Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Gurjit Kaur Bains and Cllr Leslie Hills; Cllr Frank Wardle and Cllr Conrad Broadley appeared as their respective substitutes.

The minutes of the meeting of the Overview Scrutiny Committee held on 14 October 2021 were signed by the Chair.

Cllr Conrad Broadley declared an ‘other interest’ in Item 5. and Item 9: Call in of Cabinet Item 11. Town Pier and Pontoon Part A Report and Cabinet Item 14. Town Pier and Pontoon Part B Report in respect of his interest in nautical matters in that he owned several types of boat and was the Chairman of the Dartford and Crayford Creek Restoration Trust, the Chairman of the Broadness Cruising Club, the Director of the Northfleet Harbour Restoration Trust, a member of Gravesend Sailing Club and a KCC Councillor for Northfleet & Gravesend West.

Cllr Jordan Meade declared an ‘other interest’ in Item 5. and Item 9: Call in of Cabinet Item 11. Town Pier and Pontoon Part A Report and Cabinet Item 14. Town Pier and Pontoon Part B Report in that he is a National Trustee and Director of the Maritime Volunteer Service and a KCC Councillor for Gravesend East.

Items called in from the Cabinet meeting of 4 January 2022

(Please ensure you have access to the Cabinet agenda for 4 January 2022

previously circulated to Members).

The Service Manager (Property and Regulatory) presented the Committee with the Town Pier and Pontoon Part A report that went to Cabinet on 4 January 2022. The report sought authorisation to agree the sale of the Town Pier and Pontoon, West Street, Gravesend in order to facilitate rapid river transport solutions for the Town.

The Service Manager (Property and Regulatory) drew Members attention to the following sections of the report:

Section 4. Context

Section 5. Heads of Terms and related matters

Section 7. Financial considerations

Section 8. Risks and opportunities

The financial impacts of the sale to the council would result in savings being made to the revenue budget, a capital receipt and a re-direction of the Town Pier and Pontoon reserve balance.

Should the sale go ahead the balance in the reserve would no longer be needed and would be re-directed to the Climate Change Reserve and utilised to support the delivery of actions underpinning the council’s Climate Change Strategy.

The Chair explained his reasons for calling in this matter as detailed below:

·       To ensure that the taxpayer is achieving value for money.

·       To explore whether the draft Terms adequately protect public access.

·       To explore whether the draft Terms adequately safeguard the Pier’s heritage.

·       To explore further the impact that the sale will have on local businesses and recreational access to the River.

·       To understand further the Council’s need to sell this asset.

The Chair welcomed three ‘witnesses’ who had been invited to the Committee to provide their views on this matter.

Sandra Soder, Local Historian, highlighted her views as follows:

·       The pier has a rich history

·       The rights of landing at the pier should remain in Gravesend hands.

·       Thames Clippers have numerous large vessels that will need to have low emissions as part of the 2025 Act. Will they use hydrogen? Where will this be stored and transferred? Will it be too expensive to run?

Brian Corbett, Chair of London River Heritage Harbour Group highlighted his views as follows:

·       London boroughs are turning their back on maritime heritage and it looks like Gravesham is following.

·       Gravesend Town Pier and Pontoon is a community asset. The Council should delay the sale for at least six months to examine alternative means of securing the interests of the river and wider communities.

·       The river provides an important link between land based areas and floating heritage. Why would the Council want to offload it?

·       Hopefully the service provided from the Town Pier & Pontoon will be for everyone’s benefit but not if exclusive rights are granted.

Richard Bain, Managing Director Jetstream Tours, highlighted his views as follows:

·       The Jetstream Tour Gravesend to Tilbury Ferry has not been consulted on this matter – who was contacted in KCC about Heads of Terms?

·       The Council only made this public knowledge for the Cabinet meeting on 4 January 2022. No one was given the opportunity to make a counter offer.

·       Thames Clippers reserve the right to offload passengers at London Piers; they do not need to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

Cllr Baljit Hayre, Chair of the Scrutiny Review Scrutiny Review of Street Cleanliness, littering, and Fly-tipping throughout the Borough provid3ed the following update:

·       The Terms of Reference for the review were agreed on 16 September 2021

·       Dates were sent out for the first meeting of the review group but the Assistant Director (Operations) was not available until the end of December.

·       New meeting dates for the group have now been circulated with the aim of meeting at the end of January / beginning of February to progress the review.

Resolved that pursuant to Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 that the public be excluded from any item included in Part B of the agenda because it is likely in view of the nature of business to be transacted that if members of the public mare present during this item, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Items called in from the Cabinet meeting of 4 January 2022

(Please ensure you have access to the Cabinet agenda for 4 January 2022

previously circulated to Members).

The Overview Scrutiny Committee considered, and discussed in detail, the Part B information pertaining to the Town Pier and Pontoon report.

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It was moved by Cllr Conrad Broadley and seconded by Cllr Diane Morton that:-

This matter be referred back to Cabinet to consider and clarify the heads of terms, public access, the landing stage, access rights, the causeway and the competitiveness of the ferry.

The motion was put to the meeting and declared to be lost by 4 votes to 5

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