Agenda and minutes

(Mr Sweetland, the present Chairman, presided for this item)

(1)     Mr Paul Webb proposed, and Ms Isabella Kemp seconded that Mr Richard Palmer be elected as Chairman of the County Council.

(2)     As there were no further nominations, Mr Sweetland declared Mr Richard Palmer as Chairman of the County Council.

(3)     Mr Palmer made his Declaration of Acceptance of Office, following which Mr Sweetland invested Mr Palmer with the Badge of Office.

(4)     Mr Palmer paid tribute to Mr Sweetland and presented him with the Past Chairman’s Badge, following which Mr Palmer took the chair.

(5)     RESOLVED that Mr Palmer be elected as Chairman of the County Council.

(1)       Mr Paul Chamberlain proposed, and Mrs Pamela Williams seconded that Mr Peter Evans be elected as Vice-Chairman of the County Council.

(2)       As there were no further nominations, the Chairman declared Mr Peter Evans as Vice-Chairman of the County Council.

(3)       Mr Evans made his Declaration of Acceptance of Office, following which Mr Ridgers invested Mr Evans with the Vice-Chairman’s Badge. Mr Evans returned thanks for his election.

(4)       Mr Sweetland presented Mr Ridgers with his past Vice-Chairman’s badge.

(5)       The Chairman thanked Mr Sweetland and Mr Ridgers, on behalf of the Council, for their years of service.

(6)       RESOLVED that Mr Evans be elected as Vice-Chairman of the County Council.

The Democratic Services Manager reported apologies from Miss Connie Nolan, Mr Dean Truder, and Mr Ryan Waters.

(1)      The General Counsel advised Members that unless an interest was significant and related directly to an item on the agenda all interests recorded in their Register of Interests may be taken as read. 

(2)      There were no declarations of interest.

(1)      The Democratic Services Manager explained there was a clerical error at paragraph 5 of Item 15 - Governance Updates - of the minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2025.

(2)      In relation to Item 9 – Review of Decision 24/00093 – Commissioned Family Hubs - Mr Lehmann explained that Mr Mike Baldock wished for his name to be recorded in the minutes as voting against the motion. 

(3)      RESOLVED that the minutes of the Council meeting held on 13 March 2025 be approved as a correct record subject to the amendments referred to in paragraph 1 and 2 above.

(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 County Returning Officer, Mr Hook and the Chairman thanked staff who had helped organise and run the 2025 elections.

(3)     RESOLVED that the return of Councillors duly elected to the County Council for the period until May 2029 be noted.

Chairman’s Charities

(1)      The Chairman said he looked forward to supporting two local Kent based charities during his year as Chairman which were SATEDA, a specialist domestic abuse charity exclusively for women and children in Kent, and the Young Lives Foundation, a children’s charity dedicated to offering guidance, support, and opportunities to individuals facing significant challenges.

Mr Roy Bullock MBE

(2)      The Chairman explained that at the March meeting of the County Council, Members agreed a formal motion of condolence for Mr Roy Bullock MBE, tributes for whom would be taken at today’s meeting.

(3)      During his time at KCC, Mr Bullock served on the Corporate Policy Overview Committee, Electoral Boundary & Review Committee, Environment Highways & Waste Policy Overview Committee, Regeneration & Economic Development Policy Overview Committee, Education & Libraries Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Policy & Resources Committee (Vice Chairman), Property Sub-Committee and the Tunbridge Wells Local Board. He was appointed an Honorary Alderman in 2016 for his service to the Council.

(4)      Mr Bullock also served as Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council from 2007 to 2012.

(5)      Tributes were made by Ms Kemkaran, Mr Hook, Mr Lehmann, Mr Rayner and Mr Brady.

(1)     Mr Maxwell Harrison proposed, and Ms Georgia Foster seconded that Ms Linden Kemkaran be appointed as Leader of the Council.

(2)     As there were no further nominations the Chairman declared Ms Kemkaran as Leader of the County Council.

(3)     Ms Kemkaran returned thanks for her appointment.

(4)     RESOLVED that Ms Kemkaran be appointed as Leader of the Council.

(1)     The Chairman proposed and the Vice-Chairman seconded that the Council confirms the opposition Member nominated by the Opposition Groups, Mr Antony Hook, as Leader of the Opposition.

Carried without a formal vote

(2)     RESOLVED that the Council confirms that Mr Hook be appointed by the Opposition Groups as Leader of the Opposition.

In accordance with Sections 14.15 to 14.22 of the Constitution,14 questions were submitted by the deadline and 14 questions were put to the Executive. 11 questions were asked and replies given. A record of all questions and answers is available online with the papers for this meeting.

(1)     The Leader of the Council opened her report by saying it was an honour and a privilege to have been elected as a Member of the Council and thanked her fellow Reform UK Members for putting their trust in her as Leader. She paid tribute to her predecessor, Mr Roger Gough, who had been Leader of the Council for six years and thanked him for his years of service. Ms Kemkaran said she would work positively with staff, Members, MPs and District Leaders to serve the people of Kent. She encouraged Members to ignore distractions and put the people of Kent at the heart of everything the Council did.

(2)     The Leader spoke about Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and expressed concern that LGR would remove the county’s unique identity and sense of being as one county. Reform UK was proud to directly represent the people of Kent and she would make it her priority over the coming months to find out as much as she could to formulate a response.

(3)     Referring to potholes the Leader said one of the Administration’s first tasks was to work closely with the Highways Department to find new solutions that would deliver better and faster outcomes. Every possible income stream would be explored to bring about a real improvement for the whole of Kent.

(4)     In relation to adult social care, the impacts of an aging population would be examined in detail. The Leader commented that successive governments had failed to establish an overarching plan and a joined up approach between agencies would be sought.

(5)     Ms Kemkaran highlighted that improving education and skills for young people was crucial to the future of the nation. A greater emphasis would be put on apprenticeships and training so that Kent could lead the way in equipping young people in practical trades and reduce the need for labour from abroad.

(6)     The Leader would be supporting the initiative of the Police and Crime Commissioner to ban smartphones from schools and emphasised the need to understand why SEN diagnoses were rising each year. She commented that every child in Kent deserved a quality education.

(7)     There would be consideration of the tangible benefits of net-zero initiatives and whether they provided value for money for residents, and attempts by central government to build on agricultural land and overdevelop towns and villages would be resisted. The Leader said her group believed that new housing should primarily be built for local people and preserving communities was vital for a sense of belonging. Reform UK supported farmers and fruit growers and there would be a renewed focus on coastal regeneration. Kent’s fishing industry would also be supported.

(8)     The Leader explained that a Cabinet Member for Department of Local Government Efficiency (DOLGE) had been appointed to identify potential savings and efficiencies throughout the Council. She said the Reform UK Members had agreed to support a motion to cut 5% from all Member allowances and redirect a saving of over £100,000 into  ...  view the full minutes text for item 319.

(To Follow)

(1)     Ms Kemkaran proposed, and Mr Collins seconded the motion that

“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)     Note that the Selection and Member Services Committee will make or confirm necessary appointments to outside bodies, except for those which fall to be made by the Leader of the Council; and

(c)     Agree to give delegated authority to the Democratic Services Manager, in consultation with the Group leaders and the Monitoring Officer, to adjust the allocation of committee places as necessary in order to conform to overall proportionality requirements; and to confirm external Joint Committee appointments where required prior to the Summer Recess.

(2)     Following the debate, the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 1:

(3)     RESOLVED that Council:

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

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

(c)     Agrees to give delegated authority to the Democratic Services Manager, in consultation with the Group leaders and the Monitoring Officer, to adjust the allocation of committee places as necessary in order to conform to overall proportionality requirements; and to confirm external Joint Committee appointments where required prior to the Summer Recess.