To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Special Cabinet held on 19 March 2025, and Cabinet on 20 March 2025, as a correct record

Resolved: That the Minutes of the Special Cabinet meeting held on the 19 March 2025 and the Cabinet meeting held on 20 March 2025 be approved, and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Any interests not already registered

There were none.

A Member asked a question regarding the refurbishment or renewal of the Edenbridge Leisure Centre. The Portfolio Holder for People & Places advised that the options were still being looked into regarding decarbonisation or a new centre, including finances and location noting the all-weather pitch next to the current Leisure Centre. Some improvements had been made updating the equipment but it was accepted that the building fabric required updating.

A member asked a question regarding the disposals policy regarding consultation. The Chairman advised this would be addressed during discussion of the agenda item.

A member asked a questions regarding community asset transfer. The Chairman advised this would be addressed during discussion of the disposals policy, agenda item.

Another Member asked a question regarding a parish council beginning to investigate the re-designation of national landscape. The Portfolio Holder for Development & Conservation advised that the planning policy team were in contact with the carious nation landscape units. If there was any re-designation it would be treated in the same way as other national landscapes within the district.

The Interim Head of Finance presented a report which sought approval for a change to the list of Officers authorised to sign cheques and sanction banking instruments on behalf of the Council, in order to bring up to date the list of authorised signatories for the Council’s bank account.

Resolved: That

a)   Mr Alan Mitchell, Head of Finance, no longer be authorised to sign cheques and sanction banking instruments on behalf of the Council.

b)   Mrs Angela Beckett, Assistant Accountant, and Mr Mike Gallivan, Assistant Accountant, be authorised to sign cheques and sanction banking instruments on behalf of the Council.

There were none.

Members considered the report which set out the carry forward requests received for the 2024/25 financial year-end. Due to the required timescales it was necessary to collect these requests ahead of the final position for the year being known. Therefore, all requests are on the basis of being “up to” a maximum amount. Revenue requests totalling £492,000 were set out in table 1 and a further two capital requests totalling £951,000 were set out in table 2, with further details available in the appendices. The Finance & Investment Advisory Committee had also considered the report and were satisfied that the carry forward requests were for projects to be achieved and were happy to recommend the endorsement by Cabinet.

Members considered and discussed the report.

Resolved: That

a)    The Revenue carry forward requests totalling up to £492,000 as set out in Table 1 of the report be approved;

b)    The Capital carry forward requests totalling £951,115 as set out in Table 2, of the report be approved.

Members considered the report which provided Members with the current financial position of the Council as at 31 January 2025 and the forecast position to the end of March 2025. The current forecast position was an unfavourable variance of £17,000 which was an improvement from £124,000 in November’s monitoring. The changes included improvements in interest receipts due to cash balances being higher than projected. This was in part due to delays in the capital programme. There was also an increase in the contribution from vacancies.

The Finance & Investment Advisory Committee had considered the report and considered the number of vacancies and the use of agency staff with particular concern to savings in the Enforcement team being a false economy, but supported the recommendation.

Members considered and discussed the report. It was highlighted that recruitment to the Enforcement Team had been unsuccessful and thus a saving had been made. It was noted the importance of the service in the Council.

Resolved: That the comments from the Finance and Investment Advisory Committee were considered and the report be noted.

Members considered the overarching disposals policy, which set out the Council’s approach to the disposal of property assets and Community Asset Transfers. It set out a clear process and guidance when dealing with any disposal and highlighted the legislative framework and government guidance applicable to the disposal of property assets.

The Council regularly reviewed its property portfolio to ensure it met operational and strategic requirements. Where property assets were identified as surplus, they were considered as part of a disposals programme. The Council’s disposals programme was continually evaluated. When disposing of assets, the Council is subject to statutory requirements, in particular to the overriding duty, under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972, to obtain the best consideration that can be reasonably obtained for a disposal.

Subject to certain exceptions that were set out in the General Disposal Consent (England) 2003. Within financial limits, this gave councils wider powers to dispose of land and property at less than market value where it could be demonstrated that they promoted the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area.

Following the announcement of Local Government Reorganisation, a number of Parish and Town Councils had requested the transfer of assets and so a community asset transfer process was proposed. Assets required for any strategic, financial, operational, statutory or investment purpose could not be disposed of. A Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) portfolio was also being investigated.

The Chief Officer for People & Places advised that Appendix E provided details on consultation and engagement. The appropriate Ward Councillors, and Parish and Town Councils, would be engaged with prior to the decision to dispose. In regards to funding for a community asset transfer, Members were advised that if an application went through the expression of interest stage, it would then progress to an application and business case stage. It was at that stage where the town or parish council would need to demonstrate how they would manage the asset and whether there were any financial implications involved in managing it.  

Members further considered land values, and timescales. Members were advised that if land was being sold at auction it would require a commercial valuation, whereas with a community asset transfer some low value assets would not necessarily need to have a full valuation. Conversations were ongoing with Kent Association of Local Councils (KALC) regarding support that may be needed. It was still anticipated that the first application round would be open from May and early engagement had already started with Town and Parish Councils. It was suggested that Appendix F also required the ‘position held by that individual within the organisation’. The policy set out that it would be up to a 15 week turnaround from approval of a transfer, but transfers could be quicker in smaller cases. In terms of demonstrating benefits, the emphasis was on the town and parish councils to demonstrate it through the application process.

The Chief Officer, Finance & Trading highlighted that External Audit had stressed that they would be checking with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 92.

Part Ñand Ü

The Portfolio Holder for Improvement and Innovation presented the report advised that the Council had identified the opportunity to regenerate the Land to the East of Sevenoaks High Street. Feasibility work and due diligence studies had been undertaken to explore the potential redevelopment options for the site.

He advised that it was an exciting project to regenerate Sevenoaks Town and rebuild the leisure centre, as well as improving public realm, signage and making bus routes for accessible for sustainable transport, including delivering housing. Working through the procurement process a range of expertise and development partners to look at the opportunities for good quality design and to be keeping with the town.

The Regeneration Manager further advised that Council had originally approved a development approach to deliver a mixed-use scheme in collaboration with Kent County Council (KCC) and to establish an appropriate special purpose vehicle and other arrangements between the two Councils and a Strategic Development Partner(s) in July 2024.

Following KCC’s decision to no longer be a partner in the scheme, the project and initial scheme concept proposal was revised. It was important to note that KCC had committed to retaining the library in its existing form and location. Various alternative scheme concept scenarios had been tested by the Councils’ appointed consultants, which excluded KCC’s land, which also took into account feedback received from the public engagement exercises undertaken in April 2024.

The revisions suggested that a scheme scaled back to include a new, modern, fit-for-purpose and energy efficient leisure centre, new residential homes and public realm improvements remained viable and could be delivered. These revisions would result in a new development programme and new delivery approach.

The Council’s imperative remained to re-provide the Sevenoaks leisure centre and improve the public realm to include a link between the High Street and Knole Park.

It was highlighted that the project was in the very early stage of testing the vision and early concept ideas for the site. Implementing sustainability measures, improving the environment, and delivering quality were key principles for the redevelopment of the site going forward. There was still a great appetite and interest in the project from potential development partners based on recent feedback received via soft market testing that had been undertaken. Conversations were ongoing with Everyone Active in terms of seeking their input for the leisure centre requirements and design standards, as well as engaging with other leisure centre experts.

This project represented a significant opportunity to create a high-quality mixed-use development that would enhance Sevenoaks Town Centre as a whole and provide an opportunity for creating a legacy for the benefit of the local community. A design review panel would be established for the project going forward.

Officers sought approval to progress with the new revised scheme option and delivery structure in order to start the procurement process for the appointment of the Strategic Development Partner(s). Highlighting that as set out within the supplementary agenda, any proposed appointment will be brought back to the Advisory  ...  view the full minutes text for item 93.

In closing the Chairman announced the sad passing of former Leader of the Council Roger Walshe. He conveyed his sympathy to his wife Pam and expressed his thanks for Roger’s work in the Neighbourhood Development Plan which Sevenoaks Town Council had put in place. </AI9>

This notice was published on 24 April 2025. The decisions contained in Minute 88, 90 and 91 take effect immediately. The decisions contained in Minute 93(d) take effect on 2 May 2025. The decisions contained in Minutes 92 and 93(g) are references to Council.