PRAYERS

Reverend Mitchell led the Council in prayers.

Resolved:      That the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 26 July 2011 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The declarations of interest made by Members at meetings held between 6 July and 22 September 2011 were received. No additional declarations were made.

The Chairman thanked Members for the concern shown for him during his recent illness and in particular for the many offers of transport he had received at that time.

The Chairman regretted to inform Members of the death of Louise Wilson, a former Member  of the Council and a Kent County Council Member, who had passed away the previous week at the age of 92. She had been a member of the Council from its inception in 1973 representing Crockenhill and Well Hill ward until 1987.

Members were also reminded that they should contact the Chairman’s Personal Assistant, Margaret Hagger by Friday 21 October if they wished to attend the forthcoming Christmas event.

The Chairman extended an invitation to Members to attend the Civic Service which would take place at 3.00 pm on Sunday 23 October at Edenbridge Parish Church.   

The Chairman announced that no petitions had been submitted by members of the public.

(a)     West Kent Homelessness Strategy 2011-2016 (Cabinet – 15 September 2011)

(b)     Proposed Changes to Staff Terms and Conditions (Cabinet – 15/9/11 & 13/10/11 – Services Select Committee – 20/9/11)  

(c)     Review of IT Allowances/Provision of Computers for Members (Modern Local Government Group – 6 October 2011)    

A.        West Kent Homelessness Strategy 2011-2016

Cllr. Fleming moved and Cllr. Mrs Davison seconded the recommendation of the Cabinet held on 15 September 2011 that the West Kent Homelessness Strategy 2011-16 be adopted as District Council Policy.

The report explained that the draft Strategy had been developed in consultation with a wide range of service users and partners across various sectors and updated the Joint Homelessness Strategy 2007, although the new draft Strategy was significantly different from the 2007 document. Key themes that had emerged from consultation included a desire for more commonality in how the three West Kent local authorities (Sevenoaks District Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council) worked. This included a need for more shared services, more innovation and sharing of knowledge, information and good practice, and opportunities to streamline services, processes and information. The draft Strategy provided the national, regional and local policy context, methods of consultation and key findings along with the five key strategic objectives and conclusions. The Strategy had already been adopted as policy by Tonbridge & Malling and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils.

Cllr. Fittock welcomed the Strategy as a good and necessary approach to address the housing needs of the homeless. He voiced concerns about the possible impact of the decision to limit housing benefit payments for people aged under 35 to the shared room rate which was likely to force more people into homes in multiple occupation, which were sometimes quite primitive accommodation, and  also questioned what other initiatives were proposed to deal with this. He also expressed concern that 32% of applicants for housing during the last year had not been deemed to be “in housing need” and felt that areas of underperformance highlighted in the Strategy should be addressed. He also felt that the levels of both social housing stock and right-to-buy properties were falling and that it was likely that the percentage of long term tenancies was likely to increase further squeezing the availability of housing. Finally he welcomed the Council’s strategies to deal with traveller needs which would also protect the Council’s position if challenged.

The Leader of the Council explained that changes to welfare provision and the inclusion of housing benefit within the universal credit meant that 25-35 year olds would only be entitled to the shared room rental rate in future and that he had raised this at the Cabinet meeting to make it clear that the demand for accommodation in homes in multiple occupation was likely to increase and that this would need to be addressed in the Council’s plans. He explained that he was very proud of the Council’s achievements in recent years such as the commitment to reduce the use of bed and breakfast accommodation and the new policy around developer contributions which he felt would not deter development projects given that new housing would continue to be built as long as it was profitable to do so. He also felt that the Council had good policies in place  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

(a)       Appointments to the Local Democracy and Accountability Network for Councillors  

A.        Appointments to the Local Democracy and Accountability Network for Councillors

Councillor Fleming moved and Councillor Mrs Davison seconded the recommendations in the report for appointments to the new Member and Officer Local Democracy and Accountability Networks set up by South East Employers.

Resolved: That

(1) Councillors Miss Stack and Raikes be appointed to serve on the Local Democracy and Accountability Network for Councillors for the remainder of the Municipal Year; and

(2) Appointments to the Local Democracy and Accountability Network for Officers be made at the discretion of the Chief Executive.

No questions were submitted by Members in accordance with Paragraph 19.3 of Part 2 of the Constitution.

No questions had been received from members of the public.

The Leader of the Council reported on the work that he and the Cabinet had undertaken in the period 8 July to 5 October 2011.

The Leader thanked Members for supporting the new grant scheme to distribute money available through the Big Community Fund and noted that the first tranche of successful applications were being progressed and that the second tranche would be considered shortly. He also updated Members on the work of the Kent Ambition Board 2 which had just held its third meeting and would be focussing on health and education initiatives for young people. The Leader also highlighted a meeting of the West Kent and East Sussex mini Local Enterprise Partnership which had been attended by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council together with councils from East Sussex to identify areas where the Councils could work together before raising initiatives with the full Local Enterprise Partnership. Opportunities currently being considered included rural Broadband, transport issues, mainly associated with the A21, and rail transport including the Hastings line. In response to a question from a Member regarding the Council’s involvement with the National Endowment for Science Technology and Arts and the Local Government Group Creative Council’s the Leader explained that he had an involvement “wearing another hat” but was hoping to be able to access some of the £35m funding available through NESTA. 

The Council received the reports from the Chairmen of the Select Committees as follows:

•           Environment Select Committee – 6 September 2011

•           Social Affairs Select Committee – 8 September 2011

•           Services Select Committee – 20 September2011

(to follow)

The Council received the report from the Vice-Chairman of the Performance and Governance Committee on the work undertaken by the Committee at its meeting on 27 September 2011.