(a)       Joint Working Project between Sevenoaks District Council and Dartford Borough Council in Environmental Health – Proposed Forward Operating Model – Supplementary Budget Request (Cabinet – 13 October 2011)

(b)       Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy (Licensing Committee – 26 October 2011)

(c)       Polling Districts and Polling Places Review 2011 (Electoral Arrangements Committee – 27 October 2011)

(d)       Community Governance Review (Electoral Arrangements Committee – 27 October 2011)

(e)       Annual Review of Parking Charges and Christmas Parking 2011 (Cabinet 3 November 2011)      

A.        Joint Working Project between Sevenoaks District Council and Dartford Borough Council in Environmental Health – Proposed Forward Operating Model – Supplementary Budget Request

Cllr. Fleming moved and Cllr. Mrs Bracken seconded the recommendation of the Cabinet held on 13 October 2011 that provision of £243,000 be approved to support the implementation of the joint working project in Environmental Health as a supplementary budget. In moving the recommendation the Leader of the Council emphasised the considerable savings and relatively short payback period associated with the project.

The report outlined the outcome of the feasibility study and business case for the joint working project between Sevenoaks District Council and Dartford Borough Council in Environmental Health, and set out the proposed operating model for the joint service. It was proposed that the Environmental Health Service for both Councils would be provided from the Dartford office, with a satellite office based at Sevenoaks, with existing face to face services for customers being retained. The proposals followed a similar methodology to that applied to the successful Joint Revenues and Benefits Service and would deliver £300,000 pa savings across the two authorities from 2012/13, improve capacity and resilience, deliver agreed service standards, and allow for further savings/generation of income whilst remaining accessible for customers. It was estimated that joint savings over a five year period would total £1.68 million and allowing for implementation costs of £486,000 this would deliver a pay back period of 1.6 years. The proposed service standards and organisational structure were outlined and feedback from the consultation exercise carried out with staff during August and September was reported. It was anticipated that the proposals should be implemented in full from April 2012.

A Member accepted the economic justification for the project but asked how the proposals could be squared with localism. The Leader of the Council responded that the project would not only deliver necessary financial savings but would also meet operational imperatives by providing the robust and comprehensive level and quality of services to which the Council’s residents had become accustomed. In doing so these services would be delivered by employees of Sevenoaks and Dartford Councils rather than by an outsourced company. 

Resolved: That a provision of £243,000 investment costs be agreed to support the implementation of the Joint Working Project between Sevenoaks District Council and Dartford Borough Council in Environmental Health as a supplementary budget request (this figure representing a 50% share of the costs).

B.        Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy

Cllr. Fleming moved and Cllr. Mrs Bracken seconded that the recommendation of the Licensing Committee on 26 October 2011 that the Council should adopt the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy should be approved. The Leader of the Council thanked the Portfolio Holder for Safe Community and the Licensing Committee for their work on the new policy.

The report provided detailed feedback from the consultation on the Draft Statement of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy which ran for six weeks from the 26 August 2011 until the 7 October 2011.  The proposed policy amended the current policy that Sevenoaks District Council had in operation which was last issued in January 2008. The new policy would take effect from 3 January 2012 for a minimum of three years.

            Resolved: That the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy attached to the report be adopted as District Council Policy.

C.        Polling District and Polling Places Review 2011

Cllr. Fleming moved and Cllr. Mrs Bracken seconded that the recommendations of the Electoral Arrangements Committee held on 27 October 2011 be approved.

The report informed Members of the outcome of the review of Polling Districts and Polling Places which had been carried out in the autumn. The District was required to carry out a review every four years and the last review had been undertaken in 2007. The review had considered the existing provision in terms of the division of the District into polling districts and the designation of polling places within those polling districts in terms of their suitability for electoral purposes. This had included seeking the views of the Returning Officer, identifying opportunities for change where appropriate and undertaking public consultation on the proposals. 

Resolved: That

            (1) the proposed polling scheme contained in appendix B to the report, as amended by the Electoral Arrangements Committee held on 27 October 2011, be approved; and

(2) the timetable contained in paragraph 9 of the report (in relation to the next phase of the review) be adopted.

D.        Community Governance Review

Cllr. Fleming moved and Cllr. Mrs Bracken seconded that the recommendations of the Electoral Arrangements Committee held on 27 October 2011 be approved.

The report advised Members that Government and Electoral Commission guidance recommended that District Councils should carry out a review of the boundary and electoral arrangements of the parishes within their areas every 10-15 years. The last review had been carried out in Sevenoaks in 1999 and it was proposed that a review should be carried out now both to meet the recommended timeframe and to take advantage of a small window of opportunity ahead of scheduled elections. The review would have to be completed within 12 months and it was proposed that the review should commence on 30 November and be completed by August 2012 with the publication of the Council’s decisions in respect of parish boundaries and electoral arrangements. Proposals could relate to the creation, merging, grouping, alteration or abolition of parishes, or relate to the name of a parish or to the number of councillors or warding arrangements for parishes. Any changes would take effect from the date of the next full parish council elections in May 2015. 

            Resolved: That

(1)  a Community Governance review be undertaken;

(2)  the terms of reference for the review set out in the Appendix to the report be adopted; and

(3) the timetable for the review contained in paragraph 5 of the report be adopted.

E.        Annual Review of Parking Charges and Christmas Parking 2011

Cllr. Fleming moved and Cllr. Mrs Hunter seconded that the recommendation of the Cabinet held on 3 November 2011 relating to the provision of free Christmas parking be agreed.

The report outlined the annual review of car parking charges and the options for increases in respect of car park and on-street parking charges to meet the budget for 2012/13. These had been considered by the Cabinet on 3 November which had proposed increases which were currently subject to public consultation for decision by the Cabinet in the New Year. The Council was asked to approve funding to support the proposal to provide free parking throughout the district on two Saturdays before Christmas.

Resolved: That free parking be provided for Christmas 2011 in all car parks and on-street parking areas throughout the District on Saturdays 10^th and 17^th December and that the cost be funded from Supplementary Estimates.