To agree to the Council’s Committees and their terms of reference.

Amendments added 12/05/25

In presenting the report, the Leader proposed the recommendation which was seconded by the Deputy Leader who reserved his right to speak.

The Mayor announced that two amendments, had been received within the deadline and these had been circulated to Members and published on the Council’s website. She advised that two further amendments to the first amendment had been received, outside of the deadline but in accordance with procedure rule 3.1.16.4, she would allow the late amendments. At this point of the meeting, Councillor Alastair Gould requested a further late amendment to the amendment:

“To include the Climate Change committee” to the first amendment published that excluded the Climate Change committee in the title.

This was seconded by Councillor Terry Thompson.

The proposer and seconder of the of the first amendment, Councillors Elliott Jayes and Tom Nundy, agreed to include the amendment proposed by Councillor Gould in his amendment and Members accepted this.

Councillor Jayes then proposed the following altered amendment:

“Item 9 Establishment of Committees and their terms of reference - Responsibility for function

(i)            Amend Environment and Climate Change Committee to be called Environment, Leisure and Climate Change Committee.

(ii)          Move Cemeteries from Policy and Resources Committee to the Environment, Leisure and Climate Change Committee.

(iii)         Move from Housing and Communities Committee to Environment and Leisure Committee:

(a)  Leisure and Sports;

(b)  Play area and outdoor fitness equipment;

(c)  Parking;

(d)  Heritage and conservation including closed churchyards.”

Councillor Jayes said his amendment would assist the committees in working more efficiently and would align with Heads of Services.

In seconding the amendment, Councillor Nundy reserved his right to speak.

Before the first late amendment was proposed, the originator of the substantive motion agreed to a further alteration to include the late amendment originally proposed by Councillor Angela Harrison and seconded by Councillor Hayden Brawn, which was agreed by Members, and the amended proposal is set out below:

“Item 9 Establishment of Committees and their terms of reference - Responsibility for function:

(i)  Amend Environment and Climate Change Committee to be called Environment, Leisure and Climate Change Committee.

(ii)Move Cemeteries from Policy and Resources Committee to the Environment, Leisure and Climate Change Committee.

(iii)Amend Housing and Communities to be called Housing, Health and Communities and move from Housing, Health and Communities Committee to Environment and Leisure Committee:

(e)  Leisure and Sports;

(f)   Play area and outdoor fitness equipment;

(g)  Parking;

(h)  Heritage and conservation including closed churchyards.”

Councillor Hannah Perkin then proposed her late amendment to the amendment as follows:

“Item 9 Establishment of Committees and their terms of reference - Responsibility for function

• Amend Environment and Climate Change Committee to be called Environmental services and Climate Change Committee.
• Move Cemeteries from Policy and Resources Committee to Environmental services and Climate Change Committee.
• Move from Housing, Health and Communities Committee to Environmental services and Climate Change Committee –

c. Parking

d. Heritage and conservation including closed churchyards.”

Councillor Perkin said that leisure, sport and play areas had always been key parts of health and well-being. She also referred to the significance of the Leisure Contract. In seconding the amendment, Councillor Harrison reserved her right to speak.

Members were invited to speak and made points including:

·         It was important to include the word Leisure in the title of the committee and it was sensible that leisure was within Environmental services so that all aspects were included; and

·         could not support the amendment to the amendment as the intention was to resource meetings efficiently.

Councillor Harrison referred to officer resource and reminded Members that the future intention was to reduce the numbers of committees further and she therefore expected there to be support for that proposal in the future. She said a key part of the Leisure Contract would be equalities and health and wellbeing and health and wellbeing fitted into all other services.

Councillor Jayes, the proposer of the substantive amendment said the purpose was to align Heads of Service with Committees.

On being put to the vote, Members agreed in favour of the amendment to the amendment.

A Member said bringing late amendments to Council was not an efficient way to deal with amendments and any changes should have been discussed outside of the meeting or at the Constitution working group.

Councillor Jayes then proposed the second amendment:

“To add a communication’s working group to sit under the Policy and Resources Committee”

He said that Swale Borough Council (SBC) were on the right track to improve its communication and a quarterly check-in with one member from each group and the Communications team should deliver a better service for residents.

In seconding the amendment, Councillor Nundy reserved his right to speak.

Members were invited to debate the amendment and made comments including:

·         Spoke in support as it would improve communications;

·         said that under the constitution, Service Committees should appoint sub-committees;

·         thanked the Communications team for the work, particularly out of hours, they already did;

·         Policy and Resources were responsible for setting up the working group; and

·         referred to the Customer Access Strategy.

Councillor Nundy said Communications were good but it could be better and Members could feed into the type of communications that did go out through a working group.

On being put to the vote Members voted against the amendment.

The Deputy Leader then seconded the substantive motion as amended.

Members then voted and approved the amended recommendation.

Resolved:

(1)That the Committees of the Council for the Municipal Year 2025/26 be established and their terms of reference be agreed as set out in Appendix I subject to the following amendments:

(a)That  the Environment and Climate Change Committee be known as the Environmental Services and Climate Change Committee;

(b)That the Housing and Health Committee be called Housing, Health and Communities Committee; and

(c)That under Responsibility for function, cemeteries be moved from Policy and Resources Committee to Environmental Services and Climate change Committee and (c ) Parking and (d) Heritage and conservation including closed churchyards be moved from Housing, Health and Communities Committee to Environmental Services and Climate Change Committee.