Decisions

To seek approval for the Elephant House, Cobtree Manor Park to be let to a new tenant and that some landlord’s upgrades are completed as part of that letting.

That

1.  The Elephant House is let to applicant A on the terms shown in exempt Appendix 3 to the report subject to an added clause stating that use cannot be changed without consent and an added clause to specify requirements for fencing;

2.  As landlord, Cobtree Manor Estate Charity (CMEC) invests in upgraded drainage and installs a toilet in the Elephant House;

3.  CMEC approves the capital budget proposed in the landlord’s works section of exempt Appendix 3 to the report, in order to complete the landlord’s works, with a best value approach taken to complete the works;

4.  Delegated authority be given to the Director of Finance, Resources and Business Improvement to agree the final lease with applicant A; and

5.  Delegated authority be given to the Head of Mid-Kent Legal Services to enter into such lease documents and any relevant statutory notices and declarations, as required, to complete the lease process.

To seek approval of Member training and briefings for 2023/24 and proposed training activities for 2024/25.

The Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance introduced the report and thanked Members for their feedback for supporting new Councillors, which resulted in the following actions:

• The induction would be split over two sessions rather than one as feedback indicated this was too much information for one session. These would be hosted in the evening to allow Councillors with daytime commitments to attend;
  
  
• Councillors would have access to an ‘officer buddy’ from the Wider Leadership Team to assist and direct their concerns and queries;
  
  
• Various training sessions would be held throughout the year and repeated to allow flexibility featuring successful courses from last year including Chairman’s training, Carbon Literacy and Nolan Principles, which were well received, and the regular courses such as Overview and Scrutiny skills, how to use the Constitution appropriately, Planning and Licensing;
  
  
• There were plans for the Communications team to make a video identifying Council officers and various sites in the Borough;
  
  
• There would be appropriate support for Cabinet Members relating to their portfolios; and
  
  
• Introducing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training for Members, which is already in place for officers and should be easy to adapt.

Councillors were pleased with the content of the report and made the following suggestions:

• It was raised that there is a budget available for Councillors that could make use of outside organisations to pursue training of their choosing. It was requested that new Councillors were made aware of this fact;
  
  
• Concerns were raised that the Chairing training sessions were scheduled for later than the first meetings of the municipal year. It was clarified that the first meetings would only involve electing Chairmen, and that the second part of the induction training would include basic instruction and could be amended to include points on Chairing; and
  
  
• That training sessions on the content of the constitution would be useful, both for new and existing Councillors.

RESOLVED: That the approach to Member training for 2024/25 be noted and any additional training requested be agreed.

To seek approval of the proposed Lighting and Greening projects for Maidstone Town Centre and phase 1 of a programme of work to achieve the strategic aims and, through this, delivery of the council’s commitments for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for 2024/5.

That

1.  The programme of works for 2024/5 to bring MBC’s existing lighting infrastructure in the town centre to modern standards and to improve lighting in the town centre as set out section 3 of the report, be approved;

2.  The programme of works for 2024/5 to improve greening and the public realm in the town centre as set out in section 4 of the report, be approved;

3.  A budget totalling £600,000 for the programme of lighting and greening works as set out in section 5 of the report, be approved; 

4.  Delegated responsibility for delivering the programme of works and projects be given to the Director of Strategy, Governance and Insight in consultation with the Leader of the Council; and

5.  It be noted that officers will continue to develop a further programme of work for lighting, greening and open spaces in the town centre consistent with the relevant strategy and identify further funding opportunities.

To seek approval for a Community Arts Hub and Creative Maker Space in Granada House in 2024/25 to run for a three year trial period.

To approve the creation and trial of a Creative Maker Space and Arts Hub in Granada House in 2024/25 to run for a three year trial period.

To consider the 2023/24 financial and performance position for the services reporting into the Corporate Services Policy Advisory Committee (CS PAC) as at 31^st December 2023 (Quarter 3). The primary focus is on:

• The 2023/24 Revenue and Capital budgets; and
• The 2023/24 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that relate to the delivery of the Strategic Plan 2019-2045.
• Corporate Risk Register

That

1.  The Revenue position as at the end of Quarter 3 for 2023/24, including the actions being taken or proposed to improve the position, where significant variances have been identified, be noted;

2.  The Capital position at the end of Quarter 3 for 2023/24 be noted;

3.  The Performance position as at Quarter 3 for 2023/24, including the actions being taken or proposed to improve the position, where significant issues have been identified, be noted;

4.  The UK Shared Prosperity Fund update, attached at Appendix 3 to the report, be noted;

5.  The Risk Update, attached at Appendix 4 to the report, be noted;

6.  The uncollectable Business Rates (NNDR) listed at Appendix 5 to the report be approved for write-off, and;

7.  The new contract approval levels shown at Appendix 6 to the report be approved. These changes will then need approval by Democracy and General Purposes Committee before final approval by Council.

To seek approval to adopt the new Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy setting out the current environment and the priorities for the next 5 years. 

That

1.  The new Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Strategy attached at Appendix B to the report, be adopted; and

2.  Authority be delegated to the Head of Housing and Regulatory Services to make any non-material typographical corrections or formatting changes as required to the Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Strategy attached at Appendix B to the report.

To seek approval of the updated performance management arrangements for 2024/25 including the draft key performance indicators for 2024/25.

That

1.  The draft Performance Indicators at Appendix A to D of the report be agreed;

2.  The changes to reporting arrangements be noted, and;

3.  An additional Key Performance Indicator relating to Freedom of Information Requests be added to the Corporate Services draft Performance Indicators.

To seek approval of the Council’s refreshed Preventing Financial Exclusion Strategy developed to ensure it reflects the current challenges faced by Maidstone residents and staff and continues to contribute to the delivery of the Council’s Strategic Priorities and Outcomes as set out in its Strategic Plan 2023-2045.

That

1.  The progress on actions supporting the financial inclusion as highlighting at paragraph 2.4 and set out in the Strategy in Appendix 1 of the report be noted; and

2.  The refreshed Preventing Financial Exclusion Strategy and action plan in Appendix 1 of the report be agreed, subject to typographical and presentational amendments and updating the ward based statistics to reflect the new wards.

To seek approval to demolish the existing buildings, following receipt of vacant possession, scheduled for the 22 March, and to enter in contract for these works.

That

1.  The demolition of the existing buildings at the Former Royal Mail Sorting Office and Cantium House site, taking note of the contents of the report and tender information in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved;

2.  The Director of Finance, Resources and Business Improvement be given delegated authority to appoint the preferred demolition contractor to carry out the necessary works as per the recommended tender price, inclusive of contingency, stated in the exempt appendix to the report; and

3.  The Head of Mid Kent Legal Services, in consultation with the Lead Member, be authorised to negotiate and complete all necessary demolition contracts, deeds and agreements arising from or ancillary to the demolition application.

To seek approval to appoint two new directors to Maidstone Property Holdings Limited.

That the resignations of William Cornall and John Littlemore as directors of Maidstone Property Holdings Limited be accepted and that Adrian Lovegrove and Katie Exon be appointed in their place.