Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that subject to Mr D L Brazier being recorded as a Substitute for Mr P B Carter, the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 2009 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

(1)       The Committee agreed to receive a report at its next meeting giving an update on the number of Officer posts listed as politically restricted following the removal of the requirement to politically restrict a post that exceeds a specific salary.

(2)       RESOLVED that: -

(a)               the report be noted;

(b)               the County Council be requested to designate the Overview, Scrutiny and Localism Manager as its Scrutiny Manager in accordance with Section of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; and

(c)               a report be presented to the next meeting of the Committee  giving an update on the number of Officer posts listed as politically restricted following the removal of the requirement to politically restrict a post that exceeds a specific salary.

(1)       The Committee noted that the final sentence of paragraph 1 (3) of the report should read “The Deputy Leader will submit a response on behalf of the County Council.”

(2)       The Committee noted that the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee was considering the effectiveness of the County Council’s consultation procedures.  It agreed that its conclusions would be submitted to this Committee for its consideration.

(3)       RESOLVED:-

(a)               to note that the cross-party Local Petition and Call For Action Informal Member Group has been reconvened to draft a response to “Listening to Communities: Consultation on the draft statutory guidance on the duty to respond to petitions”;  

(b)        that this draft response be recommended to the Deputy Leader to inform his response on behalf of the County Council before the deadline on 24 February 2010; and

(c)        that the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee’s eventual conclusions on the County Council’s consultation procedures be considered at a future meeting of this Committee.

(1)       The Committee agreed in respect of paragraph 4 of the report that only one of the three Deputy Cabinet Members for Children, Families and Education would be appointed to the Kent Children’s Trust County Board.

(2)               RESOLVED that the County Council’s elected representation on the Kent Children’s Trust County Board consist of the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Educatiion; a deputy Cabinet member for Children, Families and Education; and one Member to be nominated by each of the Liberal Democrat and Labour Groups.

RESOLVED that the Leader’s recommendation to appoint Mr R Tolputt to the Shadow Board (Kent and Medway Financial Inclusion Partnership) of Kent Savers be agreed.

(1)       The Chairman agreed that this item be taken as an Urgent Item on the grounds that the UK’s security alert level had recently been upgraded.

(2)       Mr L Christie raised the concern that he could see no obvious signs that security within County Hall had been upgraded in response to the upgrading of the UK’s security status. 

(3)       In discussion of this matter, the Committee noted that it was possible for members of the public to gain access to a number of areas within Sessions House before they needed to use a security swipe. 

(4)       Mrs T Dean raised concerns over the security arrangements in respect of the Invicta House Car Park following the recent decision to withdraw the Reception service from that building.

(5)       RESOLVED that the Head of Democratic Services and Local Leadership initiate an investigation of this matter with Kent Facilities Management and that a report be made to the next meeting of the Committee.