Minutes:
(a) On 21st November Mr Watkins attended the House of Commons to co-chair the launch of the Social Care Commission for Assistive Technology (ATech); a project overseen by Policy Connect. The commission ran alongside the Kent and Medway Digital Skills Innovation in Healthcare Project which was funded by the Local Skills Improvement Fund and aimed to improve digital skills and the use of technology in the health and care sector by delivering training to both incoming and existing care professionals. The project included the establishment of six assistive technology learning hubs in colleges across Kent and Medway. Mr Watkins visited the hub based at Canterbury college and commented on the impressive range of technology available within the training suite. The Commission would also look at ways in which service users could be best supported to adopt the technology which would assist people in living independent and healthier lives for longer. The implementation of ATech across the country would be supported by policy roundtable events, interviews and the review of specialist literature and data to ensure fully informed recommendations were presented to policy makers at all levels of Government. The Commission was sponsored by Kent County Council, Medway Council and Kent Further Education. Much of the work correlated to that of Kent County Council’s in-house service, Technology Enabled Lives, which had made good progress since its launch. The progression of assistive technology would help to alleviate a significant part of the budgetary pressures faced by the Council.
(b) Mr Watkins, alongside the Kent Integrated Care Alliance, continued to lobby Government regarding the significant additional costs for social care services and the impact that this would have on the social care budget; most notably the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions, which would absorb much of the £600m grant funding announced by Government for 2025-26. Funding for services was already incredibly difficult and the financial challenge would continue until the Government provided adequate social care funding to local authorities.
(c) Mr Watkins paid thanks to all those involved in the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Assurance visit that took place at the end of September and awaited receipt of the report.
(d) A number of visits had taken place throughout the autumn, including:
· Fusion Healthy Living Centre in Maidstone
· Southfield Short Break Centre
· Drug and alcohol treatments service providers, including Change Grow Live in Folkestone, and the Forward Trust in Ashford
· One You shop on Ashford High Street
· Ebbsfleet Garden City
· Revival Cafe in Whitstable
· Blackburn Trust in Maidstone and the Tenterden Social Hub
Mr Watkins expressed his thanks to all those involved in facilitating the visits which provided an opportunity for valuable discussions.
(e) Furthermore, Mr Watkins attended:
· Dementia Friendly Kent Awards on 21st October,
· Kent Care Awards on 13th September
· Kent and Medway Health and Care Symposium at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Gravesend on 31st October
Mr Watkins expressed his thanks to all those involved in the events
(f) The following consultations had been launched:
· Proposed changes to wellbeing services in the community – 26th November to 27th January 2025
· Postural Stability Service – 6th November to 17 December 2024
(a) On 18th November the Department for Education (DfE) published a policy statement titled ‘Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive: Breaking Down the Barriers to Opportunity.’ The statement sets out government’s commitment to keeping families together. Mrs Chandler drew attention to the commentary within the paper regarding independent care providers and the rebalancing of the system towards preventative work, of which further information was eagerly awaited. There had also been an indication of additional funding and continued support for Family Hubs, which was very welcome. Further details were yet to be announced.
(b) On the 14th of November, Kent County Council hosted a visit to the two new reception centres, accompanied by the Minister for Children and Families, Janet Daby, and the Minister of State at the Home Office, Dame Angela Eagle, alongside senior leaders from Home Office and Department for Education. It was a positive visit, with ministers impressed by how the centres were operating.
Discussions were also held on improvements to the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) and the need for a national response to accommodate newly arriving Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC).
Kent County Council had six reception centres in operation that provided temporary homes for UAS children, all of which had been successfully registered with Ofsted either as a children's home (for those aged under 16) or supported accommodation (for those aged 16 or 17).
The Home Office incentivised funding between May and October 2024 had improved the NTS transfer times for children; however, work would continue with the Home Office to confirm future arrangements to ensure that the NTS was equitable and effective for all UAS children and the Local Authority.
(c) Mrs Chandler attended the National Agenda and Reforms Conference and Kent Academy Social Care Awards on the 24th October. The conference included guest speakers, the Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, and the National Director of Ofsted, all of whom who gave their perspective on the national reforms. The awards recognised the great work that had been undertaken across the county by children's services.
(d) Mrs Chandler attended the annual Foster Carer Award ceremony and paid tribute to all those who won this year’s awards, which highlighted the extraordinary work undertaken by Kent’s Foster Carers every day.
(e) Our Children and Young People in Care Council won first place at the Coram National Voice Awards 2024 for a project called Listen Up, a short film about the importance of listening to the voices of children and young people.
(f) Kent County Council had also won the National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum, Team of the Year award for the 18 plus food bank project.
(g) The Corporate Parenting Christmas Appeal had been launched in partnership with the Young Lives Foundation with a target of reaching £25,000, which if achieved would provide each care leaver with a £10 voucher and offer 50 young adult care leavers the chance to attend and share a Christmas Day dinner. Details could be found on The Young Lives Foundation fundraising page and would be circulated to Members and staff over the coming days.
(a) Mr Love reported on his attendance at recent events which included:
· The opening of the new sport and teaching block at the Borden Grammar School in Sittingbourne
· The Newly Appointed Headteacher Welcome Event, jointly run by Kent County Council and the Kent Association of Leaders in Education (KALE)
· The KALE annual conference in Ashford, joined by the Leader, Mr Gough
· The School Funding Forum held in October where Mr Ben Cooper, Executive Headteacher of Swalecliffe Community Primary School, was formally appointed at the Forums new Chair.
(b) The procedures that had been put in place by the SEND Strategic Improvement and Assurance Board to support the SEND improvement programme had delivered the required outcomes. Reporting arrangements had therefore reduced to a business as usual basis. Mr Love paid thanks to the independent Chair for the work and support provided over the last eighteen months.
(c) Mr Love advised that since the last performance report presented to Cabinet, the completion of Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) issued within 20 weeks had significantly improved with three out of four being issued within timescale and the oldest case being 26 weeks old. Mr Love commented on the Council’s achievements and provided assurance that the reforms, which had been recognised and endorsed by the Minister for Children and Families, would continue to be delivered at pace.
(a) The Pothole Blitz had concluded on 31st October. During its operation contractors had delivered 229,622 square metres of patching.
(b) Preparations had commenced as part of the winter service launch, including the deployment of gritters and teams would continue to be placed on standby to ensure that Kent’s roads remained safe and accessible through the removal of debris and excess water caused through increased drainage pressure.
(c) Announcements had been made from Government on additional bus funding which would enable Kent County Council to support buses for an additional year, however, details were yet to be received. Mr Baker noted that whilst the funding was welcomed, it would probably only provide the Council with the ability to maintain the current network. The anticipated White Paper from Government on an Integrated Transport Strategy would help to inform the former bus funding announcement and details were eagerly awaited.
(d) The European Entry/Exit System (EES) which was due to come into force in November had been delayed due to concerns of readiness raised by several EU member states, including France, Germany and the Netherlands. There had been no further announcement on the new proposed date of implementation; however, Mr Baker noted the benefits of delay to Kent in ensuring that the discussions remained focused on improved accessibility in and out of Dover when delays do occur as a result of the EES.
(e) The second parish seminar of the year was conducted in person (the first time in a number of years) and was well attended by both the parish and town council representatives. Mr Baker commented on the importance of strong working relationships with local tiers of government and the positive discussions that stem from those relations. Mr Baker noted that future seminars would look to take the form of workshops to share best practice and to review ways in which this could be rolled out across the county.
(f) The consultation for the Local Transport Plan 5 had closed and was due to be presented to Full Council in December 2024. The document clearly captured Kent County Council’s vision for the future in terms of what was needed in Kent in light of the unprecedented amount of change expected. It provided the basis for discussions to be held with the Department for Transport (DfT) and others on modes of transport and how to keep the road networks flowing.
(a) The No Use Empty Scheme had recently gained media attention through the BBC One Show and Radio Kent. Furthermore, following a letter to Matthew Pennycook, Minister in Housing, the team were invited to give a presentation on the No Use Empty Scheme to Government policy advisors who wished to explore how the scheme could be applied to manage empty housing. Ealing and Bedfordshire councils had also approached Kent County Council to enquire about the scheme in hope of finding a solution to 6000 empty properties. Kent County Council had also been invited to attend as guest speakers at the National Empty Homes Conference in Birmingham in May 2025.
Since 2005 there had been 8,501 properties brought back into life through the scheme which included commercial and residential, which has accommodated housing for over 3000 people. The Tridax units at Dover had also supported 110 jobs and was the Council’s largest development to date.
(b) Mr Murphy and the Leader were due to host David Maenaut, General Representative of Flanders in the United Kingdom, following the recent visits from Flanders officials and business representatives, including the Governor of West Flanders, earlier this year, to discuss increased trade alongside cultural and research links between Kent County Council and the Flanders region.
(c) Mr Murphy had also recently attended and presented at an international conference in Dunkirk which focused on sustainable growth within the tourism, residential and industrial sectors. The presentation was well received and it was noted that Kent County Council had been the only political representative present.
(d) A meeting of the Straits Committee was held in Ghent on the 25th and 26th November. Part of those discussions included the possibility of Kent County Council receiving unspent Interreg funding. Furthermore, Mr Murphy announced that a joint Straits Committee Eurostar declaration, which would include the frequency of trains through Lille, would be issued in due course. Assurance was also provided regarding the continuation of projects to address the issue of water management.
(e) Mr Murphy was due to attend the UK-France Local Government Forum on the 12th and 13th December, hosted by Leeds City Council. The forum was an opportunity to exchange views, including topics of cross-border cooperation and fluidity between countries, with presentations due to be conducted by Dr Abigail Taylor, Research Fellow at the City Region Economic Development Institute (City-REDI) at the University of Birmingham, whose research involved cross-border relationships and international relations. Travel for the event was paid for via grant from the British Embassy in Paris
(f) The Kent and Medway Business Fund (KMBF) had received 19 successful applications for small business loans since July 2024, amounting to £1.35m that had been given to small businesses in Kent, across a number of sectors.
(g) On 21st November, the Leader and Mr Murphy attended the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce annual dinner. Mr Mark Quinn was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Kent Award for his incredible work for both charities and businesses within Kent.
(a) The Libraries, Registration and Archives Service had successfully retained its customer service excellence standard following a four day assessment. The independent assessor praised the staff’s enthusiasm, local knowledge, and ability to innovate and connect with diverse communities. The organisation was described as providing a gold star service with a positive working culture that valued both staff and residents. Mrs Bell congratulated the service for their outstanding report.
(b) Kent Libraries continued to participate in the Warm Welcome Campaign, which offered safe and inclusive spaces for residents during the winter season, especially needed due to the high cost of living and changes to the winter fuel allowance. The initiative had received public recognition, including coverage by ITV Meridian who attended Margate Library.
(c) Mrs Bell was joined by Lord Michael Bichard, Chairman of National Trading Standards, on a visit to Kent County Council’s Trading Standards Ports Team in Dover. The visit provided an opportunity to demonstrate the critical work being done to protect Kent’s borders, including efforts undertaken to prevent illegal vape imports. The visit to the Port of Dover also exposed the challenges faced by the team on a daily basis in the interception of dangerous products. Lord Bichard requested that a report on the issues be provided that could be used to support discussions at a national level.
Mrs Bell attended the launch of the Local Vape Action Project in Tunbridge Wells. This initiative, led by the legitimate vape supply industry through the Independent British Vape Trade Association, was focused on ensuring that only legal, safe vape products were sold and that under age sales were prevented. Tunbridge Wells was selected as the trial location due to its unique characteristics, including a large number of vape shops and a high concentration of young people who congregated in the area after school hours. The launch attracted strong media attention with coverage from Kent Online and ITV Meridian. If successful, the initiative would be rolled out nationwide, setting a benchmark for ensuring safety and legality in the vape industry.
(d) Mrs Bell expressed her delight in presenting the John Downton Awards on 21st November and said that quality of the work produced by young people from schools across the county was truly outstanding and inspiring. The exhibition was on display in the Stone Hall in Sessions House Maidstone.
(a) The Winter Campaign had launched with e-newsletters due to go out on a fortnightly basis containing information and advice on how to stay healthy and warm, travel safely and how to get support with heating and food.
(b) Kent County Council held its Be a Councillor event, with 90 representatives in attendance from a number of political parties. The event focussed on the crucial role that Members play and utilised information that was readily available through the Local Government Association. Mr Jeffrey paid tribute to the team who coordinated the event and whose work was critical in making the event a success. The information from the event was also available as a webinar for future candidates and would be used to shape the Council’s future induction programme for the new cohort of members from May 2025. The induction programme would provide a comprehensive overview of how the Council operates, the role of Members and how to be the most effective democratic body moving forward.
(c) On the issue of democracy and governance, the working party had met on a number of occasions over the past year and had, in the past week, culminated in a series of recommendations which would be presented to the Selection of Member Services Committee and County Council in December 2024. Mr Jeffrey thanked the political group leaders and all participants for their collaboration and openness to explore the Council’s governance, which had resulted in suggestions for a better way of working.
(d) The deadline for Combined Member Grants had ended with 180 grant applications made within the past few months which would support 180 community groups and organisations. The Member Hub would be working hard to ensure all grants were in place before the end of the calendar year.
(e) Mr Jeffrey provided an update on the following engagement work:
· Proposed Changes to Wellbeing services in the Community consultation – closing date 27th January
· Modifications to the Kent Minerals and waste Local Plan consultation – closing date 28th November
· Postural Stability Service consultation – Closing 17th December
· In terms of engagement, a popular initiative had been the On-street electric vehicle (EV) charging points; since launched there had been 350 pins added to the map to allow residents to nominate their street or area for a public EV charging point.
· Over 700 residents had also completed the survey which assessed their views and experience on current pharmacy services, which would help inform the development of the new Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment. The consultation was due to close on 13th December.
· Other engagement included the National Highways and Transport Survey, which was due to run until the end of February 2025.
· The Family Hubs Awareness Survey was due to run until the end of March 2025
· Making Space for Nature, which would inform the Council's Local Nature Recovery Plan was ongoing.
(a) A statement was due to be released imminently during the House of Commons meeting (28th November) entitled ‘Local Government Finance’ and was anticipated to be the Policy statement in advance of the Local Government’s provisional settlement which was due to be announced at the end of December 2024. Details would be shared in due course.
(b) Mr Oakford paid tribute to the Property team who had been set a £12m revenue target from the disposal of assets declared surplus for the Council, who were instead on target to achieve £22m. The sale of properties no longer used by the Council allowed reinvestment into the Council’s capital programmes.
(c) Work was underway to upgrade Oracle, the Council’s information technology platform. Mr Oakford thanked all those involved and recognised the additional work undertaken by staff to deliver the new system which would enable increased efficiency in the Council’s financial reporting.
(d) Congratulations were also expressed to the Kent County Council Audit Team, who won the Excellence in Public Sector Audit Award at the Public Finance Awards Ceremony. Mr Oakford noted the tremendous work undertaken by all staff across the Council; however, he wished to pay tribute to those whom he worked closely with.
The Leader thanked the Cabinet Members for their updates.