Before the start of formal proceedings, the Mayor stated that he and the Mayoress had attended the South & South East in Bloom Awards ceremony on 17 September 2014 at which Gravesend Town Centre and Shorne Woods Country Park received a Gold Award.  Trosley Country Park received a Silver Gilt.

The award was presented by the Mayor to the Director (Communities) who co-ordinated the Town Centre’s 2014 submission.

The Mayor thanked everyone involved, both within and outside the Council.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Lesley Boycott, Glen Handley and David Turner.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2014 were signed by the Chair.

No declarations of interest were made.

No questions had been received.

The Mayor stated that agenda items 5 (Petition – “Right to Light”) and 10 (Notice of Motion) would now be dealt with prior to the other items listed on the agenda.

In accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme, any petition that has more than 1,500 signatures will trigger a Council debate.

The following e-petition was received on 16 June 2014 and has achieved 2,057 signatures as at the date of publication of this agenda (Monday 22 September 2014):-

We the undersigned petition the council to reverse their decision for part night lighting and reinstate our streetlights overnight. The KCC have switched off much of Kent's street lighting between the hours of 12am to 530am, the residents of Gravesham demand they be reinstated for their personal safety and the security of their properties.

The following link will take you to the e-petition:-

http://tinyurl.com/pbwq6e8

In accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme, Tina Brooker (Petition Organiser) presented the Council with an e-petition signed by over 2,000 residents seeking support from the Borough Council to urge Kent County Council (KCC) to reserve its decision for part-night lighting and to reinstate street lights overnight.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Members asked questions of Tina Brooker.

The Leader of the Executive stated that the resolution of agenda item 10 (Notice of Motion) would be the Council’s response to the e-petition.

To be moved by Cllr Colin Caller and seconded by Cllr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi that:-

Gravesham Borough Council supports the views of local residents in Gravesham that Kent County Council should reverse their decision for part night lighting and street lighting removal and that they should reinstate the streetlights in Gravesham overnight where they have been, or are proposed shortly to be removed.

It was moved by Cllr Colin Caller and seconded by Cllr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi that: –

Gravesham Borough Council supports the views of local residents in Gravesham that Kent County Council should reverse their decision for part night lighting and street lighting removal and that they should reinstate the streetlights in Gravesham overnight where they have been, or are proposed shortly to be removed.

An amendment to the motion was moved by Cllr Harold Craske and seconded by Cllr Anthony Pritchard that: –

Gravesham Borough Council hears and appreciates the issues some residents in Gravesham have about KCC’s Street Light Policy.

To assist these concerned residents and where there is clear evidence to support their case, Gravesham will call upon KCC to implement its agreed procedure to review the Street Light policy in the specific areas following discussions with the police and local councillors.

Following debate, the amendment was put to the meeting and declared to be lost by 16 votes to 24.

The substantive motion was put to the meeting.

The motion was declared to be carried by 24 votes.

It was therefore resolved that: -

Gravesham Borough Council supports the views of local residents in Gravesham that Kent County Council should reverse their decision for part night lighting and street lighting removal and that they should reinstate the streetlights in Gravesham overnight where they have been, or are proposed shortly to be removed.

To receive and adopt the proceedings, reports and recommendations of the following committees, except those items reserved under Council procedure Rule 5.2 (6) and to ratify and confirm the orders made by them.

Motions that proceedings, reports and recommendations of Committees, except those reserved under Council Procedure Rule 5.2(6) as referred to below be received and adopted and where applicable the Orders made by them be ratified and confirmed were duly proposed, seconded and resolved in each case.

Finance & Audit Committee of 24 June 2014

Cabinet of 30 June 2014

Overview Scrutiny Committee of 14 July 2014

Finance & Audit Committee of 15 July 2014

Regulatory Board of 23 July 2014

Regulatory Board of 3 September 2014

Finance & Audit Committee of 17 September 2014

Overview Scrutiny Committee of 18 September 2014

To receive and adopt the proceedings, reports and recommendations of committees contained in the list of items reserved under Council Procedure Rule 5.2.(6) and to ratify the orders made by them.

The reserved minutes will be dealt with in the following order:-

Finance and Audit Committee

Overview Scrutiny Committee

Cabinet

Regulatory Board

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that: –

the reserved Minutes of Cabinet held on 30 June 2014 be ratified and confirmed.

With reference to Minute 13, the Council was requested to acknowledge the significant achievements that had been delivered to date, such as the Core Strategy, balanced budget, new recycling service and CAN grant scheme, and commend everyone involved, particularly the Cabinet, for all their hard work.

Please note that appended to the report is the adoption version of the Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy. Due to its size, it has not been included in the agenda however it can be viewed using the following link and a copy is available to view at the Reception, Civic Centre:-

http://tinyurl.com/nyhl9zy

The Council received a report which detailed the purpose of the Core Strategy, the results of the Examination by an independent Planning Inspector and the process for adopting the Core Strategy.  It also detailed the implications of the adoption of the Core Strategy on decisions on planning applications.

The Chief Executive stated that the independent Planning Inspector declared Gravesham’s Local Plan Core Strategy sound subject to a number of main modifications.

The Council can only adopt the Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy in its present form – the Council cannot accept some of the main modifications and reject others (though the Council is able to make minor modifications to the Core Strategy which do not materially affect its policies).

If the Council does not have an adopted Core Strategy in place, there is a major risk of ‘planning by appeal’ and the potential development of the area in a random, uncoordinated way.

The Leader of the Executive drew Members' attention to the letter that had been received from Graham Simpkin Planning and advised that the Culverstone Valley would be examined as part of the Green Belt review.

The Council was requested to adopt the Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy, subject to the main modifications recommended by the Inspector and additional minor modifications, with immediate effect.

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that the Council: -

(1)        notes the Inspector’s report (Appendix 2) and adopts the Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy (Appendix 3) and amended Policies Map (Appendix 4), subject to the modifications recommended by the Inspector and additional minor modifications, with immediate effect;

(2)        authorises the Director (Housing & Regeneration), in consultation with the Leader and Lead Member for Planning Delivery, to agree the final version of the Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy prior to publication;

(3)        notes that the adoption of the Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy will mean that a number of policies in the Gravesham Local Plan First Review 1994 will no longer be saved and will no longer be part of the Development Plan.  All policies which have not been saved should no longer be used for development control purposes; and

(4)        agrees that the Gravesham Local Plan Second Review (Deposit Version) (2000) should no longer be used as a material consideration for development control purposes.

The motion was put to the Council and declared to be carried unanimously.

The Council thanked everyone involved, particularly the Planning Policy Manager and her team, for all their hard work.

To report on the outcome of the review including the comments received and any amendments proposed.

The Council received a report which detailed the outcome of the review of polling district and polling places in Gravesham.

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that the Council: -

adopts the revised schedule of polling districts and polling places with effect from the publication of the new Register of Electors to be published by 1 December 2014.

The motion was put to the Council and declared to be carried unanimously.

The Council received a report which provided details of the group’s findings in respect of the impact of major leisure development on a local area in the light of emerging proposals for the London Paramount Leisure Resort at Swanscombe Peninsula.

The Leader of the Executive advised that the developers had agreed to pay all the costs of the fact-finding trip.

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that: -

(1)        Members and officers are thanked for undertaking the fact finding trip and that the information derived be used to inform negotiations on the proposals as they are progressed; and

(2)        the proposed vehicles for consultation and engagement, as set out in Section 4, be endorsed and put in place.

The motion was put to the Council and declared to be carried unanimously.

To appoint a representative to the Dartford and Gravesham District Partnership Group.

The Council was requested to nominate a representative to the Dartford and Gravesham District Partnership Group.

It was moved by Cllr Lee Croxton, seconded by Cllr Colin Caller that: –

Councillor John Burden be appointed to the Dartford and Gravesham District Partnership Group.

No questions had been received.

The Mayor reminded Members that the annual ‘Beating the Bounds’ walk will be held over the weekend of 11 and 12 October 2014.