To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 5 November 2014 (Minute Nos. 323 - 333) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 5 November 2014 (Minute Nos. 323 – 333) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner.  They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

The Chairman will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote.  This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

(b)          Disclosable Non Pecuniary (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

Advice to Members:  If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Director of Corporate Services as Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

Councillor David Simmons declared a pecuniary interest in respect of the Award of Markets Service Contract to 2018 report, as he was a market trader in Faversham.  He left the meeting for this item.

Cabinet Member for Finance

Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Finance and the above Cabinet Member which set out the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan and proposals for the 2015/16 Budget.

The Cabinet Member introduced the report advising that the Council had to manage the impact of the Government’s deficit reduction programme, with a funding gap of £1.5m for 2015/16.  The Local Government financial settlement would not be known until mid-December, and an updated report would be presented to the Scrutiny Committee to review at the end of January 2015.

A Member asked the following questions: how concrete were the forecasts set out in paragraph 2.2?; could the business rate retention pool include the Mid-Kent Improvement Partnership (MKIP)?; why was there a difference in the New Homes Bonus (NHB) figures for 2016/17?; could clarification be given on growth items one and three in Appendix III?; regarding the new audio/visual equipment in the Council Chamber – is the Council subject to a defects liability clause in the contract?; and what does the CCTV loss of income in Appendix III relate to?

The Cabinet Member for Finance agreed that the forecasts set out in paragraph 2.2 were concerning and this would be monitored; MKIP would not be included within the business rates retention pool for 2015/16; and the NHB figures for 2016/17 related to the end of the six-year period.  With regard to the maintenance contract for the audio/visual equipment, he undertook to confirm the contractual agreement with officers and report back to the Member.

The Cabinet Member for Environmental and Rural Affairs confirmed that the growth item regarding additional waste contract monitoring related to the creation of an Environmental Projects Officer post.

The Head of Finance confirmed that, in relation to business rate pooling, 10 of the 12 Kent Districts had entered into the pool with the County Council for 2015/16, including Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells.  He undertook to follow-up regarding the loss of income from CCTV and report back to the Member.  With regard to the growth item for procurement he explained that this related to the increased costs associated with advertising tenders on business portals.

The Chief Executive confirmed that the figures contained within paragraph 2.2 were based on the most up-to-date forecasts at the time of the meeting, but further detail would emerge from the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement and the Council’s local settlement. 

A Member considered that the report did not contain adequate information and the changes being proposed had been described too briefly.  He asked the Cabinet to review the following items before the next report: the growth items set out in Appendix III were too great if the Council was experiencing budget pressures; an assumption of a 3% increase for the Council’s annual insurance renewal may not be enough; and the anticipated increase in planning fees seemed too low in comparison with the income received from planning for 2014/15.

The Cabinet Member for Finance undertook to look into these items.

A Member considered that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 384.

Cabinet Member for Finance

Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Finance and the above Cabinet Member which showed the revenue and capital projected outturn for 2014/15 as at the end of period six, covering the period from April to September 2014.

The Cabinet Member introduced the report and recommendations and proposed an additional recommendation relating to Rural Rate Relief as set out in paragraph 3.25 of the report.

The Cabinet Member for Environmental and Rural Affairs spoke of the commitment shown by Faversham Town Council to the Magna Carta 800 celebrations; and he thanked the Council for the proposed funding to support this important project for Faversham.

A Member referred to the performance fund bid of £4,995 in relation to Grove toilets in Leysdown.  He asked that consideration be given to funding to improve the Faversham Town Centre and Faversham Recreation Ground toilets, which were in a poor condition.

The Cabinet Member for Finance confirmed that he was looking into the maintenance contract of the toilets in Faversham and would report back to the Member.

The Cabinet Member for Environmental and Rural Affairs advised that the Performance Fund bid for the toilets in Leysdown related to increased opening hours rather than refurbishment.

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the projected revenue underspend of £687,720 be noted.

(2)  That the projected capital underspend for 2014/15 of £175,270 be noted and the additional funding of £6,200 for Kemsley West Play Area from capital receipts be approved.

(3)  That a £100,000 addition from Council funds towards Disabled Facilities Grants be agreed.

(4)  That it be noted that Rural Rate Relief can only be awarded in rural settlements with a population that is less than 3,000.  Using the latest census population figures from 1 January 2015, Rural Rate Relief will no longer be awarded in Iwade and Queenborough.  A full consultation process will be undertaken on the scheme in 2015 for implementation in April 2016.

To decide whether to pass the resolution set out below in respect of the following item:

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act:

3. Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information.

Resolved:

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act:

Paragraph 3 – information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Cabinet Member for Regeneration

Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Economy and Community Services and the above Cabinet Member which sought approval to award market services contracts for Faversham, Sheerness and Sittingbourne.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration introduced the report and thanked the Economy and Community Services Manager for her hard work on this project.  He proposed the addition of the word “initial” into recommendation one, which was agreed.

RESOLVED:

(1)  That contracts be awarded with conditions in respect of market services provision in Faversham to the Faversham Market Co-operative Ltd with an initial annual income of £19,800 and in Sheerness and Sittingbourne to the Sheerness Market Co-operative Ltd with an initial estimated annual income of £13,000 for Sheerness and £11,500 for Sittingbourne.

(2)  That the contract period of three years from 1 February 2015 to 31 January 2018 be approved with an option to extend for a further two years subject to Cabinet approval in September 2017.

(3)  That delegation be given to the Head of Economy and Community Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration to approve the award of contracts on condition of providing further information before the contract commences together with a resilience plan for each of the co-operatives.