Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 7^th March 2013.

Resolved: That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 7^th March 2013 be approved and signed as a correct record.

There were no further declarations of interest.

There were no questions.

No matters were referred from Council.

(a)   Renewal of Swanley Local Office Contract (Services Select Committee – 4 April 2013)

(b)   Review of Pest Control Services (Social Affairs Select Committee – 26 March 2013)

(c)    Declaration of Air Quality Management Areas (Environment Select Committee – 19 March 2013)

(d)   Community Plan 2013-2016 and 15 Year Vision (Social Affairs Select Committee – 26 March 2013)

(a)   Renewal of Swanley Local Office Contract (Services Select Committee – 4 April 2013)

This item was considered at minute 100.

(b)   Review of Pest Control Services (Social Affairs Select Committee – 26 March 2013)

This item was considered at minute 101.

(c)    Declaration of Air Quality Management Areas (Environment Select Committee – 19 March 2013)

This item was considered at minute 102.

(d)   Community Plan 2013-2016 and 15 Year Vision (Social Affairs Select Committee – 26 March 2013)

This item was considered at minute 103.

The Customer Services Manager introduced a report seeking approval for the renewal of the Local Office Contract for a further three years with Swanley Town Council.  The report set out the benefits in continuing to provide the service and highlighted the risks in not doing so.  The Customer Services Manager reported that research had shown that it was a highly valued service and it was emphasised that costs would be met from existing budgets.

 In response to a question regarding Swanley Gateway, the Customer Services Manager reported that options were being explored with Kent County Council.

The Chairman noted that the Services Select Committee had supported proposals for negotiations.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved: That the Council renew the provision of a Local Office Contract for a further three years with Swanley Town Council based on the current contract terms and value.

The Portfolio Holder for the Cleaner and Greener Environment introduced a report which provided details of a full review of pest control services currently provided by the Council.  The report also outlined for consideration proposals for future service delivery with effect from  April 2014.  The Portfolio Holder noted that pest control was not a statutory service but highlighted the importance of keeping homes free from pests and thanked Officers within the service for the innovative and proactive approaches that had been taken in reducing the costs of the service.  Members noted that despite the financial challenges faced by the service in 2012 the Trading Accounts would end the year with a  surplus higher than budget, despite a loss in the pest control service.  Officers were thanked for the efforts that had been made to reach this position.

The Head of Environmental and Operational Services explained that if the service was externalised the Council would still incur costs in the region of £6,000.  The Chairman asked for these costs to be included in the next report presented to Members.

The Chairman noted that the commitment to the two current staff was until 2014 and that the report showed that there had been a decline in all pests. 

The Chairman also suggested that the script used by staff in the Contact Centre should be reviewed to ensure that people enquiring about the service are being given correct information.  Other suggestions made by Members included making the information on the website more interesting, enhancing the advert currently appearing in InShape magazine, providing information on the pest control service to the Town and Parish Councils and asking reporters from The Chronicle to spend a day with the pest control service.  The Chairman suggested he should work with the Council’s Communications Team to identifies ways to promote the Service.

A visiting Member highlighted that the service fitted well with the health prevention agenda and suggested that information should be provided to partners working within health prevention.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved: That the Service be continued, as existing until 2014, maximising income by charges and additional commercial sector work, whilst remaining competitive, but accepting that the Service will produce a net deficit on the trading accounts of an average of £12,000 per annum; and that the Social Affairs Committee carry out a further review of the Service in October 2013 to consider exposing the Service to competitive tender.

The Portfolio Holder for the Cleaner and Greener Environment introduced a report outlining the results of the detailed Air Quality Assessment that was completed in 2012 and the outcome of the public consultation that was carried out in February 2013.  The report recommended that the existing Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) along the A25 be merged and replaced by one AQMA running the length of the A25 based on monitored exceedances of the nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) annual mean objective and that an additional AQMA be declared at the junction of Birchwood Road and London Road, Swanley.

Members noted that the Environment Select Committee had supported the proposals in the report.

The Chairman questioned whether there would be an opportunity to use funding from the new Community Infrastructure Levy to help finance enhanced monitoring equipment.  The Head of Environmental and Operational Services reported that this funding would help to fund monitoring equipment in any future large scale developments where there was currently no monitoring equipment.

In response to a question surrounding joint working with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, the Head of Environmental and Operational Services suggested that once an AQMA had been declared in Borough Green there may be potential for the two Council’s to work together across the boundary.

Resolved: That orders be declared to extend the following Air Quality Management areas to include the following:

(a)   The existing Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) along the A25 are merged and replaced by one AQMA running the length of the A25 based on monitored exceedances of the air quality nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) annual mean objective.

(b)   An additional AQMA declared at the junction of Birchwood Road and London Road, Swanley.

The geographical locations of these AQMAs are defined in Appendix A to the report.

The Head of Community Development introduced the final draft of the three year Community Plan and the fifteen year vision.  The document and its supporting action plan were developed following comprehensive consultation with Members, residents, a wide range of voluntary and community organisations and partner agencies.  The Head of Community Development emphasised that an extensive consultation had taken place and the comments arising from the consultation had been appended to the report.  There had been a suggestion that there should be a specific indicator on fly tipping and this would be drawn out through one of the existing indicators and included in the version of the Community Plan considered by Council.

Members highlighted that the Community Plan set the agenda for Council services the next three years but that issues would evolve and change over time.  It was noted that annual updates would be provided.

The Head of Community Development reported that the printed Community Plan would include a simple summary, rather than the detail, of the performance indicators.

Members gave consideration to the cost of producing a large number of copies of the Community Plan (which ran into 97 pages) for the Full Council agenda.  As the document had already had a very wide circulation and had been considered by a number of bodies including the Sevenoaks District Kent Locality Board and the Social Affairs Committee, Members suggested that only the report should be included in the papers for Full Council with the appendices being published on the Council’s website and two copies being placed in the Member’s Room prior to the meeting.

Resolved: That

a)     Full Council be recommended to approve the final Community Plan and its supporting Action Plan before partner agencies are invited to sign off the document.

b)     For the Full Council meeting on 23 April 2013 Members will be provided with the covering report only, the appendices will be provided electronically on the Council’s website with two copies being placed in the Member’s Room five clear days before the meeting.