Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Helen Ashenden, Conrad Broadley, Harold Craske, Aaron Elliott, Emma Elliott, Leslie Hills, Tony Rana, Tony Rice, Alan Ridgers, Steve Thompson and Frank Wardle.

The Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 11 October 2022 were signed by the Mayor.

The Chief Executive advised that, in accordance with advice received from the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Members only needed to declare interests which had not already been listed within their Disclosable Pecuniary Interests form.

No declarations of interest were made.

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 meeting of the Overview Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday, 13 October 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on Wednesday, 26 October 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on Tuesday, 1 November 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on Monday, 7 November 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee held on Wednesday, 9 November 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Overview Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday, 17 November 2022

·         Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on Wednesday, 23 November 2022

The Council’s attention was drawn to Minute 27 (Treasury Management Mid-Year Review) of the Finance and Audit Committee held on Wednesday 9 November 2022.

In relation to the minutes of the Planning Committee held on Wednesday 23 November 2022, the Chair of the Committee, Cllr Brian Sangha sought Full Council approval to amend minute 39.2 (20220839 - Cobham Lodge, Valley Drive, Gravesend) to reference that the Committee also heard the views of Cllr Sarah Gow, Ward Cllr for Singlewell.

It was agreed that the minutes be amended.

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

Overview Scrutiny Committee

Regulatory Board

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

·         the reserved Minute of Cabinet (Cascades Leisure Centre Project Update) held on 7 November 2022 be ratified and confirmed.

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

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

·         the reserved Minute of Cabinet (Review of Street Cleanliness, Littering and Flytipping throughout the Borough Topic Review Report) held on 7 November 2022 be ratified and confirmed.

The Cabinet thanked the Overview Scrutiny Committee and welcomed the report/recommendations as it highlighted the good work currently being undertaken by the Assistant Director (Operations) and his team.

In response to the Climate Change motion passed on 25 June 2019, the Council was presented with the draft Climate Change Annual Report for consideration.

Resolved that:-

the progress of the Council during 2022 in developing its activity to deliver the Climate Change motion be noted; and

the Annual Report set out at appendix two be approved and delegated authority be given for any final amendments to be made by the Director (Corporate Services), in consultation with the Leader of the Executive.

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

This item was deferred.

Resolved that Dan Baber be appointed to the Elizabeth Huggins Cottages Charity as a representative trustee for a four-year term.

At the Full Council meeting of 7 December 2021, the Council agreed to accept the invitation to opt into the appointing person arrangements made by the Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA), for the procurement of external audit.

On 17 October 2022, the Council received correspondence from the PSAA informing of the outcome of the procurement exercise and that PSAA intended to appoint Grant Thornton (UK) LLP (the Council’s current external audit provider) as the auditor of Gravesham Borough Council from 1 April 2023.

Resolved that the appointment of Grant Thornton (UK) LLP as the auditor for Gravesham Borough Council for a five-year period from 1 April 2023 be approved, as endorsed by the Finance and Audit Committee at its meeting on 9 November 2022

No questions had been received.

The Mayor expressed the Council’s sympathy and condolences on the loss of Reverend Cyril Showers,  Priest in Charge at St Botolphs and St Marks Northfleet and Colm Murphy, teacher at St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School.

The Mayor congratulated Cllr John Caller on becoming a grandad and Cllr Gurdip Bungar on becoming a great grandad.

The Mayor also wished Cllr Lee Croxton and his fiancé, Deborah, good luck and best wishes on their upcoming wedding day.

The Mayor thanked those that had attended his fundraiser event on Monday 5 December 2022 and welcomed any further donations to help decorate the Mayoral Christmas Tree either by filling baubles with cash and/or donating a gift for a child/teen.

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