The Minutes printed in the papers had Cllr Clayton in attendance, this had been rectified on the version before the Chairman and had Councillor Clayton’s apologies noted.

Resolved:  That the Minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 21 May 2019, be approved and signed as a correct record.

No additional declarations of interest were received.

The Chairman announced that Mr Mike Pearsall would be the Vice Chairman’s consort for the remainder of the municipal year and invited Mr Pearsall to the front to invest him with the badge of office.

The Chairman reported the sad news that a former employee Margaret Hagger who had been the Chairman’s pa and secretary for the Past Chairman’s group, had died the previous week.  Her memorial service was taking place the following week and details had been emailed to Members.  He also advised that Patrick Moore, a local veteran of the Normandy landings, had passed away.  Patrick had attended many flag raising and remembrance ceremonies and would be sadly missed.

The Chairman announced that he, the Vice Chairman, or both of them, had attended 7 Civic Functions in Kent and Surrey and 35 District Organisations for AGMs or prize giving.  One such event had been the Sevenoaks Area Dementia Friendly Community and he was pleased to announce that they had secured charitable status and as a registered charity, could now generate even more money for good causes by qualifying for tax relief on most public donations.

At these civic events they had extolled the virtues of the Council: Being the first District to be financially self-sufficient; The fact that the Council still had a weekly bin collection of which less than 2% went to landfill; and that the Council had the same capital revenue as in 2009, was a real eye opener to the majority of dignitaries.

He reminded Members that four weeks of family funs days were about to begin full of free activities for all, and that he and the Vice Chairman would be attending as many as possible and looked forward to seeing them there.

The Chairman reminded everyone that his first social fund-raising event was taking place the next day at Hever Castle which was being extremely well supported by Chairmen and Mayors from the surrounding Districts and towns and with the weather set to be fine it should hopefully be a good day.  The Chairman also announced that there were still some spaces left on his Shoreham wine tasting evening.

No questions had been received.

No petitions had been received.

(a)          Strategic Management Team Restructure

Councillor Fleming moved and Councillor Dickins seconded the recommendation from Cabinet, which sought approval of a proposed Strategic Management Team restructure to better enable the Council to meet the priorities set out in its new Council Plan and the ambitions of Members following the District Council elections in May this year.

Councillor Fleming asked Members to join him in acknowledging the exceptional work both Lesley Bowles and Richard Wilson had done for the Council over the years, conveying his and the Council’s thanks to them.

Resolved:  That the restructure of the Council’s Strategic Management Team be approved.

(a)          Licensing Act 2003 – Statement of Licensing Policy

Councillor Fleming moved and Councillor Clack seconded the recommendation from Licensing Committee, which sought approval of the revised Statement of Licensing Policy for the five-year period 1 April 2015 – 31 March 2020.

Resolved: That the revised statement of Licensing Policy be adopted.

(a)          Appointment to outside organisation

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Dickins seconded the report which sought approval of the appointment of Cllr Harrison to the Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust Stakeholder Council.

Resolved:  That the appointment of Cllr Harrison to the Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust Stakeholder Council, be agreed.

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 Purves

‘Kent County Council has declared a Climate Change Emergency, and has agreed to a target of net zero emissions by 2050.  Has SDC set a target, if so, for when, and what initiatives do SDC propose to implement to meet that target?’

Response: Leader of the Council

The Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy was currently out to consultation, which would close at the end of September. This was a strategy of the Kent Environment Strategy Steering Group, on which, the Council  was represented, and as such it was a strategy for the County of Kent.

The Energy and Low Emissions Strategy had a vision, ‘By 2050 the County of Kent has reduced emissions to net-zero and is benefiting from a competitive, innovative and resilient low carbon economy, where no deaths are associated with poor air quality’.

Following the end of the consultation and the issue of the final strategy, the strategy would be considered by the Cleaner & Greener Advisory Committee with a recommendation to Cabinet to adopt the strategy.  The consultation document can be found on the Kent County Council (KCC) and we encourage people to respond.

He added that this was only one piece of the jigsaw and he would be calling for a debate on climate change at the next Council meeting.

Supplementary question: Cllr Purves

Councillor Purves was pleased to hear there would be a debate at the next meeting of Full Council.  She advised she had been disappointed that the recent replacement of refuse freighters had been for more diesel vehicles and not for hybrid or electric ones.  She asked the Leader to confirm that all future vehicles would be hybrid or electric in the future.

Response: Leader of the Council

The Leader advised that the Council covered 140 square miles and that the only council he knew of that was committed to such vehicles was the City of London which was famously only one square mile.   It was not a commitment he could make.  However he could commit to the Council’s current track record of replacing appropriately sized vehicles such as the electric one already being driven by the Civil Enforcement Officers.

No motions had been received.

The Leader of the Council reported on the work that he and the Cabinet had undertaken in the period 8 April to 5 July 2019.  The Leader reminded Members of the opportunity to look at the White Oak Leisure Centre proposals at a meeting on Thursday 25 July 2019 at 6pm.