Minutes:
Each Cabinet Member was invited to update Cabinet on recent events within their portfolio:
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate and Traded Services – given that a lot of information from this portfolio was already on the Cabinet agenda Mr Oakford did not have any new updates.
Cabinet Member for Economic Development:
- The Cabinet Member passed on his praise to Kent Film Office which had brought in an estimated £2.3million to the Kent Economy;
- The award winning ‘No Use Empty’ scheme continued its success.
Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services:
- As of 31 December it was possible for mixed sex couples to enter into a Civil Partnership which was very positive;
- The Turner Prize at the Turner Contemporary Gallery had been an unmitigated success and had produced the busiest Autumn of all time for the Gallery;
- The new £20 note featuring JMW Turner, Margate Lighthouse and Turner Contemporary was due to be released in February.
Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport:
- Pothole enquiries increased over the last month due to the wet weather. This was already being addressed with £1.2 million being allocated to the Pothole Blitz this month;
- Mr Payne referred to Faversham bridge which has serious structural failings. Two temporary bridges had been put in place making it safer for pedestrians as well as cars. Mr Payne thanked the residents of Faversham for their cooperation.
Cabinet Member for Environment:
- On 30 January there would be a cross party meeting on the Kent Environment Strategy, in addition there was also a cross party working group on ‘Natural Capital’.
Cabinet Member for Communications, Engagement and People:
- KCC’s Strategic Statement 5 year plan was out for consultation until 17 February. The proposals were built on invaluable feedback on where resources should be placed to make the biggest difference to the people of Kent. Everyone was encouraged to respond to the consultation;
- Apprenticeships - offers had been made to 25 social work degree apprentices. KCC was holding an Apprenticeship Celebration Event on 31 March 2020.
Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services:
- A joint letter had been sent from Kent and Portsmouth councils to other local authorities in the South East regarding the levels of Under-age Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) arriving in their ports. Both authorities were in a disadvantaged and unsustainable position in relation to this and other authorities had been asked to begin accepting transfers;
- Mrs Chandler referred to a Kent online and Guardian article which had incorrectly claimed that children in Kent were placed in unregulated homes more than anywhere else in the country. This was not correct and the Corporate Director had written to the editor of the Guardian to request that an apology be printed;
- Mental Health week was starting on 3 February, HeadStart Kent had a revised resilience hub and a new young people’s website called Mood Spark. 18 Kent Schools had been awarded the Kent Resilience Award for emotional wellbeing.
Cabinet Member for Education and Skills:
- Regarding the Kent Commissioning Plan for Education Provision, discussions had taken place with every district leader in Kent. Kent was in a good position with 92% of primary schools good or outstanding (compared to 87% nationally). 86% of secondary schools were rated as good (compared to 76% nationally). Kent had one of the lowest rates of permanent exclusions in the South East;
- The Community Learning Service had done some excellent work and had been shortlisted for the Times Education supplement award.
Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health:
- There had been a recent briefing to Members on the Kent and Medway Medical School, based in Canterbury. There had been over 1500 applications and offers were due to go out for when the school opened in the Autumn.
- The Cabinet Member had spent time in local hospitals, the issue of patient flow was topical and it was important to see how social care and health operated the discharge process. Mrs Bell had been enormously impressed by the collaboration between services and willingness to work in partnership.
The Leader explained that the MHCLG Secretary had written to local authorities urging the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of Anti-Semitism. It was the Leader’s wish that KCC did this and he would bring an item to the next Cabinet meeting explaining how this would be incorporated.
RESOLVED that Cabinet note the verbal updates from Cabinet Members.