Issue - meetings

(Item B1 – Oral Report by Mr M Hill, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Ms A Honey, Managing Director for Communities)

(1)       Mr Hill updated Members on the following issues:-

Kent Library and History Centre
Mr Hill stated that there would be a presentation on the Kent Library and History Centre later in the year in conjunction with an update on the directorate’s capital programme.

(2)       Mr Hill advised that a site had been identified for the Kent Library and History Centre on James Whatman Way in Maidstone, at the junction with Royal Engineers Road.  Invitations for the press launch on 17 April 2008, at which the name of the preferred developers would be announced, would be sent out in the week of 7 April 2008.  The plans for the new Centre would be submitted to Maidstone Borough Council in due course for planning approval and the Committee noted that a report on the Centre and its services would be submitted to a future meeting.

Turner Contemporary

(3)       Mr Hill advised that, on the 20 February, planning permission had been granted by the Thanet District Council Planning Committee.  A formal application for funding had been submitted to the Arts Council and a bid had also been submitted to SEEDA.  Responses to both of these are expected in July 2008.  He also advised that the development of the Rendezvous site would be overseen by Gleesons who had just been appointed as preferred developer and Ms Honey advised the Committee that the former Marks and Spencer store in Margate was now being used as gallery space in which successful exhibitions had already taken place.  

(4)       In response to a question regarding the legal costs incurred in seeking to recoup the monies spent on the original design Turner, reported in other papers to this Committee as a cost of £300k, Mr Hill advised that recovering the money had been a decision by the County Council and money therefore needed to be spent to cover legal costs of doing so.  He felt that the County Council had every chance of recouping the money spent on the original design and part of the settlement would cover the costs of achieving this.  

(5)       Mr Hill advised the Committee of the following formal openings and award ceremonies that had taken place since the POC last met:-

• 3 February: the Try-Angle Awards presentations at the Winter Gardens in Margate
• 15 February: the opening of Thanet Gateway in Margate
• 21 February:  the launch of the Ashford Library and Gateway project 
• 7 March: the presentation ceremony for the first Communities Directorate Quality Service Awards 
• 12 March: the Adult Education Cube Centre opened in Folkestone
• 19 March: the presentation ceremony for participants in the Criminal Justice Progression Awards scheme, 10 of whom were former KDAAT service users
• 21 April: the launch of the National Year of Reading.

Inspections

(6)       Ms Honey informed Members that the report on the recent inspection of the Youth Offending Service would be published in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66