Agenda and draft minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Cook (Canterbury City Council) who had been invited to the meeting as an observer in advance of the City Council joining the Partnership from 1 April.

To approve the record of the meeting held on  7 December 2017.

The record of the meeting held on 7 December 2017 was agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members are invited to declare any interests in relation to any agenda item in accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by their Authority

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other interests

There were none.

There were none.

The report updates the Joint Committee on the work that has been carried out to successfully incorporate Canterbury City Council building control section as a fourth member of the Partnership.

Discussion:

Members considered a report which updated the Joint Committee on the work carried out so far to successfully incorporate Canterbury City Council as a fourth member of the Partnership.

Members were pleased to learn that negotiations had progressed successfully and Canterbury City Council were due to join the Partnership from 1 April. The Director of the Partnership undertook to convey Members’ thanks to everyone involved for their hard work. The Committee was advised that staff from Canterbury Council were supportive of the change and also the new digital way of working. The Director added that the Partnership was now well placed to deliver the service to other parts of the county.

In response to a question, the Director confirmed that the Business Plan included a target to hold a conference aimed at senior decision makers at adjoining authorities to demonstrate the benefits of the Partnership. This would take place around September and staff who had joined the Partnership from Canterbury City Council would be able to share their experience of the Partnership.

Decision:

Members noted the contents of the report.

Reasons for Decision:       

The Constitution requires the Joint Committee to monitor the progress of the

Partnership.

This report summarises the content of agenda item 7, which, in the opinion of the proper officer, contains exempt information within one of the categories in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. It is a matter for the Committee to determine whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the document. 

The press and public were excluded from the meeting during consideration of

the exempt material relating to agenda item 7 because consideration

of these matters in public would disclose information falling within Paragraph

3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as

specified in agenda item 6, and, in all the circumstances of the case, the Joint

Committee considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption

outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

The report updates the Joint Committee on the current forecast for the 2017/2018 financial year and gives details against the progress of the objectives of the Business Plan 2017/2018.

Discussion:

Members considered an update report on the current forecast for the 2017/2018 financial year which also gave details against the progress of the objectives of the Business Plan 2017/2018.

The Director advised that, in light of his planned retirement in December, he would review the job profile and job description of the role and bring these to the AGM. In response to a query whether enough time was available to complete the selection process by December, the Director assured Members that he would work with HR to ensure there was sufficient time, including a handover period.

Following a question, the Director confirmed that he was confident that a balanced budget would be returned at the end of the financial year.

Decision:

Members noted the contents of the report.

Reasons for Decision:

The Constitution requires the Joint Committee to monitor the progress of the

Partnership.