This is a default template, your custom branding appears to be missing.
The custom branding should be at https://www.kent.gov.uk/_designs/moderngov/template if you cannot load this page please contact your IT.

Technical Error: Error: The request was aborted: Could not create SSL/TLS secure channel.

  • Agenda and minutes
  • Agenda and minutes

    Venue: Council Chamber, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone

    Contact: Denise Fitch  03000 416090

    Media

    Items
    No. Item

    65.

    Election of Chairman

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    (Mr D Brazier the present Chairman presided for this item)

     

    (1)          Mr Hill moved and Mr Gibbens seconded that Mr M Angell be appointed Chairman of the County Council.

     

    Agreed unanimously

     

    (2)     Thereupon Mr Angell took the chair, made his Declaration of Acceptance of Office and returned thanks for his election.

     

    (3)       Mr Carter, Mr Bird and Mr Hotson paid tribute to Mr Brazier and thanked him for the manner in which he had carried out his duties as Chairman of the Council from May 2017 until the present day.

     

    (4)       Mr Brazier suitably replied.

     

     

    66.

    Election of Vice-Chairman

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    (1)       Mrs Cole moved and Mrs Binks seconded that Mrs A Allen be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council.

     

    Agreed unanimously

     

    (2)       Mr Allen thereupon made her Declaration of Acceptance of Office and returned thanks for her appointment.

    67.

    Apologies for Absence

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    The General Counsel reported apologies from Mr Bowles, Mr Butler, Mr Chittenden, Mr Collor, Mr Cooke, Mr Kite, Mr Koowaree, Mr Murphy, Mr Ozog, Mrs Prendergast and Mr Simmonds.

     

    68.

    Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Significant Interests in items on the agenda

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    (1)            The General Counsel confirmed that in relation to item 9 Members should only disclose a pecuniary interest or other significant interest in the item if they or their family gained financial benefit from the Armed Forces Covenant that would be discussed during this item.

     

    (2)         Dr Sullivan declared an interest as her husband was employed by the County Council as an Early Help and Prevention officer.

     

    (3)          Mr Lewis declared an interest as his wife worked for the County Council.

     

    (4)          Mr Wright declared a non disclosable pecuniary interest in item 13 (1) (Motion for Time Limited Debate - Electric Vehicle Charging Points) as he was a Member of an air quality management group.

     

    (5)          Mr Horwood declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in item 13 (1) (Motion for Time Limited Debate - Electric Vehicle Charging Points) as he worked for UK Power Networks.

    69.

    Minutes of the meeting held on 15 March 2018 and, if in order, to be approved as a correct record pdf icon PDF 105 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 15 March 2018 be approved as a correct record.

     

     

    70.

    Chairman's Announcements

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    Death of Wing Commander Ronald Powling

     

    (1)       The Chairman stated that it was with regret that he had to inform Members of the death of Wing Commander Ronald Powling on Friday 2 March 2018, former Conservative Member for Whitstable East between 1973 and 1989.

     

    (2)        Mr Dance and Mr Bird paid tribute to Wing Commander Powling.

     

    Death of David Evans

     

    (3)       The Chairman stated that it was with regret that he had to inform Members of the death of David Evans on Friday 6 April 2018, former Conservative Member between 1997 and 2001.

     

    (4)       Mr Balfour and Mrs Dean paid tribute to Mr Evans.

     

    (5)       At the end of the tributes all Members stood in silence in memory of Wing Commander Powling and Mr Evans.

     

    (6)       After the one-minute silence the Chairman moved, the Vice-Chairman seconded, and it was resolved unanimously that:

     

    (7)       This Council records the sense of loss it feels on the sad passing of Wing Commander Powling and Mr Evans and extends to his family and friends our heartfelt sympathy to them in their sad bereavement.

    Andy Wood

    (8)          The Chairman paid tribute to Andy Wood, Corporate Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer who would be leaving the County council at the end of June.   The Chairman thanked him for the work that he had carried out for Kent County Council over the years in relation to the setting of the Budget. Members supported the Chairman’s comments.

    (9)          Mrs Crabtree paid tribute to Mr Wood on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement, Mr Simmonds. Mr Bird, Mr Farrell and Mr Whybrow also paid tribute to Mr Woods.

     

    (10)       Mr Wood suitably replied.

    GDPR training for Members

     

    (11)     The Chairman thanked the 54 Members who had signed up and completed the GDPR training session and encouraged all Members to sign up to a session.

     

    Engagement, Organisation Design and Development Briefing for Members

     

    (12)     The Chairman encouraged Members to attend the Engagement, Organisation Design and Development briefing on 24 May.

     

    The Queen’s Award for Enterprise

    (13)     The Chairman announced the Kent had four winners of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise this year. They were Childrensalon Ltd, Jon Tibbs Associates Limited, Maverick Drinks and TPS Global Logistics.

    No Use Empty – UK Housing award

    (14)     The Chairman announced that the County Council had won the outstanding approach to regeneration category at the UK Housing Awards 2018 for its pioneering ‘No Use Empty’ initiative to bring empty homes back to life.

    Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE) Project – ADEPT Award

    (15)     The Chairman announced that a Kent County Council scheme to help businesses invest in technology to help tackle climate change had been recognised at an awards ceremony. The Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE) Project was selected as runner-up by the President of the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) Awards.

    (16)     The Chairman thanked everyone that was involved in the project.

    Chairman’s charity  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

    71.

    Questions pdf icon PDF 123 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    In accordance with Procedure Rule 1.17(4), 7 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. 

    72.

    Report by Leader of the Council (Oral)

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

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

     

    (2)       Mr Carter thanked Andy Wood for the enormous contribution that he had made to Kent County Council.  He also sent the good wishes of all Members to Mr Simmonds for a speedy recovery. 

     

    (3)       Mr Carter referred to health and social care integration through the Sustainable Transformation Programme (STP) which was starting to show good progress.  The Leader had been invited to chair the Local Care Implementation Board across the health economy of Kent and Medway.  Three productive meetings had been held and it was now important to put GPs at the heart of local care and empower GPs through the coming together of multi-disciplinary teams serving a population of 35-50,000 patients. 

     

    (4)       Mr Carter was hopeful that additional money could be found from the £2.4billion health economy in Kent which could be put into front line services allowing for an expanded workforce.  A training programme was in place but in the short term it was going to be necessary to find, from around the world, well qualified people to come and live and work in Kent to support our health economy.  To enable this it was important to have the right number of good quality key worker houses for these people to have priority access to. 

     

    (5)       Mr Carter told Members of his recent visit to Farrow Court in Ashford which was a former residential care home run and owned by KCC who joined forces with Ashford Borough Council and have developed a campus of sheltered housing including enablement beds and units for adults with learning disabilities.  Mr Carter considered that this was built to a stunning standard and recommended that Members visit the site and that the model was replicated across Kent.  He considered that the same theory applied to the physical facilities that GPs worked out of, these needed to be state of the art and located strategically across Kent. 

     

    (6)       Mr Carter then referred to education and the work in Kent on the provision of sufficient places and the basic need allocation.  The Society of County Treasurers had suggested that there was around a £1billion shortfall in funding over the next five years for a sufficiency of places and it was going to be essential to input into the spending review next spring to make sure there was adequate resource to deliver the expansions in Kent. 

     

    (7)       Mr Bird, the Leader of the Opposition, started by referring members to the William Beveridge report which stated that a revolution was needed, not patching.  Mr Bird considered that the problem with health and social care was that it was a patchwork and he agreed with Mr Carter that what was needed was a cohesive structure which pulled all the strands together.  Mr Bird agreed that resources for primary care were critical with a chronic shortage of GPs, the new training facilities were welcomed and housing was part of the process to attract good quality workers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

    73.

    Annual Report on the Implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant in Kent pdf icon PDF 90 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

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

     

    “County Council is asked to:

     

    (a)       NOTE Covenant work to date and COMMIT to priorities going forward.

     

    (b)       CHAMPION the Armed Forces Covenant across the county and ENGAGE locally in Covenant efforts.”

     

    (2)       Following a presentation by Canon Peter Bruinvels CC and the debate, the motion as set out in paragraph (1) was agreed without a formal vote.

     

    (3)       RESOLVED that the Council notes the Covenant work to date, commits to the priorities going forward, champions the Armed Forces Covenant across the county and engages locally in Covenant efforts.

    74.

    Revenue Budget 2018-19 update pdf icon PDF 49 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    (1)     The Chairman reminded Members that any Member of a Local Authority who is liable to pay Council Tax, and who has any unpaid Council Tax amount overdue for at least two months, even if there is an arrangement to pay off the arrears, must declare the fact that they are in arrears and must not cast their vote on anything related to KCC’s Budget or Council Tax.

    (2)       Mrs Crabtree moved and Ms Carey seconded the following motion:

     

    “The County Council is asked to:

     

    APPROVE an additional £2m spending on pot-hole repairs in 2018-19 in response to the severe weather event during the week of 26 February with the financing being met by a draw-down from reserves.”

     

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

     

    For (67)

     

    Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr M Balfour, Mr P Barrington-King, Mrs C Bell, Mrs P Beresford, Mrs R Binks, Mr R Bird, Mr T Bond, Mr A Booth, Mr D Brazier, Miss S Carey, Mr P Carter, Mrs S Chandler, Mrs P Cole, Ms K Constantine, Mr A Cook, Mr P Cooper, Mrs M Crabtree, Mr D Daley, Mr M Dance, Miss E Dawson, Mrs T Dean, Mr T Dhesi, Mr D Farrell, Mrs L Game, Mrs S Gent, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Ms S Hamilton, Mr P Harman, Mr M Hill, Mr T Hills, Mrs S Hohler,  Mr S Holden, Mr P Homewood, Mr A Hook, Mr M Horwood, Mr E Hotson, Mrs L Hurst, Mr J Kite, Mr P Lake, Mr B Lewis, Mr R Long, Mr R Love, Mr G Lymer, Mr A Marsh, Ms D Marsh, Mr J McInroy, Mr P Messenger, Mr D Murphy, Mr M Northey, Mr P Oakford, Mr D Pascoe, Mr M Payne, Mr K Pugh, Miss C Rankin, Mr H Rayner, Mr A Ridgers, Mr C Simkins, Mrs P Stockell, Dr L Sullivan, Mr B Sweetland, Mr I Thomas, Mr M Whiting, Mr  M Whybrow, Mr J Wright.

     

    Against (0) Abstained (0)

     

    Motion carried

     

    (4)       RESOLVED that the County Council approve an additional £2m spending on pot-hole repairs in 2018-19 in response to the severe weather event during the week of 26 February with the financing being met by a draw-down from reserves.

     

    75.

    Proposed changes to Financial Regulations pdf icon PDF 57 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    (1)       Mrs Crabtree moved and Ms Carey seconded the following motion;

     

    “Members are asked to: 3.1 Consider and approve the updated Financial Regulations and Delegated Authority Matrix of Approval Limits.”

     

    (2)       The motion was agreed without a formal vote.

     

    (3)       RESOLVED that the updated Financial Regulations and Delegated Authority Matrix of Approval Limits, as set out in the appendix to the report, be approved.

     

    76.

    Proposed changes to Top Tier posts in the Children, Young People and Education Directorate pdf icon PDF 79 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

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

     

    “The County Council is asked to agree:

     

    (a)       the deletion of the posts of Director Specialist Children’s Services and Director of Early Help and Preventative Services; and

    (b)       the introduction of two new Director posts, Director Integrated Children’s Services (Early Help and Preventative Services Lead) and Director Integrated Children’s Services (Social Work Lead).”

     

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

     

    For (57)

     

    Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr M Balfour, Mr P Barrington-King, Mrs C Bell, Mrs P Beresford, Mrs R Binks, Mr T Bond, Mr A Booth, Mr D Brazier, Miss S Carey, Mr P Carter, Mrs S Chandler, Mrs P Cole, Mr A Cook, Mr P Cooper, Mrs M Crabtree, Mr M Dance, Miss E Dawson, Mrs L Game, Mrs S Gent, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Ms S Hamilton, Mr P Harman, Mr M Hill, Mr T Hills, Mrs S Hohler, Mr P Homewood, Mr M Horwood, Mr E Hotson, Mrs L Hurst, Mr J Kite, Mr P Lake, Mr R Long, Mr R Love, Mr G Lymer, Mr A Marsh, Ms D Marsh, Mr J McInroy, Mr P Messenger,  Mr D Murphy, Mr M Northey, Mr P Oakford, Mr D Pascoe, Mr M Payne,  Mr K Pugh, Miss C Rankin, Mr H Rayner, Mr A Ridgers, Mr C Simkins, Mrs P Stockell, Mr B Sweetland, Mr I Thomas, Mr M Whiting, Mr  M Whybrow, Mr J Wright.

     

    Against (10)

     

    Mr R Bird, Mr K Constantine, Mr D Daley, Mrs T Dean, Mr T Dhesi, Mr D Farrell, Mr A Hook, Mr B Lewis, Ida Linfield, Dr L Sullivan

     

    Abstained (0)

     

    Motion carried

     

    (3)       RESOLVED that the County Council agree to the deletion of the posts of Director Specialist Children’s Services and Director of Early Help and Preventative Services; and the introduction of two new Director posts, Director Integrated Children’s Services (Early Help and Preventative Services Lead) and Director Integrated Children’s Services (Social Work Lead).

     

    77.

    Motions for Time Limited Debate

    1.            Electric Vehicle Charging Points

     

    Proposed by Mr Hook and seconded by Mr Bird

     

    “This council calls for:

    1.    Government and manufacturers to continue to work to make electric vehicles more affordable for ordinary working families and small businesses, and to support alternatives to car use altogether,

    2.    Kent to lead the UK in conversion to greener technology, such as electric vehicles, over the years ahead,

    3.    The Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to amend the Kent Design Guide, a Supplementary Planning Document, to refer to the incorporation of charging and other facilities in all new car parking for all forms of public and commercial development; and new homes to be built with a presumption in favour of having car charging points,

    4.    An Action Plan to be drawn up to support and encourage the conversion to electric vehicles in Kent, in particular creating access to charging points for existing homes without off-street parking. 

     

     

    Background information provided by Mr Hook and Mr Bird in support of the motion

     

    1.    The UK Government and the EU is committed to reduce polluting vehicle emissions and, in particular the UK Government will end the sale of new diesel and petrol cars in England by 2040.

    2.    There was an 11% increase in UK electric car sales in 2017, many of them being taken up by people in Kent.

    3.    Many more people in Kent want, and will want in future, to move to cleaner electric vehicles but feel prevented from doing so by cost and lack of infrastructure, especially residents who do not have off-street parking.

    4.    Air Quality is a serious danger to the lives and health of residents across Kent with many Air Quality Management Plans in place and Air Quality found to be above legal limits in several areas of Kent.

    5.    In January 2018 it was reported to the Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee that:

    “1,000 early deaths [per year] across Kent and Medway [were] attributed to poor air quality in 2013.” And

     

    “transport emissions remain stubbornly static and are currently the same as they were in 2009. Emerging digital technologies and the growth in the use of electric vehicles present Kent with an exciting opportunity to lead [change].”

     

    The National Planning Policy Framework, states:

     

    ‘Plans should protect and exploit opportunities for the use of sustainable

    transport modes for the movement of goods or people. Therefore,

    developments should be located and designed where practical to:

     

    ·         incorporate facilities for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission

    vehicles’

     

     

    2.            Pollinator Action Plan

     

    Proposed by Mr Whybrow and seconded by Mr Holden

     

    “This council supports the setting up of a cross-party working group to work with officers to produce a Pollinator Action Plan for submission to the County Council for approval in six months’ time. The council recognises the vital importance to Kent’s rural economy of pollinators and the fact that local authorities are well placed to make a significant contribution to reversing their decline, including through land and verge  ...  view the full agenda text for item 77.

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    (1)       Mr Hook moved, and Mr Bird seconded the following motion:

     

    “The County Council is asked to agree the following:

     

    (a)       Government and manufacturers to continue to work to make electric vehicles more affordable for ordinary working families and small businesses, and to support alternatives to car use altogether;

    (b)       Kent to lead the UK in conversion to greener technology, such as electric vehicles, over the years ahead;

    (c)        The Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to amend the Kent Design Guide, a Supplementary Planning Document, to refer to the incorporation of charging and other facilities in all new car parking for all forms of public and commercial development; and new homes to be built with a presumption in favour of having car charging points; and

    (d)       An Action Plan to be drawn up to support and encourage the conversion to electric vehicles in Kent, in particular creating access to charging points for existing homes without off-street parking.”

     

    (2)       Mr Payne proposed, and Ms Carey seconded the following amendment:

     

                “This council calls for:

     

    (a)       Government to continue to encourage manufacturers to develop electric vehicles that are more affordable and to support other low carbon alternatives to car use,

     

    (b)       Kent County Council to develop strategies that reflect the government’s lead toward more sustainable and greener technology, over the years ahead,

     

    (c)        Kent County Council to continue to work with its partners such as Kent’s District and Borough Councils to incorporate best practice in low carbon technology such as electric car charging points in our built environment, and

    (d)       For the Kent Environment Strategy Informal Members Group to consider electric charging as part of any proposed Energy & Low Emissions Strategy and refresh of the Kent Design Guide.”

     

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

     

    For (45)

     

    Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr M Balfour, Mr P Barrington-King, Mrs C Bell, Mrs P Beresford, Mrs R Binks, Mr D Brazier, Miss S Carey, Mr P Carter, Mrs S Chandler, Mrs P Cole, Mr A Cook, Mrs M Crabtree, Mr M Dance, Miss E Dawson, Mrs L Game, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Ms S Hamilton, Mr M Hill, Mr T Hills, Mr S Holden, Mr P Homewood, Mr E Hotson, Mrs L Hurst, Mr J Kite, Mr P Lake, Mr R Long, Mr R Love, Mr G Lymer, Mr A Marsh, Mr J McInroy, Mr P Messenger, Mr M Northey, Mr P Oakford, Mr D Pascoe, Mr M Payne, Mr K Pugh, Miss C Rankin, Mr C Simkins, Mrs P Stockell, Mr I Thomas, Mr M Whiting, Mr J Wright.

     

    Against (10)

     

    Mr R Bird, Ms K Constantine, Mr D Daley, Mrs T Dean, Mr T Dhesi, Mr D Farrell Mr A Hook, Ida Linfield, Dr L Sullivan, Mr M Whybrow.

     

    Abstained (0)

     

    Amendment carried

     

    (4)       The substantive motion was agreed without a formal vote

     

    (5)       RESOLVED that:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.