Visitors and members of the public who are unfamiliar with the building and procedures are advised that:

a)     No fire drill is planned during the meeting.  If the alarm sounds please leave the building quickly without collecting any of your possessions, using the doors signed as fire escapes, and assemble outside where directed.

(b)    Await instructions before re-entering the building.

(c)    Anyone who requires assistance in evacuating the building should make officers aware of any special needs so that suitable arrangements may be made in the event of an emergency.

The Vice-Chair in the Chair read out the emergency evacuation procedure.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their families or friends.

The Chair will ask Members if they have any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) or disclosable non-pecuniary interests (DNPIs) to declare in respect of items on the agenda. Members with a DPI in an item must leave the room for that item and may not participate in the debate or vote. 

Aside from disclosable interests, where a fair-minded and informed observer would think there was a real possibility that a Member might be biased or predetermined on an item, the Member should declare this and leave the room while that item is considered.

Members who are in any doubt about interests, bias or predetermination should contact the monitoring officer for advice prior to the meeting.

Councillor Carole Jackson disclosed a non-pecuniary interest as a Trustee of Citizens Advice and West Faversham Community Association.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 29 September 2022 (Minute Nos. 339 – 347) as correct records.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 September 2022 (Minutes Nos. 339 – 347) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Vice-Chair in the Chair as a correct record.

Members noted the progress on actions.

The Active Travel Coordinator gave a presentation on the Active Travel Fund (ATF) Tranche 4. Three tranches of funding had come forward from the Government since 2020. Tranche 4 was announced in July 2022 by the ATF which included a three-year capital fund of £470m and a one year £250m revenue fund and the deadline for bids was 23 December 2022. Kent County Council (KCC) submitted its self-assessment in August 2022 and was assessed as a Level 1 (Level 4 was the highest and Level 0 was the lowest). 

Swale Borough Council (SBC) had put in a £165k Capability & Ambition Fund bid to improve an existing bid. Since October 2022, SBC had pulled together ideas for the ATF process, there was no criteria but there was guidance. The Government launched ‘Gear Change’ in 2020, the strategy to make the country more accessible. For the Eastern Area, the suggested improvements could include cycle lanes, low and light level segregation areas, improved security of footpaths, raised crossings and Dutch entrance kerbs.  

The Active Travel Coordinator presented the AFT 4 proposals for the Eastern Area. After the meeting, the link to the maps would be shared.

A discussion took place and the following comments were raised:

·         A Member asked what the connection was with the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP);

·         how many other proposals were there in Kent?;

·         how could Members support the proposals?; and

·         was there a review process in place to ensure that new developments were compatible with the proposals?

The Active Travel Coordinator responded and explained that the bid was built on the LCWIP, but some adjustments were required. There were other ATF 4 bids in Kent. To start with there were 100, that was reduced to 80 and it was anticipated they would be further reduced to eight. If Members wished to support the proposals, they were asked to send emails or letters to the Active Travel Coordinator. To ensure developers plans were compatible with the bid, there were talks with Kent Highways and liaison with the developer.

In March 2021, the Eastern Area Committee allocated Faversham Town Council £12,500.00 to undertake a Faversham Parishes to Town Project. Mr Adrian Berendt, from Berendt Consulting Ltd was in attendance remotely to provide an update on the progress of the project.

He explained the project was initiated following the introduction of the 20mph scheme and supports the development of a Swale LCWIP and the KCC Countywide LCWIP. The Parishes to Town concept was to explore active travel opportunities for local communities and to link with the different LCWIP proposals.

Parishes in Faversham had been consulted about the potential cycle network and walking routes that might be developed over time.

The next steps were to integrate this project with the Swale LCWIP and the Kent LCWIP, look at extending the 20mph speed limits to villages, and to look at reawakening the quiet lanes project. There would be some specific interventions proposed which would better link Faversham with Graveney, Oare, Painters Forstal, Boughton under Blean and Teynham. The final report, when completed, would be submitted to the Eastern Area Committee.

The presentation would be circulated after the meeting.

No issues were raised.

Councillor Carole Jackson raised an issue about Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) using Ospringe Road, Faversham, by the Almshouses. It had been reported by a resident and it was dangerous for other vehicles driving under the railway bridge. There was not sufficient signage to make it clear it was not suitable for HGVs. The Active Travel Coordinator suggested that Councillor Jackson got in touch with Network Rail as it would be in their interests to protect the bridge. Councillor Jackson was also advised to contact Kent Highways.

The Policy and Engagement Officer advised that the Eastern Area Committee had been allocated a total of £40,000.00 for the financial year 2022/23. At the Eastern Area Committee Meeting on 29 September 2022, £27,237.00 of funding was allocated. Committee Members agreed that for the unallocated funding of £12,763, a second funding round should take place to allocate the remaining funding with a focus on the cost-of-living crisis. The deadline for applications was Thursday 3 November 2022 and bids to the value of £36,893.00 were received for consideration by the Committee. The applications were checked for eligibility by officers and a scoring process carried out by three impartial officers. The outcome of the scoring was used to put together the options paper for Members to vote on.

Eastern Area Committee Members discussed the Options and Options 1 and 4 were discounted. It was agreed to hold a vote on Options 2 and 3 with Members indicating their preferred Option with a show of hands.

On being put to the vote Option 3 was agreed.

Resolved:

That the remaining £12,763.00 funding be awarded to projects in the following proportions:

1)    Faversham Umbrella – EAC031 - £4,393.44

2)    Brogdale CIC – EAC035 - £4,310.41

3)    Abbey Physic Community Garden – EAC033 - £1,937.27

4)    Painters Forstal Community Association – EAC030 - £533.79

5)    Faversham Salvation Army – EAC034 - £397.83

6)    Friendly Faces of Kent – EAC029 - £1,051.66

7)    Teynham Parish Council – EAC032 - £138.38

No issues were raised.

No issues were raised.