The Cabinet Member for Planning introduced the report and proposed the recommendation which sought changes to the constitution in order to enable the establishment of four Area Committees.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Eddie Thomas said the Area Committees were long over-due and would give residents a greater say in decisions in their area.

The Leader gave his support.

The Leader of the opposition group was critical of the consultation and said that similar Committees had not worked well in the past, but he would not stand in the way of progressing the proposal.

In the debate that followed, Members raised points including:

·         The recommendations from the Policy Development and Review Committee (PDRC)were not included;

·         an additional Area Committee had been added, without consultation of the public;

·         Councillors should be engaging with the public anyway;

·         clarification on funding  - was it allocated in addition to Member grants?; and

·         why was Bapchild, located in the east of Swale, included in the Western Area Committee?

Councillor Mike Whiting proposed that West Downs be moved into the Sittingbourne Area Committee from the Western Area Committee.  This was seconded by Councillor Mike Dendor.

Councillors Monique Bonney and Councillor Mike Baldock spoke against the amendment.  Councillor Baldock said that putting West Downs into the Sittingbourne area Committee would be a highly inappropriate match.

In debating the amendment, other Members  raised points that included:

·         Concern that decisions on an area would be made by a Member out of the area;

·         needed clear, set boundary areas;

·         the areas were not set at PDRC;

·         it made no sense to include Bapchild in the Western Area Committee; and

·         The Meads should be included in the Sittingbourne Area Committee.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

Members debated the substantive proposal and raised points including:

·         Publicity of the proposed Area Committees was vital to encourage attendance by public, as previous similar Committees had low attendance;

·         Sheppey Area Committees had previously been successful but had become too political;

·         funding for Area Committees was in addition to Member grants;

·         there should be a review after Area Committees were established and implement necessary changes;

·         there should be bigger priorities for the administration than proposals for Area Committees;

·         support for Area Committees;

·         supported the principle of Area Committees but could not support the current proposal;

·         supported more effective engagement of the public which Area Committees promoted;

·         suggested parishing currently unparished areas would work better than Area Committees;

·         the purpose of the Area Committees was to consider key strategic issues which had a stronger area focus than the whole Borough; and

·         many parished areas might make the perspective too narrow.

In response, Councillor Mike Baldock referred to the Area Committee’s Terms of Reference and clarified that Area Committees would consider strategic issues and have some financial powers.  He confirmed that funding was in addition to Member Grants and a review would take place at the end of the year.  Councillor Baldock said that in consulting the public, the preferred option was for four area committees.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 19 (2), five Members requested a recorded vote, and voting was as follows:

For: Baldock, Bonney, Carnell, S Clark,  Darby, Davey, Gibson, Gould, Harrison, Jackson, Jayes, Knights, Benjamin A Martin,  Ben J Martin, McCall, Palmer,  Perkin, Rowles, Saunders, Simmons, P Stephen, S Stephen, Tatton, Thomas, Truelove, Valentine, Whelan, Winckless and Woodford. Total equals 29.

Against:  Ellen, Hunt, Whiting. Total equals 3.

Abstain:  Beart, Bowen, R Clark, Dendor, Fowle, Hall, A Hampshire, N Hampshire, Horton, Ingleton, Marchington, Neal, Pugh. Total equals 13.

Resolved:

(1)  That the Constitution be updated to include the wording at Appendix 1 of the report.