Agenda and draft minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Filmer.

The Monitoring Officer had provided Members with detailed advice regarding the issue of Members’ interests and had agreed a number of dispensations to all Members of the Council to participate, debate and vote on the budget reports, where a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DPI) or an Other Significant Interest (OSI) arose from the circumstances set out in paragraph 4 of his written advice.

Councillor Spalding declared a DPI in relation to agenda item nos. 7 (Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2025/2026) and 9 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2025/26). This was with regards Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. Councillor Spalding left the room during discussion and determination of item no.7. He remained in the room during discussion of item 9 but did not participate in determination of these items.

The following Members declared interests in agenda item No.9 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2025/26) as they owned more than one property in Medway, either personally or through business / charitable interests. These Members had been granted a dispensation by the Monitoring Officer: Councillors Brake, Browne, Coombs, Gulvin, Hackwell, Hamandishe, Nestorov, Nestorova, Tejan and Mrs Turpin.

The following Members declared interests in agenda item No.9 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2025/26) as governors / having positions of management control within schools / academy trusts in Medway. These Members had been granted a dispensation by the Monitoring Officer: Councillors Cook, Field, Joy, Lawrence, McDonald, Nestorov, Peake and Perfect.

The following Members declared interests in agenda item No.7 (Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2025 / 2026) as they were in receipt of council tax reduction / exemption. These Members had been granted a dispensation by the Monitoring Officer: Councillors Crozer and Price.

The following Members declared interests in agenda item No.9 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2025/26) due to their positions as trustees of charities in Medway. These Members had been granted a dispensation by the Monitoring Officer: Councillors Brake, Hackwell, Maple, Paterson, Price and Mandaracas.

Councillor Crozer declared an OSI in Agenda item No.9 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2025/26) as he was the Chair of AMAT UK and advised that he had been granted a dispensation by the Monitoring Officer.

Councillor Gilbourne declared an OSI in Agenda item No.9 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2025/26) as he and his wife were allotment holders at Chapel Lane allotments and advised that he had been granted a dispensation by the Monitoring Officer.

Councillor Mandaracas declared an interest in relation to agenda item No.9 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2025/26) as she is a Council tenant. A dispensation had been granted by the Monitoring Officer.

Other interests

Councillor Van Dyke declared an interest in relation to agenda item No.11 (Pay Policy Statement 2025 / 2026) as she was in receipt of a pension from the Unison trade union.

To approve the record of the meeting held on 23 January 2025.

The record of the Full Council meeting held on 23 January 2025 was approved and signed by Worshipful the Mayor as correct.

The Worshipful The Mayor of Medway welcomed the three new Councillors, David Finch, Liubov Nestorova and John Vye to their first Council meeting, since having been elected earlier in February 2025.

The Mayor said that it was now three years since the war in Ukraine had begun. Medway had welcomed nearly 800 Ukrainians who had fled the war, offering them safety and support under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The Mayor reminded Members of the Annual Mayor’s Ball, which would take place on 11 April 2025. Tickets were available from his office.

The Mayor proposed to suspend Council Rule 11.1.1 in respect of time limits on speeches in relation to agenda item 9 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2025/26 to allow one Member from each Group to speak for an unlimited time. The normal time limits would then apply. This was agreed.

The Leader welcomed the three new Councillors to Medway and gave a message of solidarity that Medway stood with Ukraine.

The Leader provided an update on devolution and Local Government Reorganisation. It had been disappointing that Medway and the 13 other areas had not been successful in their request to join the Devolution Priority Programme. He congratulated neighbouring Essex and Sussex which had had their applications accepted. Council Members and officers were thanked for their work on Medway’s submission which the Leader considered to have been excellent.

Local authorities had been invited by the Government to consider participating in local government reorganisation. The first key milestone was 21 March 2025 which was deadline for an initial declaration to be submitted. A more detailed submission would be due by 28 November 2025.

A report would be submitted to the Cabinet meeting on 11 March 2025 to provide an update on local government reorganisation and devolution, setting out the next steps for developing plans for local government reorganisation in Kent and Medway. A special meeting of Full Council would be held ahead of the 28 November deadline.

To receive the response of the Conservative Group to nominate candidates for Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the 2025 / 2026 municipal year in accordance with Council Rule 20.3.

It was noted that the Conservative Group had accepted the right to nominate a candidate for the Mayoralty in 2025/2026. Councillor Clarke was nominated as the candidate to be the Mayor for 2025/2026 and Councillor Spring as the candidate to be the Deputy Mayor.

This report sets out the proposed changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) and asks the Council to approve the CTRS for the 2025 / 2026 financial year.

Background:

This report set out the proposed changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS), which reflected income bands being uprated for Consumer Price Inflation, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report. The Council was asked to approve the changes for the 2025/26 financial year.

The report also referred to the permanent discretionary policy for care leavers which sat outside of the Council tax Reduction scheme and formed a significant part of the Council’s Local Offer to care leavers.

A Diversity Impact Assessment (DIA) had been completed for the proposed Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2025/26 and was attached at Appendix 2 to the report.

The report had been considered by the Cabinet on 11 February 2025, details of which were set out in section 6 of the report.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Maple, supported by the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Murray, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Decisions:

a)    The Council noted the decisions of the Cabinet, as set out at section 6 of the report.

b)    The Council agreed to adopt the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) 2025/26, reflecting income bands uprated for CPI, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

c)    The Council noted the impact of the Care Leavers Discretionary Council Tax Policy agreed in February 2023.

This report presents the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for the 2025 / 2026 financial year. The Treasury Management Strategy incorporates within it the Treasury Management Policy Statement, Annual Investment Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy.

Background:

This report presented the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for the 2025/26 financial year. The Treasury Management Strategy incorporated within it the Treasury Management Policy Statement, Annual Investment Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy.

The Strategy had been prepared in line with CIPFA’s Local Authority Treasury Management Code and set out the Council’s borrowing requirement and strategy in respect of investments. It also provided details of the Council’s current portfolio position and set out the prudential and treasury indicators that would be used to monitor and measure treasury performance.

The report had previously been considered by the Audit Committee on 28 January 2025 and by the Cabinet on 11 February 2025, the comments and decisions of which were set out in sections 5 and 6 of the report.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken on the Treasury Management Strategy, as set out in Appendix B to the report.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Maple, supported by Councillor Browne, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Decisions:

a)    The Council noted the comments of the Audit Committee, as set out in section 5 of the report and the decisions of the Cabinet, as set out in section 6 of the report.

b)    The Council approved the Treasury Management Strategy 2024/25, as set out in Appendix A to the report.

This report sets out Cabinet’s proposals for the Capital and Revenue budget for 2025 / 2026. Council is required to approve the Capital and Revenue Budget, rent increases and the Council Tax for 2025/26.

Background:

The Mayor advised that Members of the Council who had two or more months of council tax arrears would not be permitted to vote on the Council budget.

This report set out Cabinet’s proposals for the Capital and Revenue Budget for 2025/26. In accordance with the Constitution, Council was required to approve the Capital and Revenue Budget, rent increases and Council Tax for 2025/26. 

The Cabinet had considered initial budget proposals on 19 November 2024. On 18 December 2024 the Government published the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement. Details of the funding announcements and their impact on Medway Council’s budget were set out in a report considered by the Cabinet on 14 January 2025.

The majority of allocations for Medway for 2024/25 had been confirmed as per those in the Provisional Settlement, so the extent to which the announcements impacted Medway’s Budget was minimal. This had been set out in an Addendum Report to the Proposed Budget presented to Cabinet on 11 February 2025.

It was noted that the Cabinet had determined not to support the recommendation made by the Employment Matters Committee on 29 January 2025 that the offer of a leisure membership discount be made to Medway Councillors.

In accordance with the budget and policy framework rules within the Constitution, the Overview and Scrutiny Committees had then considered the Cabinet’s proposals prior to Cabinet’s consideration of the draft budget on 11 February 2025.

It was noted that an overarching Diversity Impact Assessment, as set out in Appendix 11 to the report, summarised the results of Diversity Impact Assessments. These had been completed for each of the services affected by the proposed budget changes.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Maple, supported by the Deputy Leader, Councillor Murray, proposed the recommendations set out in the report, subject to the following alteration:

Revised recommendation 1.2 as follows [change is shown as a bold underline]

“Approve the general fund gross, income and net revenue estimates as summarised in Table 1 of this report in the revised sum of £496.441million, including the following addition to be funded from reserves, (noting that an announcement on Government funding for this purpose is currently awaited):

£50,000 – VE and VJ celebrations.”

Revised recommendation 1.3 as follows:

“Approve the recommendations of the Employment Matters Committee on 29 January 2025 as set out in Section 7 of this report:

a)  a 5% increase for all staff on MedPay terms and conditions, which includes those on MedPay Performance, Progression Pay Scheme as well as those who are on the legacy scheme.

b)  not to increase sleep-in payments.

c)   not to return to National Joint Council pay scales currently, but keep negotiations open on this matter.

d)  an additional ‘wellbeing’ day to be awarded on a colleague’s birthday to be taken on the day or close to the birthday as agreed with line management.

e)  to offer a salary sacrifice Cycle to Work scheme with a scheme partner for an initial term of two years.

f)    to implement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 730.

This report presents the 2025 – 2026 key performance indicator refresh for the One Medway Council Plan (OMCP) 2024 – 2028.

Background:

The report provided the Cabinet with the 2025-26 key performance indicator refresh for the One Medway Council Plan (OMCP) 2024-28.

The OMCP had been agreed at Full Council on 15 May 2024. It set out the Council’s priorities over the next four years and included the indicators used to track performance. These indicators were refreshed annually.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken and was attached at Appendix 2 to the report.

The report had previously been considered by the Business Support and Digital Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 30 January 2025 and by the Cabinet on 11 February 2025 and the comments of the Committee and decisions of the Cabinet were set out at sections 5 and 6 of the report respectively.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Maple, supported by the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Strategic Regeneration, Councillor Curry, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Decisions:

a)    The Council noted the outcome and comments of the Business Support and Digital Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as set out in section 5 of the report and the decisions of the Cabinet, as set out in section 6 of the report.

b)    The Council agreed the proposed changes to the key performance indicators that would be used to track performance of the One Medway Council Plan in 2025-26, as set out in Appendix 1 and section 3.7 to the report.

c)    The Council agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to agree new key performance indicators and interim targets where applicable, as set out in paragraph 3.8 of the report.

This report sets out the Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2025 / 2026 in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 for approval, following initial consideration by the Employment Matters Committee on 29 January 2025.

Background:

This report provided details of the Pay Policy Statement (PPS) for the financial year 2025/26, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011. It was noted that the PPS must be approved by a resolution of Full Council before it came into force and had to be prepared and approved before 31 March 2025 for the following financial year.

The report had been considered by the Employment Matters Committee on 29  January 2025, details of which were set out in paragraphs 3.8 to 3.10 of the report.

The Chairperson of the Employment Matters Committee, Councillor Mark Prenter, supported by Councillor Bowen, proposed the recommendations, as set out in the report.

Decision:

The Council approved the Pay Policy Statement 2025/2026, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

This report sets out the position regarding the overall allocation of seats on committees following the outcome of the recent by-elections and the subsequent creation of a new political group on the Council.

Background:

This report set out the position regarding the overall allocation of seats on committees following the outcome of the recent by-elections and the subsequent creation of a new political group on the Council.

The result of these changes was that the Labour and Co-operative Group had lost five committee seats and no longer held a majority on all committees. This Group was also no longer entitled to three additional seats on the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee that facilitated a majority on the Committee.

Whilst the Conservative Group’s and Independent Group’s entitlement to committee seats was unchanged there were a couple of minor changes to which committees those seats were on. The Reform UK Group was entitled to four committee seats.

There were seven unallocated seats, none of the political groups nor the three Independent Members were entitled to these seats.

Councillor Peake, supported by Councillor Jones, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Decisions:

a)    The Council noted the review of the allocation of seats on the committees of the Council, as set out in section 4 of the report.

b)    The Council agreed the allocation of seats on the committees of the Council, as set out in Appendix B to the report.

c)    The Council agreed the allocation of seats to the bodies set out in paragraphs 4.7, 4.8.1 and 4.8.2 of the report.

d)    The Council noted that the Chief Executive would use his delegated authority to make changes to committee memberships as a consequence of these changes.