Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Les Howes, Sue Howes and Lenny Rolles.

The amended Minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2016 were signed by the Mayor.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 06 December 2016 were signed by the Mayor.

No declarations of interest were made.

The following questions had been submitted by Mr Robert Standing and responses were given by Councillor David Turner, Deputy Leader of the Council

1.    I wish to know what the council are proposing to do when the toilets are closed?

The Council will be introducing a Community Toilet Scheme and no existing toilet facilities will be closed until the scheme is in place and the Council is satisfied that there is a good quality offering available for the public.

The Community Toilet Scheme will allow members of the public to use the toilet facilities within a range of approved local businesses and other organisations during their opening hours.  The toilet facilities will be for the public to use free of charge and with no obligation to make a purchase at any of the participating businesses or organisations.

Community Toilet Schemes operate very successfully in other boroughs and the introduction of the scheme in Gravesham will ensure that there will be no reduction in the quality and availability of public toilet facilities.

2.    Is there going to be any social housing in the M Block development in Bath Street?

In respect of the M Block development, it will provide Affordable Housing (which could be affordable rented and social rented accommodation or intermediate (shared ownership housing), either on site or off site, the latter through a commuted sum.  Whilst the normal percentage of affordable housing units sought under Council policy would be 30% of the 80 units as proposed in the outline planning application, the building qualifies under Government guidance for vacant building credit and therefore only 7 units would be required to be delivered.  The affordable housing will be secured through a legal agreement (s106) with a cascade which would seek to deliver the Affordable Housing on site in the first instance, moving onto a commuted sum should this not be possible.

3.    Why is the council proposing to raise council tax again?

The Council is proposing to raise Council Tax for 2017-18 as the level of central government support to be received next year will be reducing by over £1m compared to the level received in 2016-17, and therefore an increase of less than 10p per week is necessary to protect vital services delivered by the Council, such as food safety inspections, community safety, street cleansing, economic development and refuse collection.

4. What is the council going to do about people riding bikes in the pedestrianised             area of the town centre?

A Public Space Protection Order was introduced by the Council on 1 July 2016 which included the following provision:

'In the section of New Road identified in Map 4, the riding of bicycles will not be permitted between the hours of 10.00am and 6.00pm. This will apply seven days a week'. 

The Order provided for the issue of £75 Fixed Penalty Notices to persons breaching the prohibition on cycling during those hours.  17 Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued for such breaches since the Order came into force.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

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.

Council’s attention was drawn to Minute 99 of the Finance and Audit Committee, 07.02.2017.                                                                 

Minutes of meeting Monday, 9 January 2017 of Cabinet

Minutes of meeting Wednesday, 11 January 2017 of Regulatory Board

Minutes of meeting Thursday, 19 January 2017 of Overview Scrutiny Committee

Minutes of meeting Monday, 30 January 2017 of Cabinet

Minutes of meeting Tuesday, 7 February 2017 of Finance and Audit Committee

Minutes of meeting Wednesday, 8 February 2017 of Regulatory Board

Minutes of meeting Thursday, 9 February 2017 of Overview Scrutiny Committee

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:-

·         Cabinet

·         Regulatory Board

·         Overview Scrutiny Committee

·         Finance and Audit Committee

There were no reserved Minutes.

The Council consented under Council Procedure Rule 17.4.1 to an extension of time being given to Councillor David Turner and to an equal amount being given to Cllr John Burden in his response.

It was proposed by Councillor David Turner, seconded by Councillor Leslie Hills that

the motion circulated and now before the Council be approved as

set out in the order paper.

An amendment was moved by Councillor John Burden, seconded by Councillor Colin Caller that

            At the end of the recommendation item 1 add

Subject to the decision to remove the two-hour free carparking on a Saturday in our town centre carparks making the carparking charge the same as all weekday periods.  Use these monies raised to keep the public toilets open that were going to be closed as part of the budget cuts proposed by the Conservative Group.

Prior to voting the Chief Executive reminded Members that all individual votes in relation to the budget and any amendments thereto would be recorded as required by legislation.

For the Amendment                                                 Against the Amendment

Ashenden, Bungar, Burden, C Caller,            The Mayor, Bains, Boycott

            J Caller, Croxton, Francis, Halpin,                 Burgoyne, Craske, Cubitt,

Loughlin, L Milner, Rayner, Sangha,              Garside, Hills, Hurdle,

Singh, Sullivan, Thandi, Scollard,                   Hurley, Jassal, Knight, Lambert, Thompson, Wallace                                               Langdale, McGarrity, Meade,

Pearton, Pritchard, Ridgers, Shelbrooke, Theobald, Turner,

                                                                                    Wenban

The substantive motion was put to the meeting.

For the Motion                                              Against the Motion

            The Mayor, Bains, Boycott, Burgoyne,          Ashenden, Bungar, Burden,

            Craske, Cubitt, Garside, Hills, Hurdle,            C Caller, J Caller, Croxton, Hurley, Jassal, Knight, Lambert, Langdale         Francis, Halpin, Loughlin,

McGarrity, Meade, Pearton, Pritchard,          L Milner, Rayner, Sangha,

Ridgers, Shelbrooke, Theobald, Turner         Scollard, Singh, Sullivan, Thandi,

Wenban                                                           Thompson, Wallace

It was resolved that

1.       Council approves the Council Tax resolution as set out below;

the Council Tax Base 2017-18 for the whole Council area as 33,329.79 Band D equivalent properties as its council tax base for the year 2017-18 in accordance with

(a)          Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 made under Section 31B of the LocalGovernment Finance Act 1992 as amended by Section 74 of the Localism Act 2011.

(b)          or dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates as set outbelow:

Part of the Council'sarea:                                                  £

2.      The Council Tax requirements for the Council’s own purposes for 2017-18 (excluding Parish precepts) be £6,386,320 (£191.61 per Band D Property).

      The following amounts be calculated by Council for the year 2017-18 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by Section 74 for the Localism Act 2011:

The Council consented under Council Procedure Rule 16 (16) to suspend Council 

Procedural Rule 15.1 in accordance with Article 16.01 of the Council’s Constitution in order to allow a motion to be considered and voted upon although written notice of the motion had not been given.

It was moved by Councillor John Burden and Seconded by Councillor Colin Caller that

Gravesham Council has continued to deliver good services over the last seven years despite the Government’s massive cuts in Revenue Support Grant.  However, these services are now under serious threat due to the on-going cuts in Government support and the certainty of more.  These cuts take no account of local need or efficiency.

Gravesham has the second lowest cost base per resident in Kent, but experiences some of the highest levels of deprivation in some of its urban wards.  This ongoing Government attack on local government funding needs to stop; Gravesham needs positive investment and support to continue to provide the vital services our communities need.  We call upon central government to reverse the ongoing cuts projected for the next four years and start the process of rebuilding local government so that it is able to represent and serve local communities’ needs.

The Motion was put to the meeting and carried

It was proposed by Councillor David Turner, seconded by Councillor John Burden that

the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel be accepted.

It was resolved that

For Gravesham Borough Council for the Municipal Year 2017/18

1. basic allowance for all Gravesham Borough Councillors be £4,635

2. special responsibility allowances be as follows

Leader of Executive                                                   £20,858

Deputy Leader of Executive                                         £9,270

Members of the Executive (excluding Leader and

Deputy Leader)                                                 £4,635          

                        Leader of the Opposition                                              £4,635

Chair Regulatory Board                                                £4,635

Chair Overview Scrutiny                                              £2,318

Chair Finance and Audit Committee                            £1,159

Chair Licensing Committee                                             £695

Vice Chair Overview Scrutiny Committee                      £695

Chair Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee              £464

3. any Member in receipt of more than one special responsibility allowance

be paid 100% of the first special responsibility allowance but only 50% of the Second (lower value) special responsibility allowance

4. should the Council be minded to reduce the level of special responsibility

allowances payable, the differentials within the hierarchy be maintained

5. the travel and subsistence scheme for councillors be aligned with that of

officers

6. childcare and dependent carers’ allowance be paid at the National

Minimum Wage with flexibility for an enhanced payment in exceptional circumstances

7. any agreed Members’ allowances be adjusted in line with the nationally

negotiated pay awards given to Gravesham Borough Council Staff

It was resolved that

Council approves the updated Code of Corporate Governance for Gravesham    Borough Council

It was resolved that

1.    the existing Chief Legal Officer and Monitoring Officer for Medway Council, Mr Perry Holmes, be formally designated as the Monitoring Officer for Gravesham Borough Council to take effect from the date on which the necessary formalities be completed by Medway Council, no later than 28 April 2017 and;

2.    in the interim Mr Nick Brown be designated as the Monitoring Officer for Gravesham Borough Council until such time as the necessary formalities be completed by Medway Council; such interim arrangement to expire no later than 28 April 2017.

It was resolved that

1.   Council agrees that the rural Conservation Area Appraisals and Management

Plan, as amended, be adopted by the council as a Supplementary Planning Document

2. the Conservation Area boundary changes at Chestnut Green, Meopham The

Street and Lower Higham Conservation Areas be agreed

3.  the Director Housing & Planning be authorised to make any minor editing

     changes to the final documents prior to publication

To be moved by Cllr Jordan Meade and seconded by Cllr David Turner that:

This Council pays humble remembrance to the life of Pocahontas and approves the publication of the Declaration of Remembrance below, affixing the Common Seal of the Council to this declaration, in order to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Pocahontas’ burial in Gravesend:

“We the Mayor, Members, and Officers of Gravesham Borough Council, today assembled, remember the life of “Lady Rebecca Rolfe”, more commonly known as Pocahontas.

On 21st March 1617, Lady Rebecca Rolfe, a Lady of Virginia born, died while coming ashore, and was buried in the parish Church of St George’s, Gravesend.

Today the Council assembled, paused to reflect upon Pocahontas’ legacy of peace and of reconciliation, marking the Council's remembrance in this the 400th Year of her passing.”

It was moved by Councillor Jordan Meade, seconded by Councillor David Turner that:

This Council pays humble remembrance to the life of Pocahontas and approves the      publication of the Declaration of Remembrance below, affixing the Common Seal of the Council to this declaration, in order to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Pocahontas’ burial in Gravesend:

  We the Mayor, Members, and Officers of Gravesham Borough Council, today assembled, remember the life of “Lady Rebecca Rolfe”, more commonly known as Pocahontas.

  On 21st March 1617, Lady Rebecca Rolfe, a Lady of Virginia born, died while coming   ashore, and was buried in the parish Church of St George’s, Gravesend.

Today the Council assembled, paused to reflect upon Pocahontas’ legacy of peace and of reconciliation, marking the Council's remembrance in this the 400th Year of her passing.

The Motion was put to the meeting and was carried unanimously.

To appoint two representative trustees to The Henry Pinnock and Victoria & Albert Memorial Charity.

Council resolved to note the following nominations to the Henry Pinnock and Victoria & Albert Memorial Charity:

          Councillor Lyn Milner

          Councillor Alan Ridgers

No questions had been received.

The Mayor informed Councillors of her forthcoming Ball on 25 March 2017 and a Chinese Meal to be held at Twin Dynasty as her final fundraising event on a date to be confirmed.

The Mayor invited Members and Officers to join her in the Parlour for refreshments when a Presentation would be made to Mike Hayley.