Agenda and minutes

The General Counsel reported apologies from Mrs Beresford, Mr Balfour, Mr Booth, Mr Harman, Ida Linfield, Mr Manion, Mr Monk and Miss Rankin.

(1)          Dr Sullivan declared an interest in item 7 (Ofsted Inspection on Children’s Services) as her husband was employed by the County Council as an Early Help and Prevention officer.

(2)          Mr Lewis declared an interest in item 10 (County Council Directorate and Strategic Commissioning Structure update) as his wife worked for the County Council.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2017 be approved as a correct record.

(a)          Past Chairman’s Escort badge

(1)          The Chairman presented Mrs Davies, a former Chairman’s Escort, with a former Chairman’s Escort badge. 

(b)          The Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2017

(2)          The Chairman referred Members to the list of honours recipients from Kent following the recent announcement in The Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

(3)          He stated that he was delighted to inform Members that one of Kent’s foster carers, Theresa Carpenter, had been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.   Theresa had been a foster carer for 19 years and had looked after 28 children.  She had been a strong advocate of education to help ensure they received the best opportunities in life. Theresa, who was nominated by one of her foster children, sat on KCC’s Corporate Parenting Panel and was also Vice-Chairman of Governors for a local school.

(4)          The Chairman, on behalf of the County Council, offered sincere congratulations to all of those Honours recipients.

(c)          Chairman’s Symphony Concert

(5)          The Chairman informed the Council that he had organised a symphony concert on Saturday 24 March 2018 at Mote Hall in Maidstone and proceeds would go to his nominated charity, Kent Community Foundation.  Ticket details would be available nearer the time.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 1.17(4), 8 questions were asked and replies given.  A record of all questions put and answers given at the meeting are available online with the papers for this meeting.  

(1)          The Leader updated the Council on events since the previous meeting.

(2)          Mr Carter referred to the positive outcome of the Ofsted inspection of children’s services which would be considered later in the meeting.  This had put Kent County Council in the top 25% of all local authorities in the Country.  This had been the result of a 7 year journey and recognition of strong leadership and management.  He wished to record his enormous thanks to all of those Members who had been involved and all senior managers and staff that had got this service into a much better place. 

(3)          Mr Carter then provided an update on progress with the STP, bringing together health and social care integration across the county including Medway.  The intention through that integration was to make better use of the national health service pound and the social care pound and most importantly to deliver a much more effective and efficient use of that resource and better health and care outcomes to all residents in Kent.  He referred to the time spent by Members in various forums discussing the development of a plan that delivered better value for money and better health care outcomes.  This had led to the identification of three key elements of the STP which were prevention, local care and hospitals. The major purpose of these was hospital avoidance wherever possible and safely making a much more effective and efficient hospital estate to deliver better hospital care. 

(4)          Mr Carter confirmed that there would be a series of public consultations in spring 2018 where the exact re-configuration across the whole suite of hospitals in Kent was put together.  Alongside this was the preventative care work stream which aimed to help support and encourage Kent residents to be as healthy as possible to avoid the necessity for intervention from the various levels of health provision.  

(5)          Mr Carter referred to the recent financial modelling by the STP programme board which drew the conclusion that every £1 million in grant to local care would save £4 – 5 million in hospital care once properly and appropriately delivered.  This made a compelling case to ensure the expansion of local care.  He stated that the challenge was to put the rhetoric into reality and actually implement the investment needed to deliver that local care model with more district nurses, physiotherapist and therapists of all types including mental health practitioners.   He also mentioned the detrimental effect that long hospital stays could have on elderly patients, services delivered locally andcare in the community were preferential for their healthcare.

(6)          Mr Carter stated that work was underway to find the money, with help from NHS England, to invest across CCGs in Kent to start to deliver a model of local care. This would include evaluation of the pressureon hospital admissions and the support needed to get patients out of hospital as fast as possible into intermediary step down beds or back to their homes. 

(7)          Mr  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

(1)          Mr Gough moved and Mr Oakford seconded the following motion:

“Members are asked to NOTE the content of the report and the significant work of all the staff who have contributed to this very positive outcome.”

(2)          Following the debate the motion set out above, with a minor amendment by the proposer to thank staff, was agreed without a formal vote.

(3)          RESOLVED that the content of the report be noted and the Director, Specialist Children's Services be requested to pass on Members deep appreciation for the work that staff had carried out towards achieving this favourable outcome.

(1)          Mr Payne moved and Mr Dance seconded the following motion:

“The County Council is asked to approve and adopt Local Transport Plan 4: Delivering Growth without Gridlock (2016 – 2031) as a plan included in the Policy Framework of the Constitution of the Kent County Council.”

(2)          Following the debate the Chairman put the motion set out above to the vote and the voting was as follows:

For (62)

Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr P Barrington-King, Mr P Bartlett, Mrs C Bell, Mrs R Binks, Mr R Bird, Mr T Bond, Mr A Bowles, Mr D Butler, Miss S Carey, Mr P Carter, Mrs S Chandler, Mr N Chard, Mr I Chittenden,  Mrs P Cole, Mr N Collor, Mr A Cook, Mr G Cooke, Mr P Cooper, Mrs M Crabtree, Mr D Daley, Mr M Dance, Miss E Dawson, Mrs T Dean, Mrs L Game, Mrs S Gent, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Mr K Gregory, Ms S Hamilton, Mr M Hill, Mr T Hills, Mrs S Hohler,  Mr S Holden, Mr P Homewood, Mr M,  Horwood, Mr E Hotson, Mr J Kite, Mr G Koowaree, Mr P Lake, Mr R Long, Mr R Love, Mr G Lymer, Mr A Marsh, , Mr J McInroy, Mr P Messenger, Mr D Murphy, Mr M Northey, Mr P Oakford, Mr J Ozog, Mr D Pascoe, Mr M Payne,  Mrs S, Prendergast, Mr K Pugh, Mr H Rayner, Mr C Simkins, Mr J Simmonds, Mrs P Stockell, Mr I Thomas, Mr M Whiting, Mr J Wright.

Against (9)

Ms K Constantine, Mr T Dhesi, Mr A Hook, Mr B Lewis, Ms  D Marsh, Mr A Ridgers, Dr L Sullivan, Mr B Sweetland, Mr  M Whybrow,

Abstain (1)

Mr D Farrell

(3)          RESOLVED that the Local Transport Plan 4: Delivering Growth without Gridlock (2016 – 2031) be adopted as a plan included in the Policy Framework of the Constitution of the Kent County Council.

(1)          Mr Hill moved and Mrs Hohler seconded the following motion:

“Council is asked to adopt the strategy”

(2)          Following the debate the motion set out above was agreed without a formal vote.

(3)          RESOLVED that the Cultural Strategy be adopted.

(1)          Mr Carter moved and Mr Oakford seconded the following motion:

“The County Council is asked to:

·         Note the appointment and offer made to the two new Corporate Director posts and to the new Strategic Commissioner role.

·         Note that the consequential changes to the Constitution have been made following the changes in structure.

·         Agree the change of reporting line for the Director of Public Health to the Strategic Commissioner which moves the Public Health Division into Strategic and Corporate Services with effect from 28 August 2017.”

(2)          Following the debate the motion set out above was agreed without a formal vote.

(3)          RESOLVED that;

(a)  the appointment and offer made to the two new Corporate Director posts and to the new Strategic Commissioner role be noted

(b)   the consequential changes to the Constitution have been made following the changes in structure be noted

(c)  the change of reporting line for the Director of Public Health to the Strategic Commissioner which moves the Public Health Division into Strategic and Corporate Services with effect from 28 August 2017 be approved.

(1)          Mr Hotson moved and Mr Gregory seconded the following motion

“To apply a global increase of 15% to all current allowances

·         From 2018/19 onwards, to apply an annual increase to the Basic Allowance, Special Responsibility Allowances and Carer’s Allowance that is index-linked to the total staff pay progression pot agreed for the previous financial year and expressed as a percentage.

·         To accept the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel and create an additional SRA for the Cabinet Lead for Trading Services at the equivalent of Cabinet Member.

·         To amend Appendix 7 of the Constitution to reflect these changes”

(2)          Mr Bird proposed and Mrs Dean seconded the following amendment:

“The County Council is asked to note this report, the report of the Independent Member Remuneration Panel and to consider and determine the Members’ Allowances Scheme for the period May 2017 to May 2021 in line with the Panel’s recommendations as set out in Section 16, namely:

To restore the Basic Member Allowance from £12,805 to £13,000 (1.50% increase) for the period 8th May 2017 to the election in May 2021, see Appendix 5.

To index link the Basic Member Allowance and Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) to the Staff Total Contribution Pay Process (TCP), ‘achieving level’ for the period 2017 – 2021 (1.8% in 2017/18).

To create an additional SRA for the Cabinet Lead for Trading Services at the equivalent of Cabinet Member.

To index link the Carer’s Allowance to the Staff TCP for the period 2017- 2021.

No other recommended changes to the allowances.”

(3)          Following the debate the Chairman put the amendment set out in paragraph (2) above to the vote and the voting was as follows:

For (7)

Mr R Bird, Mr I Chittenden, Mr D Daley, Mrs T Dean, Mr A Hook, Mr G Koowaree, Mr G Lymer

Against (57)

Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr P Barrington-King,  Mr T Bond, Mr A Bowles, Miss S Carey, Mr P Carter, Mr N Chard, Mrs P Cole, Mr N Collor, Ms K Constantine, Mr A Cook, Mr G Cooke, Mr P Cooper, Mrs M Crabtree, Mr M Dance, Miss E Dawson, Mr T Dhesi, Mr D Farrell, Mrs L Game, Mrs S Gent, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Mr K Gregory, Ms S Hamilton, Mr M Hill, Mr T Hills, Mrs S Hohler,  Mr S Holden, Mr P Homewood, Mr E Hotson,  Mr P Lake, Mr B Lewis,  Mr R Long, Mr R Love, Mr A Marsh, Ms  D Marsh, Mr J McInroy, Mr P Messenger, Mr D Murphy, Mr M Northey, Mr P Oakford, Mr J Ozog, Mr D Pascoe, Mrs S Prendergast, Mr K Pugh, Mr H Rayner, Mr A Ridgers, Mr C Simkins, Mr J Simmonds, Mrs P Stockell, Dr L Sullivan, Mr B Sweetland, Mr I Thomas, Mr M Whiting, Mr  M Whybrow, Mr J Wright.

Abstain (6)

Mrs C Bell, Mrs R Binks, Mr D Butler, Mrs S Chandler, Mr M Horwood, Mr J Kite

 Amendment  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.