Agenda and minutes

The Democratic Services Manager reported apologies from Mr Baldock, Mrs Bruneau, Sir Paul Carter, Mr Chard, Mr Chittenden, Ms Constantine, Mr Crow-Brown, Mr Manion, Mr Ross, Mr Simkins and Mr Webb.

The Chairman reported apologies from Mr Cooke.

1)      Mrs Chandler and Mr Rayner declared a pecuniary interest in item 12 – Motion for Time Limited Debate 3 - ‘Family Farm Tax’ – and would not participate in the debate or vote. 

2)      Mr Lehmann declared an interest in item 6 - Questions - that he was a Member of Swale Borough Council.

3)      Mr Streatfield declared an interest in item 6 - Questions - that he was a trustee of an independent special school in Sevenoaks.

4)      Mr Jeffrey declared an interest in item 12 – Motion for Time Limited Debate 2 – Electoral Reform in Kent – that he was a retired member of the Association of Electoral Administrators.

Mr Stepto referred to the 7 November meeting and the debate that took place under Item 12 - Motion for Time Limited Debate 4 – Climate and Nature Bill. Mr Oakford clarified that there was an agreement that the Pension Fund would not invest in Kent, however a formal policy was not in place.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Council meeting held on 7 November 2024 be approved as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Corporate Parenting Panel on 30 July 2024 be noted.

1)      With great sadness the Chairman informed Members of the death of Mr Richard Parry, former Conservative Member for Sevenoaks West from 2005 to 2017. During his time at KCC, Mr Parry served as Chairman of Scrutiny Committee from 2013 to 2017 and Vice Chairman of Governance and Audit Committee from 2012 to 2017. Mr Parry also served on Policy & Resources Committee, Superannuation Fund Committee, Governor Appointments Panel, Planning Applications Committee and Kent & Medway Fire & Rescue Authority.

2)      The Chairman invited Members to speak and tributes were made by Mr Gough, Mr Rayner, Mr Holden, Mr Brady, Mr Streatfeild, and Mr Lehmann.

3)      Mr Sweetland proposed, and Mr Ridgers seconded, that the Council formally record the sense of loss it feels on the sad passing of Mr Parry and extends to his family and friends its heartfelt sympathy to them in their sad bereavement.

Agreed unanimously.

4)      The Chairman held a one-minute silence in memory of Mr Richard Parry.

5)      The Chairman extended his warmest congratulations to Michelle Bramble, who recently won a Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Workforce Award for the category Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion.

6)      The Chairman also congratulated Talha Ghaffar who was shortlisted for the Graduate of the Year category in the same LGC Workforce Awards.

7)      The Chairman congratulated the Internal Audit and Counter Fraud team, who were the winners of the Excellence in Public Sector Audit award at this year’s Public Finance Awards.

8)      The Chairman said that the Council had received a royal award for its work in boosting road safety awareness with young drivers and passengers and congratulated the Kent Safer Road Users Team who had been recognised with the 2024 Prince Michael International Road Safety Award.

9)      The Remembrance Festival held in November raised £5,000 for the Royal British Legion and the Army Benevolent Fund. The Chairman thanked all those who helped support the event.

10)    The Chairman thanked all staff and Members who had supported this year’s Corporate Parenting Christmas campaign. The Chairman highlighted the importance of the work done to raise awareness of Corporate Parenting across the Council.

In accordance with Sections 14.15 to 14.22 of the Constitution,11 questions were submitted by the deadline and 10 questions were put to the Executive as a questioner had given apologies. 10 questions were asked and replies given. A record of all questions put and answers given at the meeting is available online with the papers for this meeting.

1)      Mr Gough spoke about the recent publication of the English Devolution White Paper which set out government’s plans for devolution in the form of Mayoral Strategic Authorities. He explained that whilst much of the devolution offer would build on existing proposals in areas such as economic development, skills, and infrastructure; strategic planning and public service reform were also central to it. Devolution would offer an opportunity for Kent to regain strategic powers and capacity that had been lost as a result of national policy choices and the clear geographic boundaries of Kent and Medway, which were shared with major public services, would put the county in a strong position to bring public services closer together and deliver better services and value.

2)      Mr Gough said the Kent and Medway approach to devolution had been developed, along with the 12 districts, through partnerships across a number of key areas, such as the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership, the Employment Task Force, Pathways for All in post-16 education and skills, and the Integrated Care Strategy. All of which provided a firm foundation for the future.

3)      The Leader explained that the government would set out early in 2025 which areas would belong to the Devolution Priority Programme and he believed that whilst ensuring the right decision was made, it was in the Council’s interests to move sooner rather than later. He highlighted that all 14 local authorities in Kent would be affected and emphasised that this was potentially the most transformational issue facing the Council in many years.

4)      Mr Gough referred to the government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework which was published on 12 December and followed a consultation on the role of planning committees.

5)      Regarding the Local Government Financial Settlement, Mr Gough noted that whilst improvements in the position for the Council could be seen, pressures remained. He welcomed an increase to the Social Care Grant and the Children's Social Care Prevention Grant, however, he commented that the Recovery Grant was not targeted on areas of greatest spending pressures and this raised questions as to the longer term government approach to funding allocation and the consequences of this for the Council.

6)      Mr Gough expressed concern at government decisions that would impact the Council’s providers such as in relation to the national living wage, the national minimum wage, and employers' national insurance contributions; and about which he and the Cabinet Member would liaise with providers and government ministers.

7)      Mr Gough referred to the Household Support Fund and in particular the Just Missing Out payment, which went alongside the Council’s initiative to boost the take-up of pension credit.

8)      The Kent and Medway Resilience Forum’s implementation of Operation Brock from 15 – 22 December would cover the projected peak tourist traveller period for Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover. Mr Gough said Operation Brock, under current circumstances, remained the only available option and the Council continued to work with National Highways, the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 276.

1)      Caroline Smith, Assistant Director for Corporate Parenting and apprentices from Virtual School Kent, Nathan Moody, Jack Phelps, Kiron Bullen and Connor Cruickshank introduced the item.

2)      Mrs Chandler proposed, and Mrs Prendergast seconded the motion that

“The County Council notes the report and associated Member responsibilities as corporate parents”

3)      Following the debate, the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 2.

4)      RESOLVED that the County Council notes the report and associated Member responsibilities as corporate parents.

1)      Mr Baker proposed, and Mr Robey seconded the motion that

“County Council is asked to approve and adopt Local Transport Plan 5: Striking the Balance.

2)      Following the debate, the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 1 to the vote and the voting was as follows.

For (51)

Mr Baker, Mr Barrington-King, Mr Brady, Mr Bartlett, Mr Beaney, Mrs Bell, Mrs Binks, Mr Booth, Mr Bond, Mr Brazier, Mr Broadley, Mr Campkin, Mr Cannon, Miss Carey, Mrs Chandler, Mr Cole, Mrs Cole, Mr Collor, Mr Dance, Ms Dawkins, Mr Dendor, Mrs Game, Mr Gough, Ms Grehan, Ms Hamilton, Mr Hill, Mr Hills, Mrs Hohler, Mr Holden, Mr Hood, Mr Jeffrey, Mr Kite, Mr Lehmann, Mr Love, Mr Mallon, Mr Marsh, Mrs McArthur, Mr McInroy, Ms Meade, Mr Meade, Mr Murphy, Mr Oakford, Ms Parfitt, Mr Richardson, Mr Ridgers, Mr Robey, Mr Sandhu, Mr Thomas, Mr Watkins, Mr Whiting, Mr Wright

Against (6)

Mrs Dean, Mr Hook, Mr Passmore, Mr Shonk, Mr Sole, Mr Streatfeild

Abstain (2)

Mr Stepto, Ms Wright

Motion carried.

3)      RESOLVED that the County Council approves and adopts Local Transport Plan 5: Striking the Balance.

This item was deferred to the next appropriate meeting of Full Council.

This item was deferred to the next appropriate meeting of Full Council.

The following motions are to be debated by the Council:

Motion 1 – Labour – Integrated Care Strategy

Motion 2 – Liberal Democrat – Electoral Reform in Kent

Motion 3 – Conservative – ‘Family Farm Tax’

Motion 4 – Green & Independents – Climate and Nature Bill

Motion for Time Limited Debate 1 – Integrated Care Strategy

1)      Mr Brady proposed, and Ms Meade seconded the motion that

            “This County Council resolves to:

·         Agree that all decisions, where relevant, must align with the Integrated Care Strategy objectives and request that decision making documentation demonstrates this.

·         Request that decision-making documentation, where relevant, will evidence how a decision is working towards achieving the Integrated Care Strategy’s progress indicators.

·         Request that if a decision is made which does none of the above, then a reason for this must be cited within the decision-making documentation.”

2)      Following the debate, the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 1 to the vote and the voting was as follows.

For (15)

Mr Brady, Mr Campkin, Ms Dawkins, Mrs Dean, Ms Grehan, Ms Hawkins, Mr Hood, Mr Hook, Mr Lehmann, Ms Meade, Mr Passmore, Mr Sole, Mr Stepto, Mr Streatfeild, Ms Wright

Against (35)

Mr Baker, Mr Beaney, Mrs Bell, Mrs Binks, Mr Booth, Mr Bond, Mr Brazier, Miss Carey, Mr Cannon, Mrs Chandler, Mr Cole, Mrs Cole, Mr Dance, Mr Dendor, Mrs Game, Mr Gough, Mr Hill, Mr Hills, Mrs Hohler, Mr Jeffrey, Mr Kite, Mr Love, Mr Marsh, Mr McInroy, Mr Meade, Mr Murphy, Mr Oakford, Ms Parfitt, Mr Richardson, Mr Ridgers, Mr Robey, Mr Sandhu, Mr Shonk, Mr Thomas, Mr Watkins

Abstain (1)

Mr Mallon

Motion lost.

Motion for Time Limited Debate 2 – Electoral Reform in Kent

3)      Mr Streatfeild proposed, and Mr Hook seconded the motion that

          “This Council notes:

a.      Public trust in the UK Government and local government has sunk to its lowest-ever recorded level. In 2023, the Office for National Statistics published data from a survey of UK adults with 34% saying they trusted local government, and 27% the UK Government.

b.      The 2024 UK General Election was the most disproportionate ever, with the new Government winning 411 of the 650 available seats in the House of Commons, whilst only receiving 33.7% of the total number of votes.

c.      A majority of votes cast in the 2024 General Election were for candidates who were not elected – at 58%, the highest in seventy years.

d.      Turnout at the 2024 General Election in the South East was 64%, the lowest since 2001.

e.      Many Kent citizens have not registered to vote.

f.       In the previous Parliament, the former Conservative Government weakened the independence of the Electoral Commission, removed the right of people to express a 2^nd preference for the vote systems for mayoral elections in England, and introduced the Voter ID scheme.

g.      The work of organisations like Make Votes Matter, Unlock Democracy and the Electoral Reform Society, amongst others, in building the case for electoral reform.

h.      The new Government has not committed to reform of the voting system.

i.        Other parts of the UK, use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, and have done so for many years. In Northern Ireland, STV has been used in local elections since 1973,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 281.

Added to the agenda as an urgent matter to meet relevant response deadlines.

This item was taken after item 9.

1)      Mr Jeffrey proposed, and Mr Kite seconded the motion that

“County Council is asked to:

a)      Note the report;

b)      Comment on the key points for a response to the government consultation;

c)      Delegate to the Monitoring Officer the submission of the response to the Consultation in consultation with the Leader of the Council.”

2)      Following the debate, the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph 1.

3)      RESOLVED that the County Council:

a)      Notes the report;

b)      Comments on the key points for a response to the government consultation;

c)      Delegates to the Monitoring Officer the submission of the response to the Consultation in consultation with the Leader of the Council.