Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no substitute members appointed.

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

There were no declarations of interest made by Members.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 13 September 2016 (attached) and 20 September 2016 (to follow).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Please note that in accordance with the agreed Protocol for Public Speaking at Overview and Scrutiny, the right to speak only applies to agenda item 11.

Members of the public wishing to speak must register to do so by no later than 2.00 pm on the second working day before the meeting.

The following decisions (to follow) were taken by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 3 October 2016 in respect of recommendations from the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee:

·         Regent Cinema

·         Parking Strategies – Dover, Deal and Sandwich

·         Funding of Domestic Abuse Service

·         Performance Report – Q1 2016/17

Members received the decisions of the Cabinet relating to recommendations made by the Committee.

RESOLVED:   That the decisions be noted.

There were no items of business for consideration.

(a)    Items placed on the agenda by a Member of the Committee or any individual Non-Executive Member

       Any individual Councillor may request that a matter is placed on the agenda of one of the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committees by providing Democratic Support with notice of the matter prior to the agenda being published.

       There are no items for consideration.

(b)    Items the subject of Call-In

       Executive Decisions may be called-in by the Chairman or Spokesperson of the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee or any three non-executive members.

       There are no items for consideration.

(c)    Public Petition

       There are no items for consideration.

There were no items of business for consideration.

The Team Leader – Democratic Support presented the Notice of Forthcoming Key Decisions to the Committee for its consideration.

RESOLVED: That the Notice of Forthcoming Key Decisions be noted subject to the inclusion of item 22 (Approval of draft Waterloo Crescent, Dover Conservation Area Appraisal for public consultation) in the Work Programme.

The Team Leader – Democratic Support presented the Scrutiny Work Programme to the Committee for its consideration.

The Chairman requested that the Team Leader – Democratic Support obtain an update on the proposed date for the site visit to the St James development and circulate it to Members.

Members discussed an issue raised with by constituent of Councillor T A Bond’s concerning errors in payments from the Council. It was agreed that this should be a matter for the Governance Committee as it fell within its remit.

RESOLVED:  That the work programme be noted subject to Members receiving an update on the date of the site visit to the St James development. 

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

The Director of Environment and Corporate Assets presented the report on Essential Repairs to Dover Town Hall.

Members were advised that Dover Maison Dieu (Dover Town Hall) was situated within a Conservation Area and was a Grade II Listed Building as well as being a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The building, which was believed to have links to Canterbury Cathedral, was not being used to its full potential, was progressively deteriorating and a bid for funding support to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) was being developed.

To support the preparation of the HLF bid and undertake essential repairs, a provision for £150,000 had been made in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) as well as £30,000 from the Special Revenue Reserve to cover additional survey work. The additional survey work would ensure that the HLF bid was based on a detailed understanding of the building and its needs.

RESOLVED:  That it be recommended to the Cabinet that Decision CAB66 be endorsed as follows:

(a)  That the use of a further £30,000 from the Special Revenue Reserve to support the preparation of the Heritage Lottery Fund bid for Maison Dieu, Dover (Dover Town Hall) be approved.

(b)  That the use of £150,000 from the current provision within the Capital Programme, to carry out essential repairs to avoid further deterioration of the building’s fabric, be approved.