a)     Sevenoaks District Community Safety Partnership Strategy & Action Plan 2023-24

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Dyball seconded the recommendation from Cabinet. The report sought the adoption of the Community Safety Partnership Strategy & Action Plan.

Members spoke to the motion, and in reply the Leader advised that he was aware of the increase in shoplifting cases within the Town and had raised this with the Police & Crime Commissioner. He expressed the importance of shops reporting any thefts as every effort was used to ensure that action was taken, and in a recent case, thieves had been apprehended and jailed.

Resolved: That the 2023 – 24 Sevenoaks District Community Safety Strategy & Action Plan, be adopted.

b)     Environmental Protection Service Plan 2023/24

Councillor Fleming moved and Councillor McArthur seconded the recommendation from Cabinet. The report sought the adoption of the Service Plan for 2023/24.

Resolved: That the Environmental Protection Service Plan, be approved.

c)     White Oak Residential

Councillor Fleming moved and Councillor Dickins seconded the recommendation from Cabinet to approve the provision of £21, 852, 476 in the Capital Programme to deliver the scheme which was to be funded as noted in the financial implications to the report.

Members debated the recommendation and it was moved by Councillor Clayton and duly seconded that the motion, be amended to include, “subject to the inclusion of affordable housing, within the scheme.”

Members discussed the amendment, highlighting the Council’s priority for affordable housing in the District and that  the developer itself could set a precedent. In the Leader’s right of reply he advised that paragraph 4, says that profit from the residential phase was required to part contribute to the construction of the new leisure centre, which any other developer would not be doing. It was usual for the Council to request developers demonstrate the community benefit, which he believed the new leisure centre facilities demonstrated a community benefit in one of the areas in the district with two of the highest levels of deprivation and health inequalities. Two 100% affordable housing schemes had been delivered in Swanley, one with 17 units on the high street.

The amendment was put to the vote and it was lost.

The original motion was put to the vote.

Resolved: That the provision of £21, 852, 476 in the Capital Programme to deliver the scheme which was to be funded as noted in the financial implications to the report, be agreed.