Agenda and minutes

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Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Windmill Street, Gravesend DA12 1AU. View directions

Contact: Committee Section 

Items
No. Item

48.

Presentation of Award

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

 

RSPCA’s Community Animal Welfare Footprint Awards

 

Awarded to Gravesham Borough Council.

Minutes:

The RSPCA’s Community Animal Welfare Footprint (CAWF) Awards is the only award scheme across England and Wales recognising good practice from local authorities, housing providers and contingency planners in relation to animal welfare.

 

CAWF celebrates good practice by rewarding those organisations exceeding basic and statutory service requirements with the aim of achieving higher animal welfare standards.

 

Each level of award carries progressively more demanding criteria.

 

The Mayor announced that Gravesham Borough Council had achieved two CAWF awards, these being:-

 

·         the Gold award for the Stray Dog Service for the 4th year in a row; and

·         the Bronze award for the Housing Service for the 2nd year in a row.

 

Gaining the Stray Dog Footprint award gives the Council recognition for the stray dog service that has mechanisms and policies in place to ensure dog welfare, provide staff training, and promote responsible dog ownership.

 

Partnership working with Viking Oak Kennels, the Council’s stray dog collection, kennelling and rehoming service has been an important part of achieving the Gold award for the stray dog service. The service is available to those finding a dog in the borough 24-hour a day, 365 days a year.

 

Gaining the Housing Footprint award recognises that the Council takes positive steps to encourage and ensure responsible pet ownership in the properties we manage. Work has already commenced towards gaining the Silver award.

 

The hard work that went into preparing for and achieving these awards was led by the Environmental Protection Team and the Housing Service.

 

The Mayor invited Debbie Wilders (Senior Environmental Health Officer) and Robert Newman (Service Improvement Manager for Housing) to come forward and receive these awards on behalf of the Council.

 

49.

Councillor Gary Harding

Minutes:

Following the Meopham North By-Election on 19 October 2017, the Mayor welcomed Councillor Gary Harding to the meeting.

50.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Valerie Ashenden, Samir Jassal, Bronwen McGarrity and Peter Scollard.

51.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Council held on 10 October 2017 were signed by the Mayor.

52.

Declaration of Interest

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made.

 

53.

To answer any questions received from members of the public of which notice has been given under Council Procedure Rule 13 pdf icon PDF 38 KB

Minutes:

The following question had been submitted by Mr Bryan Sweetland and a response was given by the Leader of the Council, Councillor David Turner:-

 

As the council continues to progress with the Gravesham Local 'development' Plan, can the

Leader please confirm or deny whether any company, who has identified a potential development opportunity, has either offered or has been encouraged to make a financial contribution to the cost of the new Queen Elizabeth Statue planned for St.Andrews Gardens.

 

Response

 

A wide cross section of businesses was made aware of the opportunity to contribute to the proposed statue of Her Majesty the Queen.  Some of those businesses are involved in residential and commercial development, either as a primary or secondary function, and included housing associations active within the Borough as well as volume and medium size housebuilders that have undertaken projects in Gravesham.  Of those approached, only one developer, which previously was granted planning permission for a mixed retail and residential development in the town centre, has made a contribution to the statue project.

 

A further development company, which has undertaken residential developments across Kent including within Gravesham, has made a contribution.  This company was not approached by the Council.  All developers will seek to identify further sites for development as their businesses depend upon a land supply.  The Council has no specific knowledge of what land interests or options the contributor has but any applications for development must by law be determined in accordance with material planning considerations and a contribution towards the statue project is not a material planning consideration and would therefore play no part in the decision making process.

 

Similarly, any decisions in relation to the local plan process must be made solely based upon planning considerations and a contribution towards the statue project is of no relevance.

 

54.

Minutes of Committees pdf icon PDF 86 KB

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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 Regulatory Board (Planning) on Wednesday, 4 October 2017

Minutes of meeting of Overview Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, 19 October 2017

Minutes of meeting of Cabinet on Monday, 6 November 2017

Minutes of meeting of Finance and Audit Committee on Wednesday, 15 November 2017

Minutes of meeting of Overview Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, 16 November 2017

Minutes of meeting Regulatory Board (Planning) on Wednesday, 29 November 2017

 

The Council’s attention was drawn to Minute 31 of the Finance and Audit Committee held on Wednesday, 15 November 2017.

 

55.

Reserved Minutes

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

Minutes:

It was moved by Cllr Derek Shelbrooke and seconded by Cllr William Lambert that:-

 

the reserved Minute of Finance and Audit Committee held on 15 November 2017 be ratified and confirmed.

 

The Chief Executive informed the Council that Gravesham’s transition date to the Universal Credit full service had been changed to May 2018 instead of February 2018.

 

It was moved by Cllr David Turner and seconded by Cllr John Knight that:-

 

the reserved Minute of Cabinet held on 6 November 2017 be ratified and confirmed.

 

The Council resolved that a letter be sent to Kent Highways and Transportation detailing the work undertaken to date by Cllr Lauren Sullivan for a reduction in the speed limit on London Road, Northfleet and to convey Gravesham Borough Council’s support of this.

 

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

 

the reserved Minute of Overview Scrutiny Committee held on 19 October 2017 be ratified and confirmed.

 

56.

Amendments to the Constitution pdf icon PDF 77 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to Minute 43 (10.10.2017), the Council was reminded that the report on amendments to the Constitution had been received without debate at the last meeting of the Council and referred to this meeting.

 

It was resolved that the proposed amendments to Article 14 be approved.

 

57.

Appointments to Committees pdf icon PDF 52 KB

Minutes:

The Council resolved the following appointments:-

 

Appointments Board

·         Councillor Karen Hurdle to fill the vacancy left by Councillor John Cubitt on the Appointments Board.

·         Councillor John Knight to replace Councillor Leslie Hills on the Appointments Board and to become Vice-Chair.

 

Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee

·         Councillors Conrad Broadley and Gary Harding to replace Councillors John Knight and Samir Jassal on the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee.

·         Councillor Sara Langdale to become Chair and Councillor Conrad Broadley to become Vice-Chair of the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee.

 

Finance and Audit Committee

·         Councillor Leslie Hills to replace Councillor Derek Shelbrooke on the Finance and Audit Committee.

·         Councillor Karen Hurdle to become Chair and Councillor Robin Theobald to become Vice-Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee.

 

Gravesham Joint Transportation Board

·         Councillor Leslie Hills to fill the vacancy on the Gravesham Joint Transportation Board.

 

Licensing Committee

·         Councillor Gary Harding to replace Councillor Gurjit Bains on the Licensing Committee.

 

Overview Scrutiny Committee

·         Councillor Leslie Hills to replace Councillor Derek Shelbrooke on the Overview Scrutiny Committee.

 

Standards Committee

·         Councillor David Hurley to fill the vacancy left by Councillor John Cubitt on the Standards Committee.

·         Councillor Robin Theobald to replace Councillor David Turner on the Standards Committee and to become Chair of the Standards Committee.

·         Councillor Michael Wenban to become Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee.

 

Disabilities Champion

Councillor Gary Harding to be appointed as Disabilities Champion.

                                                                                                          

The Council resolved to note the following appointments:-

 

·         Councillor John Knight has been appointed Deputy Leader.

·         Councillor Derek Shelbrooke has been appointed to the Cabinet and will lead on the Performance/Administration portfolio.

·         Councillor Derek Shelbrooke has replaced Councillor Leslie Hills on the Performance/Administration Cabinet Committee and as Chair of the Performance/Administration Cabinet Committee.

·         Councillor John Knight became Vice-Chair of the Performance/Administration Cabinet Committee.

Councillor Gary Harding replaced Councillor Julia Burgoyne on the Performance/Administration Cabinet Committee.

58.

Appointments to outside bodies

To appoint Member(s) to the following outside bodies:-

 

·         Councillor Gary Harding to replace Councillor Bronwen McGarrity on the Gravesham Access Group.

 

Minutes:

The Council resolved the following appointment:-

 

Councillor Gary Harding to replace Councillor Bronwen McGarrity on the Gravesham Access Group.

 

Cllr Harding informed the Council that he was currently the only profoundly deaf Councillor in the country and thanked the Assistant Director (Communities) and her team for the support that had been received to date.

 

As Disabilities Champion and being a Member of the Gravesham Access Group, Councillor Harding stated that he would continue to support people with disabilities and encourage more to stand for office.

 

59.

To consider questions from Members of the Council of which notice has been given under Council Procedure Rule 14.

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

60.

To consider motions from Members of the Council of which notice has been given under Council Procedure Rule 15

Minutes:

No motions had been received.

 

61.

To receive the Mayor's Announcements

Minutes:

The Mayor:-

  • asked that all Members join in sending Councillor Bronwen McGarrity best wishes for a speedy recovery;

 

  • thanked all those that had attended Gravesham’s Christmas events to date including the Christmas lights switch on and parade;

 

  • stated that he will be undertaking a number of visits to local organisations on Christmas Day; and

 

  • wished everyone a Merry Christmas and invited Members to join him in the Parlour for refreshments.