Two questions had been received from Members in accordance with paragraph 19.3 of Part 2 (The Council and District Council Members) of the Constitution.

Question 1: Cllr Leaman

“Following the commitment of considerable public money, what arrangements has or will the Council put in place to ensure that it monitors and reports regularly to all Councillors on the levels of use and the financial performance of the District's leisure centres and golf course, now operated by Everyone Active?”

Response: Leader of the Council

“Thank you Councillor for your question. I’m very pleased to reassure you that Officers are monitoring the performance of Everyone Active closely across all the sites that they operate on our behalf. Each quarter meetings are in place to ensure that all performance and financial information is shared and scrutinised. And to that regard it is pleasing to report that Everyone Active and our leisure facilities are performing strongly.  In the month of June some 23,000 people used the facilities at the three sites which were previously managed by Sencio and in the last two months of their operation at these three sites, Everyone Active have managed to gain back 73% of the previous membership levels for their fitness offering, 74% of swimming lessons and 78% of the golf user-ships from an absolutely outstanding start. 

At the next meeting of People & Places Advisory Committee on 30 November there will be a report on the interim contract arrangements and I’m sure that all members will have a keen interest in that report. Financial information is also included in the regular financial monitoring reports which go to Finance & Investment Advisory Committee and then to cabinet. Furthermore, I understand that the Scrutiny Committee will be inviting Everyone Active to attend a future meeting to present and take further questions from Members.”

Supplementary question: Cllr Leaman

What confidence does the Council have, that there is proper accountability for this expenditure, if we’re not kept informed, month by month in a fast moving situation upon the return of this investment of financial position and the use of these facilities?

Response: Portfolio Holder for People & Places

Cllr Dyball replied stating that Everyone active was a very different organisation to Sencio. There was an open dialogue between Officers and Everyone Active and performance monitoring and financial information was regularly fed back. Currently they were very happy with the contract arrangements with Everyone Active and it was appreciated that it was a lot of money but that there was no other option at the time. Shortly, future contractual arrangements would be commenced for a permanent operator for the Sevenoaks, Edenbridge and Lullingstone golf course as Everyone Active’s contract for those sites was for only two years. The performance monitoring and financial information provided was scrutinised to ensure that there was value for money. 

In accordance with the Constitution, no further discussion was allowed.

Question 2: Cllr Gustard

“High land costs make new affordable homes hard to build in Sevenoaks District.  Will the council agree that in future any land it sells for development, or any development undertaken by the Council itself, should be conditional on meeting its own policy requirement of 40% affordable homes?”

Response: Leader of the Council

“The Council has a statutory requirement to seek best price for its assets under S.123 of the Local Government Act and should not fetter any sale by making conditions or requirements about the future use of that land after sale, beyond those set out in existing constraints or planning policies.

The amount of affordable housing provided on any site would be determined through the planning process and the Council’s planning policies.

The District-wide Affordable Housing policy is set out in Policy SP3 of the Core Strategy Policy and accompanying Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document, most recently updated through an Addendum in March 2023.

The Council’s policies require that developments should include between 0 to 40 per cent, i.e. up to 40% of affordable homes dependent on the total number of homes being provided and these policies would apply to any site seeking planning permission including any land owned, or previously owned by the Council.

In bringing forward its own development proposals the Council will always seek to be policy compliant where it is viable to do so and these schemes are only progressed on the approval of Members and the Development Management Committee.”

No supplementary question was asked.