Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Wednesday, 6th February, 2008 10.00 am

Venue: Darent Room, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone. View directions

Contact: Karen Mannering / Geoff Mills  (01622) 694367/ 694289

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 14 January 2008 pdf icon PDF 154 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Subject to the comments made by Mr Carter in respect of paragraph 4 (5); the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2008 were agreed as a true record.

 

2.

Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring Exception Report pdf icon PDF 112 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(1)       This exception report highlighted the main movements since the report to Cabinet on 14 January 2008.  There had been little change in the overall revenue position but there was a further £1m of savings forecast.  There remained significant revenue budget pressures and proposed management actions would be closely monitored throughout the remainder of the year to determine progress towards achieving a balanced outturn position. 

 

(2)       Mr Chard said there were still some delays on the capital budget but of more importance was to deliver projects on budget and on time.  Mr Lynes said increases in demographics and needs and increased costs associated with the Government’s Freedom of Choice and Independence agenda was putting increasing pressure on the Adult Social Services budget.  KCC was putting a considerable sum into Area Based Grants which in year 1 would amount to some £24.9m which would not be ring-fenced.  In 2009, £32m of Supporting People Grant would be going into the same pot of money.  The net result was that Kent Adult Social Services could have an estimated £50m ‘hole’ in its budget and Mr Lynes said he would be reporting on these issues to a future meeting.  Mr Carter said that overall the exception report reflected the good financial management within the Council.  The Adult Social Services budget had been increased by £8m to take account of changes in demographics and it was important for Cabinet to have a detailed report on Area Based Grant setting out the consequences of that for KCC in the future.  . 

 

(3)       Cabinet then noted the latest forecast revenue and capital budget position for 2007/08.

 

3.

Medium Term Plan 2008-11 (Incorporating the Budget and Council Tax Setting for 2008-09) - Update (To follow) (Please bring with you to the meeting the Draft Budget and Medium Term Plan previously circulated) pdf icon PDF 289 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

(1)       This report provided an update on the Draft Medium Term Financial Plan 2008-11 and summarised the comments made at recent meetings of the Policy Overview Committees and the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee.  The budget had also been discussed at a meeting of the Business Consultation Forum on 4 February 2008 and there would also be a consultation meeting with Trade Union and Professional Body Association representatives.

 

(2)       In presenting this report and highlighting key areas, Mr Carter placed on record his thanks to staff for their part in developing this budget and in particular to Mr Wood and his team.  Mr Carter said the budget being put forward delivered the required savings, but at the same time brought forward an increase of some £8m into adult social care and some £5m into highways.  The budget also delivered a growth in the capital programme.  There was still some unmet costs from Government relating to asylum and a report by the consultants acting on behalf of Kent County Council, Birmingham City Council and Hillingdon London Borough Council, would be published within the next few days.  That report would be used as a basis for further discussions with the Government aimed at bringing this matter to a satisfactory conclusion.

 

(3)       Mr Carter said the Residents Consultation meeting had provided a valuable opportunity to explain to the residents of Kent the pressures which the County Council faced.  Mr Carter also reported on outcomes from meetings of the Policy Overview Committees and the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee.  He made clear there would not be any growth in Strategic Management, but work would be undertaken on how this information was presented in future.  Mr Carter also spoke about the publicity budget and said it had to be realised that this covered all recruitment costs including those within Kent schools.  This budget also covered some high profile publicity campaigns, such as those related to reducing waste and road safety. 

 

(4)       Mr Carter also spoke about the perception some had that the County Council invested more resources into the west of the County rather than the east.  He said that within east Kent there had been significant investment undertaken by the County Council and examples included the Beaney Project, the Turner Centre, investment in the Theatre Royal, Margate, Manston Industrial Park, EuroKent, Phase II Access Road and other partnership projects.  The County Council had also undertaken investment in other initiatives and projects and Mr Carter spoke particularly about the Academies Programme and the Vocational Skills Centre in Whitstable.  He also spoke about the Dedicated Schools Grant and said that the County Council would not be making changes to the small school curriculum protection factor.  He also said the County Council would continue to work at targeting help and resources to those families in most need and that would be done through initiatives such as the Mosaic Programme.  Mr Carter concluded by saying Kent County Council through efficiency savings and better use of resources was now doing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Unit Review (Including Designated and Specialist Provision and Very Severe and Complex Need Support for Children and Young People with Special Educational Need at Mainstream Schools) pdf icon PDF 126 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(1)       Mr Dance said that the Unit Review sought to ensure an equitable range and spread of resources and provision for children with Special Educational Needs in mainstream schools across the county.  This report provided an update on implementation of the Review and provided detail of the outcomes of the first stage of consultations on Phase Two proposals county-wide. Currently there was no capital allocation for the Unit Review in the Medium Term Plan and therefore the Council would need to be creative on how its outcomes were taken forward.

 

(2)       Cabinet:-

 

(a)       noted the progress of the Unit Review and agreed the changes to the timetable detailed in paragraph 5 of the Cabinet report;

 

(b)       noted the feedback and issues raised by stakeholders during the Phase Two consultation process as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, and;

 

(c)        noted the potential capital implications of the Phase Two proposals as detailed at paragraph 3 of the Cabinet report and in Appendix 2.

 

5.

Targeted Youth Support pdf icon PDF 98 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

RECORD OF DECISION

 

DECISION TAKEN BY

Cabinet

6 February 2008

 

 

 

DECISION NO.

07/0110

 

 

 

 

5.       Targeted Youth Support

 

(Item 6 – Report by Mr Chris Wells, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Educational Standards, Mr Mark Dance, Cabinet Member for Operations, Resources and Skills and Mr Graham Badman, Managing Director, Children, Families and Education)

 

(Joanna Wainwright, Director – Commissioning (Specialist Services) CFE was present for this item)

 

(1)       This report outlined the next steps for Kent to implement Targeted Youth Support, a key branch of Integrated Youth Support Services.  Both initiatives are derived from the Youth Matters Green Paper launched in July 2005, within the Every Child Matters Framework.

 

(2)       Joanna Wainwright said that unlike some other areas there has been targeted youth support in Kent for a number of years.  The report addressed Government requirements and every local authority must be piloting Targeted Youth Support in at least at one locality and have a robust plan for roll out by December 2008, across the entire local authority area.  Kent will be doing that by building on and developing existing multi-agency projects which have and continue to target the needs of vulnerable young people.  As these projects continue, steps will be taken to make sure that access to support is consistent across the county.

 

(3)       Mr Hill said he welcomed this report and highlighted in particular the multi-agency approach which was being undertaken to target vulnerable young people and help them before they cross the line into offending.  Mrs Allen also spoke about the multi-agency work being undertaken in this field and referred to a recent seminar where young people who had been in care or had been looked after children had given very positive feedback on the services they had received.

 

(4)       Cabinet then agreed:-

 

(a)       to the appointment of a Targeted Youth Support Project Lead together with the establishment of a Project Team as described in paragraphs 5(a) and 5(b) of the Cabinet report;

 

(b)       to the recommendations set out in the Cabinet Report in respect of the proposed pilot in Canterbury and other geographical areas and to a third pilot to evaluate the implementation of Targeted Youth Support involving the reduction of young people who are not in Education, Employment or Training; and

 

(c)        agreed the proposed timeframe for implementation of pilots and roll out across the county, as detailed in the Cabinet Report.

 

Background Documents:  Targeted Youth Support: A Guide

 

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     Signed

 

       date    February 2008

      Chief Executive

 

 

 

FOR COUNCIL SECRETARIAT USE ONLY

 

Decision Referred to Cabinet Scrutiny

 

Cabinet Scrutiny Decision to Refer Back for Reconsideration

 

Reconsideration Record Sheet Issued

 

Reconsideration of Decision Published

YES

 

NO

 

 

YES

 

NO

 

 

YES

 

NO

 

 

DD/MM/YY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.

LA Proposed Co-ordinated Scheme for Primary and Secondary Schools in Kent and Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools 2009-10 pdf icon PDF 53 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

RECORD OF DECISION

 

DECISION TAKEN BY

Cabinet

6 February 2008

 

 

 

DECISION NO.

07/01087

 

 

 

6.         Local Authority Proposed Co-ordinated Scheme for Primary and Secondary Schools in Kent and Admission Arrangements for Primary and Secondary Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools, 2009-10

 

(Item 7 – Report by Mr Mark Dance, Cabinet Member for Operations, Resources and Skills and Mr Graham Badman, Managing Director – Children, Families and Education)

(Mr Scott Bagshaw, Head of Admissions and Transport was present for this item)

 

(1)       The County Council as the admissions authority for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools is required to consult on its proposed admission arrangements for these schools annually and to determine its admission arrangements by 15 April each year.  All primary admission authorities in Kent agreed to the proposed co-ordinated scheme but the Council does not have complete agreement on a co-ordinated scheme from all admissions authorities for the secondary co-ordinate scheme and the Secretary of State will therefore be required to impose a scheme.

 

(2)       Cabinet agreed:-

 

(a)       that the proposed scheme to co-ordinate admissions to primary schools in September 2009 be determined as set out in Appendix C to the Cabinet report;

 

(b)       that the proposed scheme to co-ordinate admissions to secondary schools in September 2009 be determined as set out in Appendix B to the Cabinet report;

 

(c)        that the over-subscription criteria detailed in Appendix B and Appendix C of the Cabinet report relating to Community and Voluntary Controlled Primary and Secondary Schools are determined for 2009;

 

(d)       that the relevant statutory consultation areas detailed in Appendix B and Appendix C relating to Community and Voluntary Controlled Primary and Secondary Schools are determined for 2009, and

 

(e)     that the Published Admission Numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled Primary and Secondary School be determined as set out in Appendix B and Appendix C to the Cabinet report.

 

 

Background Documents: none

 

 

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     Signed

 

       date    February 2008

      Chief Executive

 

 

 

FOR COUNCIL SECRETARIAT USE ONLY

 

Decision Referred to Cabinet Scrutiny

 

Cabinet Scrutiny Decision to Refer Back for Reconsideration

 

Reconsideration Record Sheet Issued

 

Reconsideration of Decision Published

YES

 

NO

 

 

YES

 

NO

 

 

YES

 

NO

 

 

DD/MM/YY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.

Endorsement of the Kent Countryside Access Improvement Plan pdf icon PDF 86 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

RECORD OF DECISION

 

DECISION TAKEN BY

Cabinet

6 February 2008

 

 

 

DECISION NO.

07/01081

 

 

 

7.         Endorsement of the Kent Countryside Access Improvement Plan

 

(Item 8 – Report by Mr Keith Ferrin, Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste and Mr Adam Wilkinson, Managing Director, Environment and Regeneration)

(Mr Mike Overbeke, Head of Countryside Access was present for this item)

 

(1)       The Kent Countryside Access Improvement Plan has been prepared by the County Council in accordance with the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 which requires local authorities such as the County Council to publish a Rights of Way Improvement Plan.  Mr Ferrin said that Rights of Way matters were sometimes a complex and controversial area of and this Plan had achieved a good degree of consensus for which he paid thanks to Mr Overbeke and his team.  Mr Overbeke said that in preparing the Plan, officers had consulted widely so the Plan had the endorsement of the public. It would also turn the Service round from being a purely reactive service to one which was more strategic and proactive.  Mr Wilkinson said that this piece of work started to address a number of important issues and the Plan put forward actions on how those could be addressed.

 

(2)     Following further discussion, Cabinet supported and agreed the adoption of the Kent Countryside Access Improvement Plan as a strategy to enhance the public rights of way network and open green space until 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

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     Signed

 

       date     February 2008

      Chief Executive

 

 

 

FOR COUNCIL SECRETARIAT USE ONLY

 

Decision Referred to Cabinet Scrutiny

 

Cabinet Scrutiny Decision to Refer Back for Reconsideration

 

Reconsideration Record Sheet Issued

 

Reconsideration of Decision Published

YES

 

NO

 

 

YES

 

NO

 

 

YES

 

NO

 

 

DD/MM/YY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.

Regeneration Strategy for KCC pdf icon PDF 91 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

RECORD OF DECISION

 

DECISION TAKEN BY

Cabinet

6 February 2008

 

 

 

DECISION NO.

08/01145

 

 

 

8.         Regeneration Strategy for KCC

(Item 9 – Report by Mr Keith Ferrin, Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste, Mr Roger Gough, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Supporting Independence and Mr Adam Wilkinson, Managing Director, Environment and Regeneration)

(1)       This report provided an update on the Environment and Regeneration Directorate’s plans for a three year KCC Strategy for Regeneration.  The report provided a focus for the County Council’s contribution to economic development and regeneration which had played a central part in KCC’s corporate agenda for a number of years.

 

(2)       Mr Wilkinson said the proposed strategy illustrated the continuation of a long term corporate commitment to regeneration through the activities of education, social services, arts, culture, environment and transport and above all, a commitment to tackle deprivation at its root causes.  The Strategy would be a living document, update every three years with an annual action plan and would set out KCC’s regeneration priorities and how they relate to existing overarching strategic documents, and make explicit how the Towards 2010 targets contribute to achieving KCC’s corporate regeneration ambitions.  Ownership of the strategy would be essential and therefore the report proposed the establishment of a cross-directorate Regeneration Board with Cabinet Member representation.  The primary purpose of the Board would be to lead the development of the Strategy and to oversee and monitor its implementation.

 

(3)       Cabinet noted the report and supported the development of the Regeneration Strategy for KCC and the establishment of the new Kent Regeneration Board.

 

 

Background Documents: DCLG review of sub-national economic development and regeneration

 

 

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     Signed

 

       date   February 2008

      Chief Executive

 

 

 

FOR COUNCIL SECRETARIAT USE ONLY

 

Decision Referred to Cabinet Scrutiny

 

Cabinet Scrutiny Decision to Refer Back for Reconsideration

 

Reconsideration Record Sheet Issued

 

Reconsideration of Decision Published

YES

 

NO

 

 

YES

 

NO

 

 

YES

 

NO

 

 

DD/MM/YY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.

Environment & Regeneration Directorate Review pdf icon PDF 113 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(1)       This report provided an update on the ongoing organisational review of the Environment and Regeneration Directorate.  Through the Review Mr Wilkinson said he wanted to see further enhanced and joined up working with partners and to also improve relationships with the business community.  The Directorate would also be taking on more devolved work from the RDAs and how that would be achieved was also a key element of the Review.  Mr Ferrin said there had been a tendency to put work related to Highways and Regeneration in separate boxes but increasingly one was very much dependent on the other and KCC was now putting together the infrastructure which would have a direct impact on regeneration opportunities.

 

(2)       Following further discussion, Cabinet noted the report and supported the functional restructuring of the Environment and Regeneration Directorate.

 

10.

Kent 2012 Progress Report on 2007 pdf icon PDF 21 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(1)       Mr Hill said the County Council had set itself some ambitious targets aimed at maximising the long term benefits for Kent and creating a catalyst for the Olympic spirit.  In detailing the multi-agency and cross-directorate work which was being undertaken, Mr Hespe said that the County Council led campaign was aimed at achieving maximum and long term benefits for the county of Kent.

 

(2)       Mr King said that the report illustrated how everyone needed to contribute to the economic development of the county and the 2012 games presented a focus and an opportunity to change the profile of Kent.  Mr Carter said he welcomed this progress report and said that the County Council needed to maximise the benefits that the games would bring and for information to be widely circulated through a range of media, including Kent TV.

 

(3)       Cabinet then noted the contents of the Progress Report.

 

11.

Cabinet Scrutiny Committee - Details of Decisions taken at meeting on 23 January 2008 pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This report summarised the outcomes and progress on matters arising from the meeting of the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee held on 23 January 2008 and set out progress on the current programme for Select Committee Topic Reviews.

 

12.

Other items which the Chairman decides are relevant or urgent

Additional documents: