Minutes:
(Item B1 – Oral Report by Mr M Hill, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Ms A Honey, Managing Director for Communities)
(1) Mr Hill updated Members on the following issues:-
Kent
Library and History Centre
Mr Hill stated that there would be a presentation on the Kent
Library and History Centre later in the year in conjunction with an
update on the directorate’s capital programme.
(2) Mr Hill advised that a site had been identified for the Kent Library and History Centre on James Whatman Way in Maidstone, at the junction with Royal Engineers Road. Invitations for the press launch on 17 April 2008, at which the name of the preferred developers would be announced, would be sent out in the week of 7 April 2008. The plans for the new Centre would be submitted to Maidstone Borough Council in due course for planning approval and the Committee noted that a report on the Centre and its services would be submitted to a future meeting.
Turner Contemporary
(3) Mr Hill advised that, on the 20 February, planning permission had been granted by the Thanet District Council Planning Committee. A formal application for funding had been submitted to the Arts Council and a bid had also been submitted to SEEDA. Responses to both of these are expected in July 2008. He also advised that the development of the Rendezvous site would be overseen by Gleesons who had just been appointed as preferred developer and Ms Honey advised the Committee that the former Marks and Spencer store in Margate was now being used as gallery space in which successful exhibitions had already taken place.
(4) In response to a question regarding the legal costs incurred in seeking to recoup the monies spent on the original design Turner, reported in other papers to this Committee as a cost of £300k, Mr Hill advised that recovering the money had been a decision by the County Council and money therefore needed to be spent to cover legal costs of doing so. He felt that the County Council had every chance of recouping the money spent on the original design and part of the settlement would cover the costs of achieving this.
(5) Mr Hill advised the Committee of the following formal openings and award ceremonies that had taken place since the POC last met:-
Inspections
(6) Ms Honey informed Members that the report on the recent inspection of the Youth Offending Service would be published in May 2008; and that the reports on the Enhanced Youth Inspection, the Joint Area Review of Children’s Services, and the Corporate Assessment, would all be published on 3 June 2008. She confirmed that the next step would be the development of improvement action plans arising from the recommendations.
Kent School Games
(7) The inaugural Kent School Games, which had been launched in November 2007, has already involved 450 schools. There will be 515 competitions, leading up to the Finals in June and July 2008. The Opening Ceremony for the Finals, on 14 June 2008, will be attended by Dame Kelly Holmes.
Select Committee: Alcohol
(8) Ms Honey reminded Members that the Alcohol Select Committee report would be discussed at the County Council meeting on 3 April 2008 and that KDAAT would be leading on the subsequent development of an Alcohol Strategy. She also noted that a proposal for a debate on alcohol later in the year, involving the Kent Youth County Council and the County Council, was also being considered.
(10) RESOLVED that:-
(a) The update and responses to questions be noted
(b) A report on the Kent Library and History Centre be submitted to the Committee at a future meeting.