The Chairman will advise the meeting of the evacuation procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. This is particularly important for visitors and members of the public who will be unfamiliar with the building and procedures.

The Chairman will inform the meeting whether there is a planned evacuation drill due to take place, what the alarm sounds like (i.e. ringing bells), where the closest emergency exit route is, and where the second closest emergency exit route is, in the event that the closest exit or route is blocked.

The Chairman will inform the meeting that:

(a) in the event of the alarm sounding, everybody must leave the building via the nearest safe available exit and gather at the Assembly points at the far side of the Car Park.  Nobody must leave the assembly point until everybody can be accounted for and nobody must return to the building until the Chairman has informed them that it is safe to do so; and

(b) the lifts must not be used in the event of an evacuation.

Any officers present at the meeting will aid with the evacuation.

It is important that the Chairman is informed of any person attending who is disabled or unable to use the stairs, so that suitable arrangements may be made in the event of an emergency.

The Chairman drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 30 May 2018 (Minute Nos. 29 - 41) as a correct record.  Link to Minutes

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 30 May 2018 (Minute Nos. 29 – 41) 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.

(c)          Where it is possible that a fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the facts would conclude that there was a real possibility that the Member might be predetermined or biased the Member should declare their predetermination or bias and then leave the room while that item is considered.

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 Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

No interests were declared.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs

Cabinet considered the report of the Mid Kent Environmental Health Manager and the above Cabinet Member which provided an update on progress made on the Swale Borough Council Strategic Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) 2018-2022.

The Cabinet Member advised that the report was part of the ‘journey’ of the AQAP and it identified data that had been collected.  A more substantial report would be issued in Autumn 2018.

The Mid Kent Environmental Health Manager explained that air quality was a very important issue for Swale Borough Council (SBC), and officers had been working hard on the Action Plan.  She drew attention to Appendix I which set-out a summary of the findings.  She added that it was important to include traffic flow data that was likely to be generated with the addition of housing, as set-out within the Local Plan.

In response to a question regarding NOx emissions, and the lack of information on particulates, the Environmental Protection Team Leader explained that there was no evidence of any exceedance of particulates in the Borough, whereas there was exceedance of NOx emissions.  The Member also asked for further information on how the consultation, on a very specialised, technical subject was to be carried out.  The Cabinet Member explained that consultation would be carried on each of the five AQAPs in the Borough, and it was hoped to combine all five into one strategic plan.

Discussion ensued and the following points were raised: there was a link between air quality and health conditions; welcomed the report; the Council had a duty to ensure pollution issues did not worsen; it was critical that base-line figures were accurate when looking at emission predictions to enable good quality data; new developments needed to be taken into consideration; there needed to be an evidence base on everything the Council carried out in relation to pollution; quality data was critical; and would like to see more funding and urgency going forward.

In response, the Cabinet Member acknowledged the limited legal powers the Council had, and the importance of not making the issues worse and to, in fact, ensure that matters were improved.  He agreed to provide a written response on evidence in support of the figures noted for the Newington Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).  The Cabinet Member welcomed the long list of comments received from the Policy Development and Review Committee (PDRC), and confirmed that, where possible, a majority of these would be taken ‘on board’ by the Council.  The Environmental Team Leader further explained that the consultants had based their conclusion on the evidence they had so far.  Additional traffic data would be available in the next few weeks, and this would give a more accurate view of the traffic modelling.

Resolved:

(1)      That the report be noted.

Cabinet Member for Planning

Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Planning Services and the above Cabinet Member which set-out the Cabinet responses to the Scrutiny Committee recommendations following the Development Management Review.

Resolved:

(1)      That the report be noted.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Communities

Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Housing and Health Manager and the above Cabinet Member, which set out the option of a £180,000 commuted sum to Optivo Housing Association, towards the cost of delivering affordable housing on two Council-owned sites.

The Cabinet Member referred to paragraphs 1.1 and 2.3 in the report and explained that there was no spend-by date for the money, and there was very little opportunity to do anything else with the two sites, as adjacent land was owned by Optivo.

A Member welcomed the report, and another Member asked the Cabinet Member how he arrived at the figures set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report.  The Cabinet Member responded by saying that this was what the Council and Optivo had thought was the optimum arrangement to get the best use of the money.  The Strategic Housing and Health Manager explained that the detail had been provided by Optivo, and it was double-checked with them, that they could deliver this amount of housing.

A Member considered the report did not include the full facts of the overall transaction between the Council and Optivo.  The Cabinet Member explained the process that had taken place, as noted in the report, and looked forward to the scheme going forward.

Resolved:

(1)      That the allocation of £180,000 commuted sum to Optivo Housing Association towards the costs of delivering affordable housing on two Council owned sites at Evergreen Close, Iwade and Colegates Close, Oare be approved.

Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance

Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Property Services and the above Cabinet Member, which sought approval from Cabinet to delegate the decision to award the contract for Planned and Reactive Term Maintenance to the Head of Property Services in Consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance and the Chief Financial Officer.

The Cabinet Member explained that the current contract expired at the end of September 2018, and the next contract would commence on 1 October 2018.

Resolved:

(1)      That the decision to award the contract for Planned and Reactive Term Maintenance from 1 October 2018 for an initial period of three years be delegated to the Head of Property Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance and the Chief Financial Officer.

Cabinet Member for Regeneration

Cabinet considered the report of the Economy and Community Services Manager and the above Cabinet Member which set-out the revised draft of a new Economic Regeneration Framework for adoption.

The Cabinet Member acknowledged the input that the PDRC had made to the Framework at their meeting on 10 May 2018.

Discussion ensued and the following points were made:  further work was needed on the ‘Enhance Skills’ section; reference needed to be made to Further Education facilities in other parts of the Borough, not just Sittingbourne; work needed to be done with employers and apprentice providers to drive the development of apprenticeships; regeneration of the three town centres should be included throughout the document; the Sittingbourne Hub needed to be included in the Foreword; and the document needed to be more consistent in its wording.

The Cabinet Member responded by stating that all three town centres, plus the rural areas, were included in the Introduction.  He added that consideration of apprenticeship options had been included within the document.

Resolved:

(1)       That the revised Swale Economic Regeneration Framework 2018-2021 be adopted.

Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance

Cabinet considered the report of the Chief Financial Officer and the above Cabinet Member which set out the revenue and capital outturn position for 2017/18.

The Cabinet Member drew attention to a small amendment on page 101 of the report.  He explained that the £92,100 listed as a capital rollover request, should be revenue rollover from the revenue reserves.   The Cabinet Member congratulated the Finance Team on their recent ‘Team of the Year’ award.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Communities welcomed the above amendment, and also noted that the limited amount of borrowing for the Sittingbourne Town Centre Project had been managed well, which he considered indicated that the strategy was working.

Discussion ensued and the following points were made:  welcomed the proposed improvements to Oare Gunpowder Works, but £8,000 was not enough; hoped that Faversham Swimming Pool would benefit from funding assistance, as part of the £50,000 rolled-over for leisure centres; needed to get the balance right between setting the budget and underspends; and the Sittingbourne Town Centre Regeneration Scheme appeared to be getting more expensive than was expected

The Cabinet Member responded by stating that it was always the case that some areas would make savings, whilst others overspent.  He considered the budget setting to be correct, and explained that officers looked for savings without effecting the quality of service.  He noted the comments regarding Faversham Swimming Pool.

The Chief Financial Officer reminded Members that in terms of the Sittingbourne Town Centre Regeneration Scheme , the contract with the Spirit of Sittingbourne was a fixed sum.

The Chief Financial Officer, Financial Services Manager and the Finance Team were thanked for the work they had carried out.

Resolved:

(1)      That  the gross revenue underspend on services of £829,000 be noted.

(2)      That the revenue service rollovers of £571,660 and the setting up of new reserves as set out in Table 3 in Appendix I be approved.

(3)      That the revenue service bids of £288,060, as set out in Table 4 in Appendix I be approved.

(4)      That the Performance Fund and the Regeneration Fund be topped up by £300,000 each, and the Communities Fund by £75,000, from the General Fund and the Business Rates Volatility Reserve (for Regeneration Fund and Communities Fund).

(5)      That the allocation of uncommitted underspend to reserve funds be delegated to the Chief Financial Officer.

(6)      That the capital expenditure of £11,491,000, as detailed in paragraph 8 and Table 8 in Appendix I be noted.

(7)      That the capital rollovers of £2,027,970, as detailed in Table 8 in Appendix I be approved.

Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance and Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Communities

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Property Services and the above Cabinet Members which set-out the options for the future of 17/17a Station Street, Sittingbourne.

Discussion ensued and the following points were made:  needed to know the value of the site; this proposal would result in a negative impact on Station Street, with the regeneration improvements being so close; a regeneration plan was needed for the whole town centre; the proposal limited future options on Station Street; and it did not fit in with the street scene.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities clarified that the report was not actually making the final decision on the property, but would be getting consultants to look at the feasibility of the scheme.  He advised that further details on the financial side of the scheme were not necessary at this stage.

Resolved:

(1)      That the proposal to take forward the option to convert 17/17a Station Street, Sittingbourne to temporary homeless accommodation be approved, with a further report to Cabinet prior to the allocation of funding and award of contract.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Communities

Cabinet considered the report which sought approval to extend the existing Staying Put Contractor Framework Agreement for a period of two years from 1 October 2018 until 30 September 2020.

The Cabinet Member explained that the contract had worked very well, and he welcomed the extension for a further two years, up to September 2020.

Resolved:

(1)      That the Staying Put Contract Framework Agreement be extended for a period of two years from 1 October 2018 until 30 September 2020.

To follow report added 6 July 2018.

Cabinet considered the recommendations from the Swale Joint Transportation Board meeting held on 25 June 2018.

Resolved:

(1)      That the recommendations in Minute Nos. 78, 79 and 80 be noted.

Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance

Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Property Services and the above Cabinet Member which sought approval for the freehold sale to a preferred purchaser of the Council-owned site as a potential building plot.

The Cabinet Member stated that this was an excellent opportunity to sell the site and it was beneficial in many ways.

The Vice-Chairman in-the-Chair drew attention to the exempt paper and the need to exclude the press and public if Members wished to discuss the contents of it.

Discussion ensued including the pros and cons of selling the land with or without planning permission.

Resolved:

(1)      That the principle to dispose of the freehold of the site to a preferred purchaser be agreed.

(2)      That the Head of Property Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance be authorised to finalise the terms and the Head of Legal Services be authorised to complete the necessary legal formalities in due course.

There was no discussion on this item, therefore the resolution to exclude the press and public was not passed.