The Mayor will acknowledge and congratulate the Council for receiving the following award:

Kent Healthy Business Award

Awarded to Gravesham Borough Council.

The Kent Healthy Business Awards are based on a national award scheme which recognises employers who contribute to improving the health of their workforce.

The Mayor announced that Gravesham Borough Council had achieved the excellence level in three areas of the Kent Healthy Business Awards, these being:-

·         Health and safety

·         Smoking and tobacco

·         Leadership

Work had now commenced on gaining the award in the area of mental health.

The Mayor stated that participation in the Kent Healthy Business Awards was purely voluntary and was a good practice initiative demonstrating our commitment to the health, safety and welfare of our own staff, going above and beyond legal requirements.

Gaining these awards gives us recognition and means that we can lead by example when encouraging other local employers to get involved in the scheme.

The hard work that went into preparing for and achieving these awards was led by the Corporate Health and Safety team and the HR team, with support provided by the Gr@nd.

The Mayor invited Mandy Cartwright (Senior Corporate Health and Safety Advisor) and Charlotte Collins (Human Resources Officer) to come forward and receive the awards on behalf of the Council.

The meeting observed a minutes silence as a mark of respect for Councillor John Cubitt who passed away in August 2017.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Gurdip Ram Bungar and John Caller.

The Minutes of the Council held on 27 June 2017 were signed by the Mayor.

Cllr John Loughlin declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 10 (Notice of Motion No2 – Housing) as he is a Trustee of the House of Mercy which receives grants from Kent County Council.

Cllr Conrad Broadley declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 10 (Notice of Motion No3 – National Joint Council (NJC) pay to Councils) as his wife would be a beneficiary. Cllr Broadley left the Chamber during consideration of this item.

Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 10 (Notice of Motion No3 – National Joint Council (NJC) pay to Councils) as his brother works for the local authority and would be a beneficiary.

Cllr Lauren Sullivan declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 10 (Notice of Motion No3 – National Joint Council (NJC) pay to Councils) as her brother-in-law works for the local authority and would be a beneficiary.

No questions had been received.

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 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.

Minutes of meeting of Finance and Audit Committee on the Monday, 10 July 2017

Minutes of meeting of Cabinet on the Tuesday, 11 July 2017

Minutes of meeting of Overview Scrutiny Committee on the Thursday, 13 July 2017

Minutes of meeting of Regulatory Board (Planning) on the Wednesday, 19 July 2017

Minutes of meeting of Cabinet on the Monday, 4 September 2017

Minutes of meeting of Regulatory Board (Planning) on the Wednesday, 6 September 2017

Minutes of meeting of Finance and Audit Committee on the Tuesday, 12 September 2017

Minutes of meeting of Overview Scrutiny Committee on the Thursday, 14 September 2017

Minutes of meeting of Licensing Committee on the Thursday, 28 September 2017

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. They will

be dealt with in the following order:

Finance & Audit Committee

Cabinet

Overview Scrutiny Committee

Regulatory Board

Licensing Committee

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr David Hurley that:-

the reserved Minute of Overview Scrutiny Committee held on 13 July 2017 be ratified and confirmed.

The Council was presented with proposed amendments to the Constitution to delegate various responsibilities previously delegated to the post of Assistant Director (Governance & law) which has been deleted.

            It was resolved that:-

1.         all proposed amendments to Annexes 1, 2, 3 and 5 as laid out in the report be approved.

2.         the proposed amendments to Article 14 be received by council without debate and referred to the next ordinary council meeting on 5 December 2017 for a     decision.

To appoint 2 representatives to this body

As well as the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust Stakeholder Council, the Mayor stated that two further requests had been received, following publication of the agenda, forThe Gr@nd Community Interest Company and Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity.

            It was resolved that:-

·         Cllr Gurjit Bains and Cllr Lyn Milner be appointed to the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust Stakeholder Council.

·         Cllr Sandra Garside replace Cllr Jordan Meade on The Gr@nd Community Interest Company.

·         Cllr David Hurley, Mr Brian Newell and Mr Ernie Brook be appointed to the Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity.

Notice of Motion No1 - Fleet Leisure

To be moved by Cllr. Shane Mochrie-Cox and seconded by Cllr. John Burden

that:-

This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site.

Notice of Motion No2 – Housing

To be moved by Cllr. Jenny Wallace and seconded by Cllr. Lee Croxton that:-

This council supports the need for more local authority housing and denounces Kent County Council for its proposed plans to withdraw support for the vulnerable in our housing stock and proposes that government be written to demand the relaxation of the oppressive ongoing central government austerity programme and allow us to provide more affordable housing for local people and to require Kent County Council to maintain its supported people programme for the vulnerable in out housing stock.

Notice of Motion No3 – National Joint Council (NJC) pay to Councils

To be moved by Cllr. John Burden and seconded by Cllr. Colin Caller that:-

This Gravesham Borough Council notes that:

·         NJC basic pay has fallen by 21% since 2010 in real terms

·         NJC workers had a three-year pay freeze from 2010-2012

·         Local terms and conditions of  many NJC employees have also been cut, impacting on their overall earnings

·         NJC pay is the lowest in the public sector

·         Job evaluated pay structures are being squeezed and distorted by bottom-loaded NJC pay settlements needed to reflect the increased National Living Wage and the Foundation Living Wage

·         There are growing equal and fair pay risks resulting from this situation

This council therefore supports the NJC pay claim for 2018, submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite on behalf of council and school workers and calls for the immediate end of public sector pay restraint. NJC pay cannot be allowed to fall further behind other parts of the public sector. This council also welcomes the joint review of the NJC pay spine to remedy the turbulence caused by bottom-loaded pay settlements.

This council also notes the drastic ongoing cuts to local government funding and calls on the Government to provide additional funding to fund a decent pay rise for NJC employees and the pay spine review.

This council therefore resolves to:

·         Call immediately on the LGA to make urgent representations to Government to fund the NJC claim and the pay spine review and notify us of their action in this regard

·         Write to the Prime Minister and Chancellor supporting the NJC pay claim and seeking additional funding to fund a decent pay rise and the pay spine review

·         Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim and the pay spine review

Notice of Motion No1 - Fleet Leisure

It was moved by Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox and seconded by Cllr John Burden that:-

This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site.

An amendment was moved by Cllr Sandra Garside and seconded by Cllr David Turner that (the text in bold shows the proposed amendment to the original motion):-

This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and          reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site, other than one unit to provide accommodation for a steward as this would provide security.

The amendment was declared to be carried by 22 votes to 18.

Following a debate, a second amendment was moved by Cllr David Turner and seconded by Cllr John Burden that (the text in bold shows the proposed amendment to the substantive motion):-

This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site, other than to            provide accommodation within the main leisure facility building for a steward as this would provide security.

The second amendment was declared to be carried unanimously.

It was therefore resolved that –

This council fully supports the retention of fleet leisure in council ownership and seeks its rebuilding as a community facility as soon as practically possible and          reaffirms no housing development will be permitted on the site, other than to provide    accommodation within the main leisure facility building for a steward as this would provide security.

Notice of Motion No2 – Housing

It was moved by Cllr Jenny Wallace and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that:-

This council supports the need for more local authority housing and denounces Kent County Council for its proposed plans to withdraw support for the vulnerable in our housing stock and proposes that government be written to demand the relaxation of the oppressive ongoing central government austerity programme and allow us to provide more affordable housing for local people and to require Kent County Council to maintain its supported people programme for the vulnerable in out housing stock.

An amendment was moved by Cllr Anthony Pritchard and seconded by Cllr Karen Hurdle that (the text in bold shows the proposed amendment to the original motion):-

This council supports the need for more local authority housing and is very disappointed that Kent County Council is proposing to withdraw financial support for the GBC Sheltered Housing service.

It is proud that both parties work together to deliver the best possible service to all its tenants, and confirms its commitment to deliver ever more local council owned social housing.

The amendment was declared to be carried by 22 votes to 18.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

No questions have been received.

The Mayor made the following announcements:-

·         Gravesham Borough Council’s annual firework display will be held on 4 November 2017. The Mayor will be attending the firework display with visitors from Neumunster.

·         Thanks be given to Anita Tysoe and Kirsty Gaunt for the Silk River Project which the Mayor thoroughly enjoyed.

·         Thanks be given to all participants of the Mayor’s Boundary Walk which was held on 7 and 8 October 2017.

·         There will be a number of Christmas events.