Agenda and minutes

The General Counsel reported apologies from Mr Shonk.

(Mr Gibbens the present Chairman presided for this item)

(1)         Mr Kite proposed and Mr Brazier seconded that Mrs A Allen be appointed Chairman of the County Council.

Agreed unanimously

(2)     Thereupon Mrs Allen took the chair, made her Declaration of Acceptance of Office and returned thanks for her election.

(3)       Tributes were  paid  to Mr Gibbens with thanks  for the manner in which he had carried out his duties as Chairman of the Council from May 2020 until the present day.

(4)       Mr Gibbens suitably replied.

(5)       Tributes were also paid to Mr Northey, the Vice-Chairman of the Council from May 2020 until the present day.

(1)          Mr Hills proposed and Mr Simkins seconded that Mrs L Game be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council.

Agreed unanimously

(2)   Mrs Game  made her Declaration of Acceptance of Office and returned thanks for her appointment. 

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2021 be approved as a correct record.

(1)  The County Returning Officer for the County of Kent submitted the return of persons elected to be county councillors for the electoral divisions of the county as reproduced in the papers for this meeting.

(2)  The Returning Officer and the Chairman thanked the staff who had helped organise and run the 2021 elections, in what had been a challenging and unique year.

(3)   Resolved that the return of Councillors duly elected to the County Council for the period until May 2025 be noted.

The Chairman welcomed all newly elected and returning members of the County Council.

Mr Oakford proposed and Mrs Cole seconded that Mr R Gough be elected Leader of the Council until the annual meeting of the council in 2025.

Carried without a formal vote

Mr Hook moved and Mrs Wood seconded that Dr L Sullivan be appointed Leader of the Opposition.

Carried without a formal vote

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel held on  16 February 2021 be noted.

In accordance with Sections 14.15 to 14.22 of the Constitution, 11 questions were asked and replies given. A record of all questions put and answers given at the meeting is available online with the papers for this meeting.

(1)          The Leader opened his update by thanking the County Council for electing him as Leader and thanking Mr Oakford and Mrs Cole for their kind words in proposing and seconding him.  He thanked Ben Watts, his team, and the district and borough councils for their work delivering the recent elections in very challenging circumstances. He said he was delighted and relieved that the election had resulted in a significant Conservative victory and acknowledged the impact of national factors on elections to Kent County Council.  He said that the vaccination programme had played a  part in the recent elections but the record of the administration and its plans for the future were also important factors.  The Leader said he would divide his remarks into four sections: recovery, quality of life, responding to government initiatives and policies, and events.

Economic, social, and environmental recovery of the county. 

(2)          The Leader said the administration would support the economic recovery of the county and that his remarks were predicated on the anticipated relaxation of restrictions imposed to combat Covid-19.  He said the county could benefit from the increasing numbers of businesses looking to re-locate in areas around London and that work was underway through the employment taskforce to address Kent’s structural issues as a low skill and low wage economy.  He said the taskforce was an excellent example of KCC using its strategic role to set out a policy and bring together a range of people and organisations who could address these issues.  He went on to say that as the authority emerged from the pandemic, decisions would have to be made quickly on ways of working, the shape of the authority’s estate, and the delivery of services, and these decisions would take into account the changes brought about by Covid-19 and lockdown.  He said it was important to continue to work with others, particularly colleagues in district and borough councils, as many decisions made by KCC and other organisations would have an impact on the shape of new communities and town centres. 

(3)          The Leader said that a key element of social recovery was the  Reconnect programme for young people which would be a major theme over the coming months. In addition, the authority had supported the county’s poorest residents during the pandemic through emergency grants, free school meals and other programmes.  Much of this support had been provided using grants from government; however, as the grant regime was coming to an end, the authority was looking at more sustainable ways of supporting communities. This would be done, in part, by developing an extensive partnership with the voluntary and community sector through initiatives such as Crowdfund Kent, the use of member grants to  support communities, and by targeted support in areas such as fuel poverty.

(4)       The Leader said tremendous work had been done to progress the environmental agenda under the leadership of Susan Carey and Tony Hills and he hoped to see Miss Carey back with the Council very soon.  He  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

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

“The County Council is asked to

(a)  DETERMINE the total number of committee places; the allocation of those places between the political groups; and the allocation of places on certain bodies;

(b) AGREE that the proportionality and committee seat allocation will be reviewed at the next County Council meeting following the Elham Valley Division election.

(c) AGREE that Selection and Member Services Committee will make  appointments to outside bodies, except for those which fall to be made by the Leader of the Council; and

(d) AGREE to give delegated authority to the Democratic Services Manager, in consultation with the four Group leaders to adjust the allocation of committee places in order to conform to overall proportionality requirements.”

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

(3)          RESOLVED that:

(a)   the total number of committee places; the allocation of those places between the political groups; and the allocation of places on certain bodies as set out in the report be approved.

(b)   the Selection and Member Services Committee make the appointments to outside bodies, except for those which fall to be made by the Leader of the Council; and

(c)    delegated authority be given to the Democratic Services Manager, in consultation with the four Group leaders to adjust the allocation of committee places in order to conform to overall proportionality requirements.