Agenda and minutes

It was noted that an apology for absence had been received from Councillor N S Kenton.

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 meeting of the Cabinet held on 14 May 2018 numbered CAB 167 to CAB 182 (inclusive) are attached.

It was agreed:

(a)   That the decisions of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 14 May 2018, as detailed in decision numbers CAB 167 to CAB 182, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

(b)  That, in respect of CAB 179 (a), Councillor M Rose be replaced by Councillor P M Beresford (Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness) on the East Kent Housing Dover Area Tenants’ Board.

(c) That, in respect of CAB 180, the Leader of the Council be replaced by the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness on the Homelessness Project Advisory Group.

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 attached recommendation of the Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee.

It was agreed that the following responses be made to the Scrutiny (Committee and Regeneration) Committee’s recommendations, made at its meetings held on 25 April (Minute No 114) and 25 May (Minute No 12):

(a) A post-implementation close-out report will be presented to Cabinet when the St James’s development scheme is completed and all processes have been reconciled and agreed.

(b) The East Kent District Councils and Kent County Council meet regularly at the East Kent Growth Board and feed in to the wide discussions around growth at a county and district level.  This issue will also need to be addressed in the context of the review of the Local Plan (refer to the Local Plan Review report that went to Cabinet in May).   It was agreed that utility providers should be invited to attend full Council meetings so that they can be fully apprised of the Council’s concerns surrounding infrastructure.  In the first instance, an invitation should be extended to Southern Water.

(c)  The scenarios around the movement of goods and customs controls are the subject of national decision-making which we are engaging on as appropriate in relation to our areas of responsibility.  We understand that Highways England will be confirming in the next few days the details for consultation on managing freight traffic which is intended to remove the need for Operation Stack. 

(d)  Highways England has directed a planning condition requiring the improvement of the Whitfield roundabout linked to the build-out of the Whitfield Urban Expansion development, and will continue to respond to planning applications for development in the locality.  Recognising the decision to proceed with the Lower Thames Crossing, the Council, along with support from Kent County Council and other local authorities in east Kent, has continued to press the need for the upgrade of the M2/A2 route including the dualling of the A2 from Lydden to Dover.

To consider the attached report of the Director of Governance.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources and Performance

It was agreed that the Annual Governance Assurance Statement be approved, and that the Leader of the Council and the Head of Paid Service be requested to sign the statement on behalf of the Council.

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

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Property Management and Environmental Health

It was agreed:

(a)  That the allocation of £24,392 of the £60,000 from the Special Project Reserve provision included in the Medium-Term Financial Plan, to contribute towards the cost of preparing updated open space strategies for the District, be approved.

(b)  That the allocation of £35,608 of the £60,000 from the Special Project Reserve provision included in the Medium-Term Financial Plan, to carry out urgent repairs to structural features within parks, cemeteries and closed churchyards, be approved.

(c)   That the Head of Parks and Open Spaces be authorised, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Property Management and Environmental Health, to procure necessary repair works.   

The Executive is required to appoint Members to the Developer Contributions Executive Committee for the Council year 2018/19, and to appoint a Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

The current membership of the Committee comprises the Leader of the Council (Chairman), the Portfolio Holders for Built Environment and Community Services and Councillor Pauline Beresford.

It was agreed that the membership of the Developer Contributions Executive Committee for the Council year 2018/19 be as follows: Leader of the Council (Chairman) and Portfolio Holders for Built Environment, Community Services and Housing & Homelessness.

The Executive is required to appoint a Member of the Council to serve as Chairman of the Dover Joint Transportation Board (DJTB) for 2018/19, in accordance with the agreement on Joint Transportation Boards made between Kent County Council and Dover District Council.

The chairmanship/vice-chairmanship alternates annually between KCC and DDC.  Councillor Jim Back is currently Vice-Chairman of the DJTB.

It was agreed that Councillor J S Back be appointed Chairman of the Dover Joint Transportation Board for the Council year 2018/19.

At its meeting held on 14 May 2018, Cabinet considered a report on the membership of the Local Plan Project Advisory Group which recommended that a representative from the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee be appointed to the Group. 

Cabinet is advised that the Committee has nominated the Chairman, Councillor Kevin Mills, and requested to approve the appointment.

It was agreed that the nomination of Councillor K Mills as the representative of the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee on the Local Plan Project Advisory Group be noted.