Agenda and minutes

It was noted that an apology for absence had been received from Councillor M J Holloway.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members in respect of business to be transacted on the agenda.

It was noted that there were no declarations of interest.

The Decisions of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 2 October 2017 numbered CAB 68 to CAB 86 (inclusive) are attached.

It was agreed that the decisions of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 2 and 16 October 2017, as detailed in decision numbers CAB 68 to CAB 86, be approved as correct records and signed by the Vice-Chairman.

The Notice of Forthcoming Key Decisions is included in the agenda to enable the Cabinet to identify future agenda items of public interest that should be subject to pre-Cabinet scrutiny.

It was agreed that there were no forthcoming Key Decisions identified for pre-Cabinet scrutiny at this stage.

To consider the recommendations of the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee (to follow).

It was agreed:

(a)  (i) That the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee’s recommendation (a) (i), made at its meeting held on 25 October 2017 (Minute No 83), be approved, subject to being amended as follows:

‘That the Deal Area Office be kept open until March 2018 whilst more information is collected on the usage of the area office and the impact of its closure, including the number of disadvantaged and vulnerable users.’

(ii) It is noted that, until its final closure, the Deal Area Office will be open one day a week (on Wednesdays) for appointments, but with some capacity to deal with walk-in customers. 

(b)  That the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee’s recommendation (a) (ii) be rejected since it is considered that the potential impact of Universal Credit is understood.

(c)  That the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee’s recommendation (b) (i) be accepted, with assurance that consultation will take place with Deal Town Council and Deal Library staff in respect of training and how Council services and assistance can be accessed.   To facilitate public access, it is noted that there will be a direct telephone link to Whitfield from the library following the Area Office’s closure.

(d)  That the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee’s recommendation (b) (ii) be rejected since it is considered that drawing up criteria that defines vulnerable persons could be counter-productive and, in any case, it is intended that those most in need of face-to-face assistance will be identified by East Kent Services in the period preceding the Area Office’s closure.

(e)  That the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee’s recommendation (b) (iii) be approved, as follows:

‘That regular feedback be provided to the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee on the impact of the closure of the three area offices.’

(f)   That Cabinet decision CAB 47 (e) and (f) of 4 September 2017 be reaffirmed, subject to the above amendments.

To consider the recommendations of the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee (to follow).

It was agreed:

(a)  That the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee’s recommendation (a), made at its meeting held on 10 October 2017 (Minute No 73), be approved, subject to being amended as follows:

‘That funding be identified and allocated in the Council’s 2018/19 budget for the provision of an additional 20-30 parking bays in Aycliffe.’

(b)  That the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee’s recommendations (b) and (c) be approved, as follows:

                (b) That the petition organiser, Mr Dodd, be invited to work with officers in identifying possible key locations where the 20-30 additional parking bays could be easily added in Aycliffe.

     (c)     That the Cabinet be requested to contact Kent County Council in order to identify further funding for the creation of parking bays beyond the initial 20-30 additional parking spaces.

To consider the recommendations of the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee (to follow).

It was agreed that the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee’s recommendation, made at its meeting held on 11 October 2017 (Minute No 68), be approved, as follows:

‘That appropriate Officers meet with Camelot Europe to investigate the feasibility of working with them, and to review the criteria to ensure that they contain adequate safeguards and are suitable for Dover.’

To consider the recommendations of the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee (to follow).

It was agreed that the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee’s endorsement of Cabinet decision CAB 78, made at its meeting held on 11 October 2017 (Minute No 69), be acknowledged and that Cabinet decision CAB 78 be reaffirmed. 

To consider the attached report of the Director of Finance, Housing and Community.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Built Environment

It was agreed:

(a)  That the use of the Community Housing Fund special revenue project to support community-led housing developments, funded from the £508,829 allocated to the Council in the 2016/17 Financial Year from the Government’s Community Housing Fund, be approved.

(b)  That the establishment of a post on a two-year, fixed-term contract, responsible for developing the project, be approved.

(c)  That the Head of Strategic Housing be authorised, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Built Environment, to approve individual projects and expenditure in line with Government guidance. 

To consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Property Management and Public Protection

It was agreed that the business case for carrying out essential works to Deal Pier be approved.

To consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Property Management and Public Protection

That the undertaking of essential works to the Bronze Age Boat exhibition hall and Dover Museum be approved.

To consider the attached report of the Director of Finance, Housing and Community.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Community Services

It was agreed:

(a)  That the Dover District Council Community Grants awarded during the 2017/18 grants scheme, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

(b)  That the rolling over of the £1,000 refunded grant from 2016/17 and the £1,000 from the Guild Players to the Dover District Council Community Grants pot for Deal and Walmer for 2018/19 be approved.

(c)  That there should be flexibility in 2018/19 to permit the use of underspent grant from one forum area to fund projects in oversubscribed forum areas in the District within the same grant year. 

To consider the attached report of the Director of Governance.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources and Performance

It was agreed that the Council’s Performance Report and Actions for the Second Quarter 2017/18 be noted.

To consider the report of the Director of Governance (to follow).

Responsibility: Leader of the Council

It was agreed:

(a)  That the changes to the existing Project Advisory Groups, as set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved.

(b)  That a Homelessness Project Advisory Group be established on the basis set out at Appendix B to the report.

(c)  That the draft Terms of Reference for the Homelessness Project Advisory Group, set out at Appendix C to the report, be approved.

(d)  That the changes to the Developer Contributions Executive Committee, as set out at Appendix D to the report, be approved.

(e)  That it be reaffirmed that a representative of the Labour Group be invited to attend meetings of the Developer Contributions Executive Committee as an observer only.

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000, the press and the public be excluded during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Property Management and Public Protection

It was agreed:

(a)  That the option of selling land to the rear of 65 Folkestone Road, Dover, as set out in the report, be approved.

(b)  That the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Property Management and Environmental Health, be requested to investigate the inclusion of an overage clause.