the content of the Leader’s Statement;

·         would the Leader be sending his Leader’s Statement to Government?;

·         spoke positively that members from all groups agreed with the Leader’s Statement;

·         shortness of funds and constant changing of criteria had been an issue with Government for a long time and suggested that all district Councils and relevant bodies including the LGA should lobby Government together; and

·         spoke of how issues raised from residents had changed with more now needing help from food and warm banks, losing their homes and struggling with finances.

In response, the Leader thanked members for their comments, in particular the Leader of the main opposition group for understanding concerns, and he said he hoped he would feed back those concerns.  The Leader said his message to Government was that when the country was in a hole, it did not need a spade.