Agenda and minutes

Venue: This meeting will be held virtually via Zoom, and livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClT1f_F5OfvTzxjZk6Zqn6g. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services 01732 227247  Email: democratic.services@sevenoaks.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

119.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 105 KB

To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 September 2020, as a correct record.

 

 

Minutes:

Resolved: That the Minutes of Cabinet held on 17 September be agreed and signed as a correct record.

120.

Declarations of interest

Any interests not already registered

Minutes:

There were no additional declarations of interest.

 

121.

Questions from Members

Minutes:

Cllr Purves asked a question about the kerbside collection of food waste, to make compost.  The Chairman responded that very little of the District’s waste went to landfill and that the Council was very proud of its weekly collections, which would be affected by the introduction of a new form of collection.  He outlined that the waste collected in black sacks had been audited across Kent and that the District disposed of a similar amount of food waste as other authorities.

122.

Matters referred from Council, Audit Committee, Scrutiny Committee, CIL Spending Board or Cabinet Advisory Committees

Minutes:

There were none.

123.

Budget Update 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 170 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Officer for Finance & Trading presented the report which set out the progress made in preparing the 2021/22 budget.  It was proposed that the Council continued to set a revenue budget that assumed no direct funding from Government through the Revenue Support Grant or New Homes Bonus.  This would result in the Council continuing to be financially self-sufficient.

To achieve this aim and to ensure a balanced budget position over the next 10-year period would be more challenging this year due to the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

At Cabinet on 17 September 2020 a budget gap of £826,000 was reported which was largely due to Covid-19.  The report included the proposals to remove the gap.  Many of the proposals are currently being presented to the Advisory Committees, and Cabinet would consider their comments on 5 November 2020.

Resolved:  That Officers should continue with the budget process as planned and as set out in the calendar of meetings.

 

124.

Caravan Site Licencing Fees pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Housing & Health Portfolio Holder presented the report which advised Members that with the introduction of the Mobile Homes Act 2013, the Council was now able to charge a fee to license residential caravan sites.

 

The Private Sector Housing Manager set out that charging a fee would enable the Council to monitor site licence compliance more effectively which would ensure residents’ health and safety was better protected and the value of their homes safeguarded. The Council would then be able to take enforcement action where site owners were not managing and maintaining their sites and services adequately.

 

The Portfolio Holder advised that Advisory Committee had considered the same report and had recommended it for approval.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

 

Resolved: That

 

a)     the Fees Policy for Relevant Protected Sites as set out in the Appendix to the report, be adopted from 1 September 2020; and

 

b)     a charge for licensing fees for Relevant Protected Sites in accordance with the Mobile Homes Act 2013, be adopted to apply as from 1 September 2020.

 

125.

The future of the 'Sevenoaks Switch and Save' Scheme pdf icon PDF 73 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Housing & Health Portfolio Holder presented the report which set out options for the future delivery of energy comparison services.  This included continuing to provide the Sevenoaks Switch and Save Scheme or supporting residents in accessing other existing nationally recognised services, set out as Options A or B at paragraph 21 of the report.  

 

The Portfolio Holder advised that Advisory Committee had considered the same report.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

 

Resolved: That Option B be the chosen option, to no longer fund or provide the Council’s dedicated ‘Sevenoaks Switch and Save’ Scheme and instead promote existing nationally recognised energy switching comparison services and support local residents to access them at no cost to the Council.

 

126.

Rough Sleepers - Covid-19 response update report pdf icon PDF 74 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Housing & Health Portfolio Holder presented the report which provided Members with an update on the homelessness work to place rough sleepers into accommodation as part of this Council’s response to COVID19. The Council continued to support homelessness people at risk of rough sleeping in temporary accommodation, as part of this Council’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The aim was to support everyone in hotels, who wanted more permanent housing, to move-on and provide them with the required support to secure and succeed a tenancy moving forward.

 

The Portfolio Holder advised that Advisory Committee had considered the same report and recommended it for approval.

 

Members received an informative presentation from the Head of Housing & Health.  Members expressed their thanks to the Housing Advice Service and the wider Housing team for their hard work during the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

 

Resolved: Thatthe work to place rough sleepers and those displaced by the pandemic into hotel accommodation as part of the Council’s COVID-19 response, be noted.

 

127.

Community Plan 2019-20 Annual Report pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The People & Places Portfolio Holder presented the report which set out the annual report for the first year of the Sevenoaks District Community Plan 2019-22 which had been completed and progressed against key success measures for each priority within the plan.

 

The Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Officer for People & Places indicated that Officers had circulated information on the progression of the Bradbourne Lakes landscape improvements commencement date.  There would be a reassessment of a bid for funding for the improvements during the 2021-22 financial year.

 

The Portfolio Holder advised that Advisory Committee had noted the same report.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

 

Resolved:  That the Community Plan 2019-20 Annual report be noted.

 

128.

Sencio Community Leisure - Supporting the recovery of leisure in the District pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The People & Places Portfolio Holder presented the report which set out a request from Sencio Community Leisure for financial assistance to mitigate current financial difficulties related to the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak and subsequent recovery period.

 

The Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Officer for People & Places informed Members of her understanding of the financial constraints and challenges facing Sencio Community Leisure, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic.  Members discussed the report and expressed concerns as to the cashflow difficulties understood to be presenting themselves to the leisure trust.  Members also noted that they had not yet been provided with a full cashflow analysis.

 

The Portfolio Holder advised that Advisory Committee had considered the same report.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

 

Resolved: That

 

a)   Sencio’s request for an extension to the current payment holiday on their loan repayments to the Council by a further 6 months to March 2021, be supported; and

 

b)   Officers be requested to explore the financial implications of COVID-19 for the delivery of leisure services in the Sevenoaks District to both Sencio and the Council.

 

129.

27-37 High Street, Swanley redevelopment pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Improvement & Innovation Portfolio Holder presented the report which sought approval: to redevelop 27-37 High Street, Swanley, to provide a new business hub and 17 residential units; for the project to be established within the Capital Programme; and for the project to proceed. The Strategic Head of Property & Commercial outlined the proposals once more for the benefit of Members.

 

The Portfolio Holder advised that Advisory Committee had considered the same report and recommended it for approval.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

 

Resolved: That it be recommended to Council that

 

a)   the redevelopment of 27-37 High Street, Swanley, as outlined in the report, to provide a new business hub and 17 residential units at an estimated total project cost of £5,624,039 as set out in Table 1 to the report, be approved;

 

b)   the project be funded by

 

i.   capital receipts from the sale of units in the scheme, estimated to be c. £4,134,039;

 

ii.  £1,490,000 from the Getting Building Fund (GBF) administered by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), noting that the SELEP Accountability Board will only make a decision on this match funding on the 20 November 2020        and thus approval to proceed with the project is conditional on SELEP finally awarding the GBF grant; and

 

iii. the £375,000 vired in August 2020 be transferred back to the Property Investment Strategy from this project.

 

c)   authority be delegated to the Strategic Head of Property and Commercial in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services and the Chief Officer Finance and Trading, to enter into necessary contracts to facilitate the development and construction of the proposed scheme in accordance with the Council’s Contracts Procedure Rules.

 

130.

Annual Review of Parking Management 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 83 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cleaner & Greener Portfolio Holder presented the report which sought approval to a freeze on all parking charges across the district, in light of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on parking supply and demand for parking across the district.  The Parking Manager set out that a freeze would help support local businesses and economies, stabilising services over the next 12 months.  Members agreed as to the importance of effective and positive communication in relation to the management of parking in the District.

 

Members discussed the management of Bradbourne Car Park in particular and agreed that to monitor usage over the next month would be beneficial.

 

The Portfolio Holder advised that Advisory Committee had considered the same report.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

 

Resolved: That

a)     the parking management proposals for a freeze on all parking charges for 2021/22, be agreed; and

 

b)     Bradbourne Car Park be monitored over the next month to assess whether a charge reduction would be supported.

 

 

131.

Christmas Parking 2020 pdf icon PDF 82 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cleaner & Greener Portfolio Holder presented the report which proposed free parking in Sevenoaks town and Westerham on the two weekends leading up to Christmas in December 2020.

 

The Parking Manager set out that vehicles would still be required to observe a maximum parking time and regular monitoring would take place to ensure this is complied with. The maximum stay in Blighs Car Park on the two weekends would also be reduced from 4 hours to 3 hours.  The cost in terms of the loss of income would be met from supplementary estimates.

 

There would be no additional parking need for a Christmas lights switch-on this year.

 

The Portfolio Holder advised that Advisory Committee had considered the same report and recommended it for approval.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

 

Resolved: That

 

a)   the proposal for free parking in Sevenoaks town and Westerham on Saturday 12 December 2020, Sunday 13 December 2020, Saturday 19 December 2020 and Sunday 20 December 2020 be agreed; and

 

b)   it be recommended to Council that the cost of in terms of loss of income for free parking be met from Supplementary Estimates.

 

132.

Sevenoaks Parking Review pdf icon PDF 89 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cleaner & Greener Portfolio Holder presented the report which informed Members of the findings of the Sevenoaks parking review carried out between October 2019 and January 2020. The review recommended that where parking issues had been identified, that reasonable and proportionate measures be taken to improve parking management arrangements.

 

The Parking Manager further set out that the review also recommended that no further action at this stage be taken in locations where feedback indicated that no significant parking issues exist. It was acknowledged that some areas had more complex parking issues which could need further investigation. It was also proposed that new measures to help support low paid local workers and improve the benefits that existing zones provided to residents.

 

The Portfolio Holder advised that Advisory Committee had considered the same report and recommended it for approval.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

 

Resolved: That

 

a)   the ratio of resident and non-resident permits be adjusted to reduce non-resident permits over time and ensure that parking availably is maximised throughout the day, this will be done through permit surrenders and making non-resident permits not road specific;

 

b)   the period of no return in all parking bays in zone A be increased from 1 hour to 4 hours;

 

c)   “no return” to all roads in Zone A, until the 4-hour no return period has passed;

 

d)   rationalising boundaries and eligibility to maximise convenience and accessibility for residents be reviewed;

 

e)   Non-resident on-street parking permits to low paid workers at a reduced rate, where spare capacity exists, be offered; and

 

f)    Areas falling out of the scope of changes mentioned in these recommendations should be considered for inclusion in other future schemes.

 

IMPLEMENTATION OF DECISIONS

 

This notice was published on 19 October 2020.  The decisions contained in Minutes 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 131 and 132 take effect immediately.  The decisions contained in Minutes 128 and 130 take effect on 27 October 2020.  The decision contained in Minute 129 is a reference to Council.

 

 

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