Agenda item

(1)       Ms Oliver introduced a report which updated Members on the progress of the Gateways across Kent and presented feedback from users.

(2)       Mr Gilroy and Ms Oliver answered questions from Members which covered the following issues:-

·                    It was noted that the possibility of Gateways being involved with Kent Health Watch had been raised at the meeting of Cabinet Scrutiny Committee on 26 March 2008.  Ms Oliver stated that Gateways could be as involved if required and in any case could signpost to Health Watch.

·                    In response to a question from Mr Simmonds on whether Gateways could assist with the issue of rural post offices, Ms Oliver referred to the Gateway in Tenterden and the post office which had been going to close anyway.  She stated that she was not sure that Gateways were the answer to solving the post office situation in rural areas, Gateways are aimed mainly at high footfall areas.  Mobile Gateways could perhaps  carry out some of the non monetary roles of post offices in rural communities but to use them for the monetary role would raise security  issues.

·                    Members who had a knowledge of Gateways in their area stated how helpful they were as a referral point for the public.

·                    Ms Oliver, in reply to a question from Mr Smyth regarding Ashford Borough Councils financial contribution to the Gateway, stated that when the original Ashford Gateway had been set up there was not a financial commitment required from Ashford Borough Council.  However, the new Gateway which was part of the library development and being led by the Communities Directorate and the Gateway team was pursuing these discussions.

·                    In response to a question from Mr Smyth relating to whether the new Ashford Gateway would have conference rooms as the original one did, Mr Oliver explained that the original idea of putting conference rooms in the Ashford Gateway was to generate income from the private sector. However, in reality these rooms were mainly used by KCC and Ashford Borough Council staff.  There will be interview rooms available in the new Gateway but discussions were ongoing as to whether having conference rooms was a good use of space.

·                    In response to another question from a Member, Ms Oliver stated that it was important to manage the flow of customers and to have the right services in the right place.  She stated that they were mapping the customer profile and were looking for external funding to do this in more detail, thereby learning more about their customer base.

·                    In relation to a question from Mr Muckle on the engagement of Dartford Borough Council with Gateways, Ms Oliver stated that Dartford Borough Council had been approached by the Gateway team but at this stage, the council were not keen to engage in Gateway discussions.  All other district and borough councils were engaged in discussion although they were at different stages.

(3)       Mr Gilroy invited Members to visit the new Margate Gateway.  He stated that attempts were being made to negotiate with Government departments to ask them to consider decentralise some of their services so that they could be accessed via Gateways.

(4)       RESOLVED that the report and the comments made by Members be noted