Apologies for absence were received from The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Jenny Wallace and Councillors Gurjit Bains, Emma Elliott, Samir Jassal and Peter Scollard.

The Minutes of the meeting of Council held on Tuesday 15 October 2024 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 Planning Committee held on Wednesday, 23 October 2024;

·         Minutes of the Cabinet held on Monday, 4 November 2024;

·         Minutes of the Licensing Committee held on Tuesday, 5 November 2024; and

·         Minutes of the Finance and Audit Committee held on Wednesday, 6 November 2024.

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

Planning Committee

There were no reserved minutes.

The report informed the Council of the outcome of the review of polling district, polling places and polling stations in Gravesham for Parliamentary Elections.

The proposal being to retain the existing arrangements subject to a change to the Wye Road polling station.

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

• the Council approves the revised schedule of polling districts and polling places.

The above motion was resolved unanimously.

It was requested that, following the boundary changes introduced as part of the 2022 review undertaken by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, that more work/publicity be undertaken in terms of notifying electors on where their polling station is particularly in relation to Shorne West where a significant change had been made.

The Council was presented with the draft Climate Change Annual Report 2024 for consideration.

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

• the progress of the Council during 2024 in developing its activity to deliver the Climate Change motion be noted; and
• the Annual Report set out at appendix one be approved and delegated authority for any final amendments to be made be given to the Director (Corporate Services), in consultation with the Leader of the Executive.

It was also moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox that a recorded vote be taken on the motion.

In accordance with paragraph 19.4 of Annex 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules, five Members demanded that a recorded vote be taken.

The motion was declared to be carried unanimously.

Note: Cllr Lauren Sullivan arrived part way through this item therefore did not vote on the item/motion.

The Council was presented with the Council’s First Consideration Biodiversity Report which was introduced as part of the Environment Act 2021.

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

• the report be approved and subsequently published.

The above motion was resolved unanimously.

No questions had been received.

The Mayor congratulated Tom Reynolds on his recent appointment to Director of Environment.

The Mayor informed Members that there were a number of upcoming charity events and invited Members to attend Sunday Lunch at Cobham Hall on 9 February 2025, a Coffee Morning in the Kent Room on 6 March 2025 and Dinner with the Mayor at The Woodville on 25 April 2025.

The Mayor also advised that he would be holding a book launch in the New Year to promote his book on the mayoralty.

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