Following the Westcourt By-Election on 17 October 2019, the Mayor welcomed Councillor Helen Ashenden to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Conrad Broadley, Emma Elliott, Leslie Hoskins, Diane Marsh, Alan Ridgers, Brian Sangha and Peter Scollard.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 8 October 2019 were signed by the Mayor.

Cllr John Burden declared an interest in relation to agenda item 10 - Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity Housing Association as he is a Trustee of the Association. Cllr Burden left the Chamber during consideration of this item.

Cllr Colin Caller declared an interest in relation to agenda item 10 - Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity Housing Association as he is a Family Trustee of the Association. Cllr Caller left the Chamber during consideration of this item.

Cllr Tony Pritchard declared an interest in relation to agenda item 10 - Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity Housing Association as he is a Trustee of the Association. Cllr Pritchard left the Chamber during consideration of this item.

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 the Cabinet held on Monday 7 October 2019

·         Minutes of the Overview Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday 17 October 2019

·         Minutes of the Licensing Committee held on Tuesday 5 November 2019

·         Minutes of the Cabinet held on Monday 11 November 2019

·         Minutes of the Finance and Audit Committee held on Wednesday 13 November 2019

·         Minutes of the Cabinet held on Monday 2 December 2019

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:-

Cabinet

Finance & Audit Committee

Licensing Committee

Overview Scrutiny Committee

There were no reserved minutes.

The Council was presented with the recommendation of the Appointments Panel that was constituted to consider the appointment of a successor to the present Chief Executive when he retires on 31 March 2020.

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Jordan Meade that:-

the Council confirms the appointment of Mr Stuart John Bobby to the post of Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service of Gravesham Borough Council with effect from 1 April 2020.

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

Note: The Director (Corporate Services) left the Chamber during consideration of this item.

In response to the Climate Change motion passed in June 2019, the Council was presented with the Council’s planned activity and future reporting procedures.

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

1.    Full Council endorses the draft Climate Change Action Plan for the Council; and

2.    an annual reporting process to Full Council be established to detail the progress made by the Corporate Working Group in implementing the Action Plan.

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

The Council was presented with a proposal for the establishment of a Local Authority Trading Company (the Holding Company), which had previously been discussed at Cabinet and recommended for Full Council consideration. Specifically to:-

·         seek approval for the establishment of a Local Authority Trading company (with Subsidiaries to follow);

·         seek approval of the draft Business Case template, which will be used to seek approval for creation of future trading subsidiaries of the Holding Company, and to outline the activities of those subsidiary companies; and

·         seek approval to amend the Council’s Constitution and Contract Procedure Rules to ensure that the Council continues to have robust contract management arrangements in place.

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Lenny Rolles that:-

1.    the formation of the Local Authority Trading Company (LATCo) Holding company as detailed in the report be endorsed;

2.    the Council reserves the right to be a shareholder of any LATCo subsidiary and this shall be included in any governance agreement between the Council and LATCo (through the Memorandum of Association (MOA)); and

3.    delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Executive, the Monitoring Officer and the Section 151 Officer to confirm and register the name of the company and take all necessary practical, legal and financial actions necessary in relation to the creation of the LATCo and development of the relevant governance framework in order to enable the effective operation of that company and associated subsidiaries and subject to any necessary amendments to the Council’s Constitution being brought back to Full Council for approval.

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

The Council thanked officers for the work that has been undertaken to date.

The Council was advised that the Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity Housing Association (the Charity) had approached the Council seeking the potential for the Council to grant a long term loan to the Charity. Such a loan would provide the Charity with access to borrowing which would be used to fund development of housing at their site at Cross Lane West and provide a long term investment income stream to the Council.

It was moved by Cllr Lee Croxton and seconded by Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox that:-

1.    responsibility be delegated to the Director (Corporate Services)(in the role of S151 Officer), in consultation with the Deputy Leader, Lead Member for Housing, Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer to negotiate and agree the final terms of any loan and enter into the necessary associated legal agreements on behalf of the Council;

2.    approval be provided for the necessary updates to the made to the Treasury Management Strategy Statement to reflect that the Non-Specified Investments time duration for term deposits with unrated counterparties is increased to 50 years, as per the potential loan arrangement with the Charity; and

3.    an amount of £2m be added to the approved capital programme for 2019/20 for the purpose of providing long term funding up to that defined level to Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity Housing Association as a means of enabling the Charity to provide additional social housing in Gravesham.

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

Note: Councillors John Burden, Colin Caller and Tony Pritchard left the Chamber during consideration of this item.

The Council reviewed the representation of Political Groups on Committees following the Westcourt By-Election held on 17 October 2019.

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

·         Appointments Board

Cllr Helen Ashenden to fill the additional seat.

·         Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee

Cllr Helen Ashenden to fill the additional seat.

Cllr Derek Ashenden to replace Cllr Gurjit Bains.

·         Licensing Committee

Cllr Helen Ashenden to replace Cllr John Caller.

·         Regulatory Board

Cllr Harold Craske to retain his seat on the Regulatory Board.

·         Finance and Audit Committee

Cllr Elizabeth Mulheran to fill the vacancy.

·         Overview Scrutiny Committee

Cllr Emma Morley to fill the vacancy.

·         Standards Committee

Cllr Emma Morley to fill the vacancy.

·         Community and Leisure Cabinet Committee

Cllr Helen Ashenden to replace Cllr Gurjit Bains.

·         Operational Services Cabinet Committee

Cllr Peter Scollard to fill the vacancy.

Cllr Gary Harding to replace Cllr Alan Ridgers.

·         Performance and Administration Cabinet Committee

Cllr Elizabeth Mulheran to replace Cllr Peter Scollard.

Cllr Helen Ashenden to replace Cllr Gurjit Bains.

·         Strategic Environment Cabinet Committee

Cllr Alan Ridgers to replace Cllr Gary Harding.

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

Mr David Hurley to be appointed as a representative trustee for a four-year term.

Resolved that Mr David Hurley be appointed as a representative trustee for a four year term to the the Elizabeth Huggins’ Cottages Charity.

1.    It will be moved by Cllr Jordan Meade and seconded by Cllr John Burden that:-

This Council supports the Social Mobility Pledge and resolves to request that Gravesham Borough Council becomes a Social Mobility Pledge accredited employer.

This Council further acknowledges that improving social mobility is a priority that requires a coordinated, multi-agency approach.

Consequently, this Council resolves that the Executive will adhere to the principles of the Social Mobility Pledge and work with Members and external partners to improve social mobility across the borough.

The Social Mobility Pledge: 

Partnership

We will partner with schools or colleges to provide coaching through quality careers advice, enrichment experience and / or mentoring to people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances.

Access

We will provide structured work experience and / or apprenticeships opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances.

Recruitment

We will adopt open employee recruitment practices which promote a level playing field for people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances.

2.    It will be moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Jordan Meade that:-

This Council firmly condemns the potential loss of the Springhead ‘Walk in Centre’ and resolutely believes the new ‘Urgent Treatment Centre’ should be sited at Gravesend town centre.

This Council is further resolved that to place the new centre at Darent Valley Hospital would cause particular problems for the elderly and those residents unable to drive.

Gravesend town centre provides adequate road, rail and bus links and following the recent consultation, the Council strongly urges the Clinical Commissioning Group to decide accordingly.

Motion One

It was moved by Cllr Jordan Meade and seconded by Cllr John Burden that:-

This Council supports the Social Mobility Pledge and resolves to request that Gravesham Borough Council becomes a Social Mobility Pledge accredited employer.

This Council further acknowledges that improving social mobility is a priority that requires a coordinated, multi-agency approach.

Consequently, this Council resolves that the Executive will adhere to the principles of the Social Mobility Pledge and work with Members and external partners to improve social mobility across the Borough.

The Social Mobility Pledge:

Partnership

We will partner with schools or colleges to provide coaching through quality careers advice, enrichment experience and/or mentoring to people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances.

Access

We will provide structured work experience and/or apprenticeships opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances.

Recruitment

We will adopt open employee recruitment practices which promote a level playing field for people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances.

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

Motion Two

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Jordan Meade that:-

This Council firmly condemns the potential loss of the Springhead ‘Walk in Centre’ and resolutely believes the new ‘Urgent Treatment Centre’ should be sited at Gravesend town centre.

This Council is further resolved that to place the new centre at Darent Valley Hospital would cause particular problems for the elderly and those residents unable to drive.

Gravesend town centre provides adequate road, rail and bus links and following the recent consultation, the Council strongly urges the Clinical Commissioning Group to decide accordingly.

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

The Council paid tribute to the continuous work of NHS staff particularly during the Christmas and New Year period.

No questions had been received.

The Mayor thanked all those that had attended the Remembrance Sunday services and Christmas Light switch on which were well attended.

The Mayor advised that he had attended the St Nicholas Day Parade which had been organised by the Romani Slovak Czech Community. The Mayor invited Councillors to support this event in future years.

The Mayor wished everyone a Merry Christmas and invited those present to join him in the Parlour for refreshments.