Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Miss Morton, Mr Webb and Mr Fraser-Moat. The following Deputy Cabinet Members attended the meeting to provide updates on their respective portfolios, Mrs Foster, Mrs Lawes and Mr Hespe.

No declarations of interest were received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting on 25 September 2025 were a correct record and that they be signed by the Chair

1. Mrs Foster Deputy Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health) provided an update on the following:

(a)  Members were informed that the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care had recently left the authority to join Nottingham City, closer to his home. He was acknowledged as one of the longest-serving Directors of Adult Social Services at Kent County Council, having joined shortly before the Covid pandemic. Mrs Foster expressed her thanks and wished him well for the future.

(b)  It was also noted that the interim Corporate Director of Adult Social Care, Sarah Hammond, had been warmly welcomed. It was reported that, despite the initial challenges of her first weeks, including overseeing the recent Ofsted inspection, Mrs Hammond had made a strong start, and officers had responded positively.

(c)  Visits had been undertaken to both commissioned organisations and in-house services, which continued to deliver exceptional work. The Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Members had observed a range of initiatives, from technology-enabled living solutions such as sensors and falls mats supporting independence and safety, to therapeutic activities including bread baking. Vits were also undertaken to integrated care centres, each working towards the shared goal of helping people return home sooner and providing vital respite for carers when caring responsibilities become overwhelming.

(d)  Several key decisions had been taken in recent months, including the conclusion of the Transformation Programme for Public Health, resulting in services becoming more targeted and efficient. It was reported that close partnership working with the NHS continued, and the first meeting of the Kent Health and Wellbeing Board under the current administration had been held. The Board was identified as a key forum for driving ideas and change, particularly in alignment with the NHS 10-year plan. Members were informed that the Board brought together district councils and wider system partners, and that an invitation would be extended to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to join in the future to ensure their voice remained central in shaping health and wellbeing across Kent.

(e)  The formal introduction of a new integrated brokerage service within hospital discharge hubs across all acute trusts was announced. This was highlighted as a major achievement following months of collaboration. Mrs Foster thanked the team for their work over the past six months. The new approach would ensure every person leaving hospital was assessed and directed to appropriate care in the right setting and at the right cost, improving discharge times, outcomes, and coordination between health and social care.

(f)   Maidstone had recently hosted the Baton of Hope, the UK’s largest suicide prevention initiative, as part of its tour of Kent. The event was described as an important opportunity to raise awareness, support those affected by suicide, and promote hope and connection. It was noted that many participants concluded the day at Dreamland in Margate, celebrating achievements and honouring loved ones lost. The event had been a moving occasion for families, friends, and communities

(g)  The Accommodation Market Position Statement (MPS) went to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 117.

John Betts (Interim Corporate Director Finance), Cath Head (Head of Finance Operations) and Joe McKay (Acting Chief Accountant) were in attendance for this item

1.    Mr Collins (Deputy Leader of Kent County Council) introduced the report that provided details of the Council’s financial position as at the end of September 2025-26, which included progress against savings targets within the revenue budget, capital cash limit changes made between Q1 and Q2 and monitoring updates for reserves, treasury management and prudential indicators. Mr Collins, reported that the forecast outturn variance was a £46.5m overspend, representing 3% of the overall budget. He stated that the scale of the overspend was unprecedented, posed a critical risk to the Authority’s financial resilience, and required urgent action. Due to the exceptional position, additional commentary had been provided in the report outlining actions being implemented across the Authority and specific measures within the Adult Social Care and Health Directorate to address the overspend in the current financial year. The most significant overspend was in Adult Social Care and Health, totalling £50.9m, driven by savings no longer expected to be achieved and service-related pressures, particularly in older people’s residential and home care services. This reflected ongoing financial challenges in the adult social care sector nationally. Further overspends were forecast in Children, Young People and Education, mainly due to high-cost packages for looked-after children with disabilities, partially offset by underspends in home-to-school transport. There was a small overspend in Growth, Environment and Transport, primarily due to the English National Concessionary Scheme, and underspends in the Chief Executive’s Department, Deputy Chief Executive’s Department, and non-attributable costs. Savings for the year totalled £121m, with £98m expected to be delivered in 2025–26, representing 81% of the target. The schools’ delegated budgets position largely reflected demand for special educational needs support and was funded by the Dedicated Schools Grant, with a government announcement expected later in the year. The Capital Forecast Outturn position showed a £35.4m underspend against budget, comprising a £26.2m real variance and a £61.6m rephasing variance. Mr Collins noted that these figures were based on forecasts from the previous administration and stated that, given the circumstances, progress was being made.

2.    Mr Betts added that the financial challenge was exceptional and that plans were in place to reduce the overspend as far as possible. Actions were detailed in the report and were being monitored regularly to minimise the impact on reserves and improve the position for the next financial year.

3.    Further to questions and comments from Members the discussion included the following:

(a)  It was noted that these statutory costs were placing significant strain on councils nationally and that central government should assume greater responsibility. Mr Collins, agreed with the points raised and stated that the Council must provide statutory services, but acknowledged this was a national problem that should not rest solely with local authorities. He warned that without increased government funding, councils would face difficult choices, including cutting essential services or considering significant council tax increases, though  ...  view the full minutes text for item 118.

David Whittle (Director of Strategy, Policy, Relationships and Corporate Assurance) and Jenny Dixon-Sherreard (Strategy Manager, Strategy, Policy, Relationships & Corporate Assurance) were in attendance for this item

1. The Leader introduced the item, presenting the final version of Kent County Council’s Strategic Business Case for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Kent and Medway for Cabinet approval, prior to submission to Government by the 28 November deadline.

2. The Leader reiterated that KCC had not sought LGR but, as Government was progressing with the process, the Council had a responsibility to ensure any reorganisation delivered maximum benefit for Kent residents and minimised risk.

3. The Strategic Business Case proposed a single Kent and Medway Council with devolved area assemblies as the most viable option. This model was identified as the lowest cost to implement, the fastest to achieve payback, the highest net saver, and the fairest to communities. The proposal maintained Kent’s integrity as a single county, avoided risks associated with fragmenting critical services such as social care, and preserved the scale needed to manage pressures linked to Kent’s border location.

4. It balanced strategic capacity with local responsiveness and offered a modern approach to meaningful engagement and representation. The Leader acknowledged that the LGR process was not perfect and would require compromises but confirmed that, based on evidence from internal work and joint discussions with Kent council leaders, the single unitary model set out in the Strategic Business Case remained the most viable option for Kent and Medway.

5. Mr Whittle recorded his thanks to Mrs Dixon-Sherreard, the Policy and Strategy team, Kent Analytics, Financial Strategy, MRX, and other teams for their work in developing KCC’s Strategic Business Case for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). He noted that the process, which began last December, had been complex and significant, given its long-term impact on services and residents.

6. He highlighted that KCC had met all Government expectations, working jointly with Kent council leaders and facilitating the LGR workstream. The Strategic Business Case was transparently cross-comparable with other options and based on a shared evidence base, including financial assessments. Members had been fully briefed throughout, with updates to the Cabinet Committee, party groups, and County Council.

7. Mr Whittle confirmed that Option 1A remained the most viable proposal, offering the lowest implementation cost, fastest payback (3.3 years), and highest cumulative savings (£457m over 10 years). He contrasted this with other options, which had significantly higher costs and longer payback periods. He stressed that the financial case was particularly strong given current pressures and that the chosen option would affect the sector’s long-term sustainability.

8. If approved, the business case would be submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), after which the process would be led by Government through consultation, decision-making, and legislation. Mr Whittle suggested Cabinet consider sharing the business case with other departments, such as the Department for Education, Department for Transport, and the Home Office, due to potential wider impacts.

9. Mrs Dixon-Sherreard reported that the business case had been finalised for Cabinet approval following  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119.