Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Phil Filmer (Front Line Services).

The record of the meeting held on 7 August 2018 was agreed and signed by the Leader as a correct record.  

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

Councillor Mackness declared an OSI in agenda item 5 (Proposed Use of Part of the Cornwallis Avenue Site for School Provision) because he is the Chairman of Medway Commercial Group and relied on a dispensation agreed by the Councillor Conduct Committee to enable him to take part in the discussion and vote on this item.

Other interests

There were none.

Background:

This report provided details of the draft Innovation Park Medway Masterplan, the aim of which would be to facilitate a high quality, flexible scheme to encourage a wide range of high-value technology, engineering, manufacturing and knowledge-intensive businesses on an area of land currently in use by Rochester Airport Ltd, as well as covering land leased to BAE, and Woolmans Wood Caravan Site which was privately owned.

The report stated that the Masterplan sought to address the objective of opening up potential to deliver high value businesses attracted by strategic connectivity and an innovative environment. Therefore, the Masterplan presented a framework that would give certainty on the major place making features whilst allowing development plots to retain flexibility in order to allow agile responses to market interest.

The report stated that public consultation would be undertaken over a six week period from 17 September to 28 October 2018 subject to both Cabinet approval and Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s approval, given that the site crossed the boundary with Tonbridge and Malling. The report also stated that a Diversity Impact Assessment would be carried out during the consultation stage.

Reasons:

Public consultation on the masterplan is necessary in order to adopt the masterplan, allowing high quality development to come forward at Innovation Park Medway.

Background:

This report provided details of a proposal to lease land at Cornwallis Avenue, Gillingham, to Medway Commercial Group (MCG) for the purpose of developing education facilities to meet pressure on school places. The report provided details of the previous and current uses of the site noting that whilst the current Local Plan designation for the land was CF8 (Cemetery Extension), the proposal in the Local Plan which was out to consultation but not due for adoption until 2020, was that part of the site be allocated for cemetery use and part educational use.

The report provided details of likely demand for both burial spaces and educational provision, noting that use of the Cornwallis Avenue site would facilitate meeting these pressures and the Council’s statutory duties in respect of school sufficiency. The report also stated that a Diversity Impact Assessment would be provided with future reports on specific proposals for the educational use of the land.

Reasons:

To ensure that sufficient land is available for additional education provision to meet expected demand from across all sectors of the place planning system, which will help to ensure that the Council meets its statutory duty to provide sufficient school places.

Background:

This report provided details of a proposal to outsource the cafes at Medway Park and Strood sports centres to an external provider. Between 2013-2017 the cafes at Medway Park and Strood sports centres had been operated by Medway Norse at which point Medway Norse gave notice that they no longer wished to operate these cafes. Therefore, both cafes had been transferred to the Council on 1 September 2017, including an agreed TUPE of affected staff, pending the Council finding a new external supplier.

The report stated that the preferred option was to outsource the cafes because it was considered that this would provide the best customer service, whilst reducing budgetary expenditure and providing income certainty.

Reasons:

The outsourcing of the cafes to a dedicated external provider will provide better customer service, while providing income certainty and reducing service expenditure.

Background:

This report presented information on vacancies that officers had requested approval to commence recruitment for, following the process agreed by the Cabinet on 7 January 2003 (decision number 9/2003).

Details of the posts were set out within Appendix 1 to the report.

 Reasons:

The posts presented to Cabinet would support the efficient running of the Council.