Agenda and minutes

The Leader said he was disappointed to have received a letter from Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in relation to a Local Plan having not been delivered in Medway.

He highlighted that the new administration had been working hard for the last six months to deliver a Local Plan and that it was the previous Council administration that had been unable to deliver a Plan.

The Leader would be writing to Mr Gove before Christmas to invite him to Medway to see the hard work being undertaken in the context of the recent Local Government finance settlement. The letter would also question why no one from his ministerial team had been available to discuss the £170million of Housing Infrastructure Funding that his Department had withdrawn from Medway.

Other Cabinet Members highlighted that the lack of a Local Plan had left Medway open to speculative house building. The new administration was committed to delivering a Local Plan and fully consulting with the local community to deliver sustainable housing, infrastructure and employment opportunities. Significant work had been undertaken in the last six months including a Regulation 18 consultation. Reductions in local government funding and the impact this had on councils across the country were also highlighted.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Curry.

The record of the meeting held on 21 November 2023 was agreed by the Cabinet and signed by the Leader as correct.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

There were none.

Other interests

There were none.

Background:

This report presented details of the Integrated Care Strategy, which set out how the assessed needs in relation to its area would be met, as required by the Health and Social Care Act, 2022. An interim Strategy had previously been agreed by the Cabinet in December 2022.

The Inequalities, Prevention and Population Health Committee (IPPHC) of the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) had been tasked with developing the Integrated Care Strategy. It formed a steering group to develop the Strategy, led by colleagues from the NHS, with representation from Public Health. The Strategy required approval from Medway Council, Kent County Council and the Kent and Medway NHS Integrated Care Board, as the constituent authorities of the Integrated Care Partnership Joint Committee.

The report had previously been considered by the Health and Wellbeing Board, the comments of which were set out in section 6 of the report and by the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the comments of which were set out in an addendum report.

The draft Kent and Medway Integrated Care Strategy was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. A Diversity Impact Assessment in relation to the Strategy was attached at Appendix 2.

Reasons:

Approving the Integrated Care Strategy enables Medway Council, Kent County Council and Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board to fulfil the requirement to publish an Integrated Care Strategy.

Background:

This report provided details of the outcome of the consultation on the coordinated admission schemes and arrangements for primary and secondary schools for September 2025.

Section 5 of the report outlined the proposed changes to admissions arrangements. The report explained that four responses to the consultation had been received. These and the officer responses were summarised in section 8 to the report.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken on the proposals, as set out in Appendix 3 to the report.

Reasons:

Approving the proposed admissions schemes ensures that the Council meets its statutory duty to comply with admissions legislation. The proposed changes will provide a fairer means of assessment for grammar school and will give more Medway children the opportunity to attend a Medway grammar school.

Background:

This report provided details of the 2024-25 funding arrangements for schools and academies and set out proposed changes to Medway’s mainstream schools and academies provisional funding formula.

The report stated that the financial modelling had been built using the October 2022 census data but that the final budget allocations would be based on actual pupil numbers from the autumn census in October 2023. The data was due to be released by the Department for Education in Mid-December 2023.

The proposals had been considered by the Schools Forum on 6 December 2023 and their recommendation to Cabinet was set out at paragraph 5.5 of the report.

Reasons:

The local authority is required to implement the funding formula changes from 2024-25 in accordance with the regulations and to inform the Education Skills Funding Agency.

Background:

This report provided details of an overview of treasury management activity since 1 April 2023 and presented a review of the Treasury Strategy approved by Council on 23 February 2023.

In relation to the Lothbury investment Fund, the possible closure of which and potential financial risk to the Council had previously been highlighted by the Cabinet, the Leader advised that the Council had just been informed that the fund had been extended for three months. This was good news as it demonstrated the efforts being made for the fund to continue.

The report had been considered by the Audit Committee at its meeting on 29 November 2023, the draft minutes of which were set out in section 10 of the report. The report would also be referred to Full Council on 24 January 2024. 

The report included an economic update for the first part of 2023/2024 and reviews of: the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy; the Council’s Investment Portfolio and Borrowing Strategy; any debt rescheduling undertaken and compliance with treasury and prudential limits.

Reasons:

In accordance with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountancy’s (CIPFA) Code of Practice for Treasury Management, there should be a review of the strategy at least half yearly.

Background:

This report asked the Cabinet to agree to delegate authority to enable the sale of Union Place Car Park, Chatham and Temple Car Park and Yard, Strood and the securing of development of the two sites.

The report explained that Union Place Car Park wascurrently closed as it was accessed from private land at the rear of the adjacent former bingo premises. Permission for access was only granted permissively and this had been withdrawn. Studies had concluded that establishing an alternative access from the A2 would be prohibitively expensive and would not comply with highway design standards.

Temple Car Park was currently open but the 73 space car park had seen a reduction in income over recent years, with the average annual income being only £21,543. It was considered that the demand for this car park could be catered for in the Commercial Road car park, which was owned by the Council.

Reasons:

To secure a capital receipt, and to enable development.

Background:

This report set out the proposed revised Planning Enforcement Policy, which the Cabinet was requested to recommend to Full Council for approval.

The report advised that the revised Policy set out updated service standards in accordance with up-to-date, relevant legislation, which in turn would improve the Council’s position in dealing with complaints and enforcement investigations.

The report had previously been considered by the Planning Committee on 22 November 2023, the minutes of which were set out at section 7 of the report.

The proposed revised Planning Enforcement Policy was attached at Appendix A to the report. A Diversity Impact Assessment in relation to the Policy was attached at Appendix B.

Reasons:

The updated Planning Enforcement Policy 2023 sets out updated service standards in accordance with up-to-date, relevant legislation, which in turn will improve the Council’s position in dealing with complaints and enforcement investigations.

Background:

This report presented the Annual Medway Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) 2023, set out at Appendix 1 to the report, which provided an assessment of development trends and wider social, economic and environmental indicators, together with progress on the preparation of the new Medway Local Plan.

A key measure reported in the AMR was the annual level of housebuilding in Medway, which was 950 new homes being built in 2022-23. Although this figure was lower than for the previous three years of delivery, it was historically high for Medway. The rate fell short of the defined level of local housing needs for 1,667 homes a year, following the standard method set by government.

The report also presented the Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) 2023, set out at Appendix 2, which set out details of funding agreed, received and spent through developer contributions, and proposed spend on infrastructure. A full breakdown of contributions spent in 2022/23 was set out in the Infrastructure Funding Statement.

Reasons:

To comply with the duty to compile and publish a planning monitoring report.

To satisfy the requirement to annually publish an Infrastructure Funding Statement.

Background:

This report explained that a draft neighbourhood plan for Hoo St Werburgh and Chattenden had been submitted to Medway Council and outlined the process and issues for the Council. The Council was required to publish the plans at ‘Regulation 16’ to gather comments, in advance of arranging an examination and therefore approval was sought to publish the draft plans for representations.

The Plan would form part of the statutory development plan process and sought to promote the sustainable development of the area, improve community well-being and protect and enhance the environment.

The submission draft of the Hoo St Werburgh and Chattenden Neighbourhood Plan was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. A Diversity Impact Assessment in relation to the Plan was attached at Appendix 2.

Reasons:

To meet the legal requirements for the publication of draft Neighbourhood Plans at Regulation 16.

Background:

This report considered the outcomes of the independent examination of the Arches (Chatham) Neighbourhood Plan. It set out the Examiner’s assessment of the submitted plan, and his recommendations, which included some modifications to the plan.

The report explained that the Arches (Chatham) Neighbourhood Area had formally been designated by the Council in August 2019 for the purposes of preparing a Neighbourhood Development Plan. The work had been led by the Arches Chatham Neighbourhood Forum, which had been set up to progress the plan.

Following iterative consultation, the Forum had submitted its draft plan to Medway Council in late 2022. The Council published the draft plan for representations at Regulation 16 in Spring 2023. The plan had then been submitted for examination in Summer 2023.

It was recommended that the Cabinet accept the Examiner’s recommendations and approve sending the plan to referendum.

Reasons:

To enable timely decision making in the Neighbourhood Plan process.

The Leader offered his best wishes to Craig Mackinlay, the MP for South Thanet, as he recovered from sepsis.

In relation to the recent Make a Difference Medway staff awards, the Leader congratulated the winners. In particular, he highlighted Sue Lovik, a receptionist at Gun Wharf who had won the Customer Service award and Chloe Golding from ICT, winner of Employee of the Year, who had provided excellent support to Council meetings.

The Leader wished Medway residents, Cabinet Members, Councillors and Council staff a merry Christmas and happy 2024.