Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Argyle Road, Sevenoaks. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services 01732 227247  Email: democratic.services@sevenoaks.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

31.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 21 November 2017 pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Minutes:

The Chairman advised that further to the despatch of agenda papers the printed version of the minutes on the agenda did not have Councillors Ball, Barnes or Bayley listed in attendance.  This had since been corrected and a corrected version was before him. 

 

Resolved:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 21 November 2017 be approved and signed as a correct record.

 

32.

To receive any declarations of interest not included in the register of interest from Members in respect of items of business included on the agenda for this meeting

Minutes:

No additional declarations of interest were received. 

 

33.

Chairman's Announcements

Minutes:

The Chairman reported the passing of former Councillor Richard Davison, who had represented Edenbridge South & West on the District Council from 2003. Stating that everyone’s thoughts were with his wife, former Councillor Jill Davison and his family, and he asked Members to join him in a moments silence in his memory.

 

He advised that Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, had visited on Monday 5 February to find out about the Council’s recent successes, and to launch a #DigitalSunsetChallenge scheme the Council were backing to help young people learn good digital habits. He understood that he was spreading the word and advising people to come and see how it was done in Sevenoaks.

 

After the huge success of last year’s Run, Walk or Push against Dementia in Knole Park, the Chairman reported that the event was making its comeback on Sunday 13 May and would once again include timed 3, 5 and 10k courses suitable for everyone from parents with pushchairs to seasoned runners.

 

The Chairman also announced that he was hosting a Charity Indoor Bowls event which would take place at 7pm on Thursday 15 March at the Indoor Bowls Club in Sevenoaks at 7pm, and holding his end of term dinner on Friday 27 April at 7pm at Brands Hatchplace Hotel and Spa. 

 

34.

To receive any questions from members of the public under paragraph 17 of Part 2 (The Council and District Council Members) of the Constitution.

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

 

35.

To receive any petitions submitted by members of the public under paragraph 18 of Part 2 (The Council and District Council Members) of the Constitution.

Minutes:

No petitions were received.

 

36.

Matters considered by the Cabinet pdf icon PDF 32 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(a)          Calculation of Council Tax Base and other Tax Setting Issues

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Scholey seconded, the recommendation from Cabinet.  The report set out details of the calculation of the District’s tax base for Council tax setting purposes.

Resolved:  That

a)   the report of the Chief Finance Officer for the calculation of the Council’s tax base for the year 2018/19 be approved;

b)   pursuant to the report of the Chief Finance Officer and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended) the amount calculated by the Sevenoaks District Council as its Council tax base for the whole area for the year 2018/19 shall be 49,902.89;

 

c)      pursuant to the report of the Chief Finance Officer and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended) the amount calculated by the Sevenoaks District Council as the Council tax base for 2018/19 for the calculation of local precepts shall be:

 


Parish

Tax Base

Ash-cum-Ridley

2,431.82

Badgers Mount

329.31

Brasted

779.00

Chevening

1,443.19

Chiddingstone

600.18

Cowden

402.07

Crockenhill

656.44

Dunton Green

1,180.38

Edenbridge

3,548.58

Eynsford

930.38

Farningham

657.83

Fawkham

280.51

Halstead

777.21

Hartley

2,538.28

Hever

598.98

Hextable

1,643.18

Horton Kirby & South Darenth

1,298.26

Kemsing

1,813.75

Knockholt

628.51

Leigh

877.50

Otford

1,687.32

Penshurst

831.38

Riverhead

1,242.10

Seal

1,223.02

Sevenoaks Town

9,470.04

Sevenoaks Weald

621.15

Shoreham

686.26

Sundridge

925.22

Swanley

5,485.19

Westerham

1,985.12

West Kingsdown

2,330.73

d)     any expenses incurred by the Council in performing in part of its area a function performed elsewhere in its area by a parish or community Council or the chairman of a parish meeting shall not be treated as special expenses for the purposes of section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

 

(b)         Treasury Management Strategy for 2018/19

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Scholey seconded, the recommendations from Cabinet.  The report sought approval of the Treasury Management Strategy 2018/19.

Resolved:  That the Treasury Management Strategy for 2018/19 be approved.

 

(c)          Budget and Council Tax Setting 2018/19

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Scholey seconded, the recommendations within the report and from Cabinet. 

The Leader spoke to the motion stating that Members had before them another balanced 10 year budget, an achievement still unique within Local Government and an achievement recognised again this year by peers from across the sector.  The Council had followed last year's success with two awards from CiPFA, including their Grand Prix Prize and the highest accolade in local government the LGC Council of the Year, a win in which the Council’s financial self-sufficiency had played no small part.  He could guarantee with absolute certainty that the budget in front of Members would also be unique in the positivity of its message: investment in services, not cuts; increased investment in assets, not cuts; which demonstrated that the Council was a seriously different Council.

 

There was however no getting away from the fact these were incredibly difficult times for the local government sector.  In the last eight years Sevenoaks District  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

37.

Matters considered by other standing committees pdf icon PDF 29 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(a)          Gambling Act 2005: Licence Fees from April 2018

 

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Mrs. Morris seconded the recommendations from the Licensing Committee.

 

Resolved:  That the appropriate fee levels be £3,670 for a new or renewal application, and £1,840 for the transfer of an application

from 1 April 2018.

 

 

(b)         Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 - Licence Fees from April 2018

 

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Mrs. Morris seconded the recommendations from the Licensing Committee.

 

Resolved:  That the appropriate fee levels be £3,670 for a new or renewal application, and £1,840 for the transfer of an application from 1 April 2018.

 

 

(c)          Monitoring Officer's Annual Report

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Gaywood seconded the recommendations from the Standards Committee.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

 

 

 

 

38.

To consider the following reports from the Chief Executive or other Chief Officers on matters requiring the attention of Council: pdf icon PDF 55 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(a)          Pay Policy Statement

 

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Lowe seconded the report which set out the elements of senior officer pay that enabled the Council to attract high quality officers whilst protecting value for money to the community. Approval by Council and publication on the Council website improved transparency and accountability whilst ensuring adherence to the Localism Act 2011.

 

Resolved: That the Pay Policy Statement be adopted and published on the Council’s website.

 

39.

To consider any questions by Members under paragraph 19.3 of Part 2 (The Council and District Council Members) of the Constitution, notice of which have been duly given.

Minutes:

One question had been received from a Member in accordance with paragraph 19.3 of Part 2 (The Council and District Council Members) of the Constitution.

 

Question 1:   Cllr. Dr. Canet

 

“Will Sevenoaks District Council consider the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders for building sites in the district which have been empty for some considerable time?

 

This waste of valuable uses for these sites is blighting Sevenoaks Town, for example the former Edwards Electrical site in the centre of the town, and not contributing to meeting our local housing needs.”

 

Response:  Leader of the Council

 

The Government outlined plans for the 2017 Housing White Paper to prepare new guidance encouraging the use of CPO powers to support the build out of stalled sites. That guidance has not yet been published.

 

The Council can make use of provisions in the 1990 Town & Country Planning Act to use compulsory powers to acquire sites in order to facilitate development or improvement. The use of such powers should only be made where there is a compelling case in the public interest and consideration given to a number of factors in deciding whether to exercise those powers.

 

Those factors include understanding why the owner isn’t bringing the site forward themselves, whether there is anything else the Council can do to enable development, short of making a Compulsory Purchase Order and is there both the ability for the Council to procure its development and do that in a timely manner. That latter point is important because there are costs involved in using those powers, particularly where the owner objects to the making of the Order and an Inquiry is held to determine whether the Order should be made, above and beyond the costs of purchasing the site and its subsequent development. It can typically take around 18 months to make and confirm a Compulsory Purchase Order.

 

Where possible our approach is to seek to work with owners of such sites and their advisors to see if there are ways that the Council can enable development to take place.  If that doesn’t work then it would be necessary to carefully consider any use that could be made of CPO powers and the financial aspects of any potential acquisition.

 

Supplementary question: Cllr. Dr. Canet

 

When is Sevenoaks going to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order so we can get on with some of those matters and provide for our local housing needs.

 

Response: Leader of the Council

 

The Leader referred Councillor Dr. Canet to his initial response.

 

In accordance with the Constitution, there was no further discussion.

 

40.

To consider any motions by Members under paragraph 20 of Part 2 (The Council and District Council Members) of the Constitution, notice of which have been duly given.

Minutes:

No motions had been received.

 

41.

To receive the report of the Leader of the Council on the work of the Cabinet since the last Council meeting. pdf icon PDF 46 KB

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council reported on the work that he and the Cabinet had undertaken in the period 4 November 2017 to 31 January 2018.

 

 

Back to top