Agenda item

Paul King (Cabinet Member for Environment, Coastal Regeneration and Special Projects) and Lis Dyson (Heritage Conservation Manager) and Elizabeth Milne (Head of Environment) were in attendance for the item.

1. The Cabinet Member for Environment, Mr King, explained that the main change was a new objective to seek to divest KCC’s eight historic windmills in a way that ensured their sustainable future as community assets. He also highlighted the need to update references to climate policy and to the historic environment record in line with the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and the National Planning Policy Framework.

2. Lis Dyson set out the specific amendments to the objectives relating to windmills, strengthening engagement with windmill groups and other interested parties, and aligning the strategy with the adopted policy position on divestment.

3. Members asked questions about:

a)    Concerns were raised on why it was considered inappropriate for KCC to set up a trust with regard to coordinating and manging windmills. The Member highlighted the good work that had been taken out by KCC as custodian of Kent windmills.

b)    The Member proposed a recommendation to 3.4 (Page 179), at the start of the objective relating to windmill groups, the strategy consideration suggested by the Member was: “The Council commits to setting up a Kent Windmills Trust to coordinate the future management of Kent’s windmills and to support current and future volunteer groups intending to own or manage Kent windmills.”

c)      This recommendation to consider was a response to the current 3.4 as stated in the Heritage Strategy Report which read: “It is not considered appropriate for KCC itself to set up a trust to own and manage the windmills so the original objective to explore alternative funding mechanisms for the windmills, including setting up a charitable Trust. is removed.”  

d)    The recommendation was duly seconded. Officers did note however that a key decision had already been taken for KCC to divest itself of the windmills whilst retaining them as community assets.

e)    Members referred to previous decisions on divestment and the need to protect the long?term maintenance and conservation of the windmills. Officers responded that the paper before the Committee focused only on aligning the Heritage Conservation Strategy with that decision.

f)        Sought clarification on the relationship between the existing key decision on divestment, any potential trust, and the recommendations now proposed to the strategy. Officers responded that establishing a charitable trust owned and controlled by KCC might not satisfy the aim of divestment because risk and liability could remain with the authority and any proposals to take on windmills would be carefully assessed against criteria ensuring community access and sustainable maintenance, and KCC would not be obliged to accept proposals that did not meet these tests.

g)    The Cabinet Member invited Members to attend a forthcoming meeting with windmill volunteers and local groups where the process for divestment and options for future governance would be discussed in more detail.

h)    The Chair put the recommendation to the vote, the suggested recommendation passed with 6 For, 4 Against and 2 abstain. The recommendation to the Cabinet Member for consideration passed.

i)        It was recommended that the Cabinet Member for Environment consider the Committee’s agreed recommendations to section 3.4 when taking the key decision.

j)        The Chair then invited the Committee to consider the recommendations in the report, with a note on the recommendations raised to section 3.4 raised had been raised for consideration to the respective Cabinet Member.

RESOLVED to endorse the proposed decision, namely:

(a)    The Cabinet Committee is asked to agree to the proposed amendments to the Heritage Conservation Strategy and delegate authority to review, refresh and/or make revisions to the strategy on an annual basis where changes do not require additional governance, to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport, or another Officer as required by the Corporate Director.