Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2016 were an accurate record and that they be signed by the Chairman. 

1.    Mr Gough, Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform, introduced the item; he thanked the Members of the Select Committee for their valuable contribution and invited discussion on the 3 month progress report.

2.    The Cabinet Member spoke briefly about the Government’s Green Paper ‘Schools that work for everyone’, it was considered that Kent was already discussing many of the issues raised in the consultation document.

3.    Mr Gough highlighted three key areas within the update report;

a.    Outreach to families which was vitally important to KCC;

b.    Admissions - KCC had previously tried to challenge the admission arrangements of the super selective schools in Kent but this had not been successful.  KCC was consulting on changes for schools where KCC was the admission authority and KCC was seeking to encourage other schools to consider similar admission arrangements;

c.    Transport – a new county Transport Policy was being developed and should be available by the end of 2016.

4.    Mr Gough welcomed recommendation 13 of the Select Committee’s report but further investigation was needed to enable the Council to ‘means test’ families which were low income but not entitled to Free School Meals.  

5.    The Green Paper identified working families who were ‘just about managing’ as a group, if the paper became policy there would be a need for the Government to track what was working for that group.  This might provide a way for the Council to deal with this issue although the admissions team was looking at alternative approaches.   

6.    A Member commented that the report should have been written in the name of the Cabinet Member, the Cabinet Member assured the Member that he had signed off the report and that this had been an oversight.

7.    Mrs Whittle, Chairman of the Grammar Schools and Social Mobility Select Committee, was invited to comment on the 3 month update report.  She explained that a strong partnership between the Primary School Head Teachers and the Local Authority was critical.  Questions had been raised about how the pupil premium was being used in schools to support academically able pupils; the Select Committee had had concerns that children from low income families, but who were academically able, were not being put forward for the Kent Test.  600 children who were in receipt of the pupil premium had done well at Key Stage 2 but had not gone on to a selective school.  It was essential to look at how children were being supported at primary school, how the brightest children were being stretched and whether more vigorous action was needed by the Head Teachers to support children from poorer backgrounds. 

8.    Mr Vye, a Member of the Select Committee, was invited to speak to the Scrutiny Committee; he highlighted the promotion of social mobility through all schools. 

9.    In response to a comment from a Member about the phrase ‘we will’ within the report Mr Gough confirmed that the work was being undertaken, this was a presentational point and perhaps  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111.

1.    Mr Wedgbury, Chairman of the Energy Security Select Committee, introduced this item.  He explained that good progress had been made and there had been a lot of interest in the work of the Select Committee.  He highlighted the progress on recommendation 8, that KCC leads by example through driving further energy saving and energy generation measures across its estate.  To date £3million had been invested with more than £10million in energy savings.  

2.    Mr Baggs, Energy Manager, explained that work had been done to integrate the recommendations from the Select Committee into the Kent Environment Strategy implementation plan.  LED lighting had been put into schools and buildings and work had also been done within community groups in Kent.  £30,000 had been spent on solar panels in Gravesend which would provide an income of £100,000 over 20 years. 

3.    A Member asked if LASER was currently purchasing any renewable energy.  Mr Baggs explained that his understanding was that there were different options for local authorities to take out but that a briefing note on LASER would be provided.

POST MEETING NOTE: Information on the options available to LASER customers in relation to renewable energy was circulated to members of the committee, via email, on Monday 5 December. 

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Committee thank the Cabinet Member, Select Committee Chairman and Officer for attending the Committee and answering Members’ questions and note the progress of the Energy Security Select Committee.

1.    Mrs Stewart, Director of Environment, Planning and Enforcement, thanked Members for the opportunity to discuss the progress of the Growth and Infrastructure Framework (GIF).  The GIF document had been originally published in 2015 and the report gave the Scrutiny Committee an update on progress.  Mrs Platts, Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Manager, explained that there would be a full refresh of the GIF in 2017.  In Spring/Summer 2017 it was hoped that conclusions would be drawn and a draft update of the GIF would be produced. 

2.    A Member asked about job numbers in Kent and whether the figures were accurate.  In Maidstone 18,000 new homes were expected between now and 2031 and the evidence base for job creation was weak with no details or explanation of where jobs would be created.  The Member also commented that in paragraph 8 the calculated number of new jobs did not increase between 2015 and 2016.  Another Member expanded on the previous point raising the issue of commercial property changing to residential property without the same rigor in the planning process.  Large areas of manufacturing land were unwanted and it was thought that permission would be granted for residential housing in the long term. 

3.    Mrs Stewart recognised that in the original GIF the commercial employment element was weak; work was underway to better understand commercial growth.  KCC was working on this with Locate in Kent which was tasked with bringing in new jobs.  Despite not being the planning authority KCC could engage with Government and Districts and identify where opportunities were available. 

4.    The Cabinet Member explained that it was difficult to dictate jobs, some of the research being done by KCC was because of concerns that offices had been built in the wrong places.  Mr Dance, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, and his team were continuing to work to generate jobs in Kent.  It was also necessary to ensure that the right rail connections and right roads were available and strong efforts were being made to ensure jobs were created and remained in Kent. 

5.    Members were concerned that this problem had been discussed for the last decade; it was a historical problem of increased housing and decreased jobs.

6.    In response to a question about why the Corporate Director was not present at the Scrutiny Committee meeting the Chairman confirmed that the appropriate officers along with the Cabinet Member had attended the Scrutiny Committee meeting to discuss the item and answer Members’ questions. 

7.    One Member confirmed that he was pleased that the GIF would in future be produced in house and that the cost was therefore internal only.  In response to a query about the funding gap in paragraph 8 of the report, Mrs Stewart confirmed that if the funding gap continued to increase it might be necessary to look elsewhere for funding. 

8.    A Member agreed that houses must be built but when there was a large funding gap, there was a need to think about communities which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 113.

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

EXEMPT ITEMS

(During these items the meeting is likely NOT to be open to the press and public)

RESOLVED that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act. 

RESOLVED that the exempt minute of the meeting held on 21 September 2016 was an accurate record and that it be signed by the Chairman.