Agenda item

Question A – John Baker, of Gillingham, submitted the following to the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Strategic Regeneration, Councillor Curry:

“While the draft Local Plan acknowledges the need to consider Article 4 Directions, it offers no firm commitment or timeline. With other local authorities actively adopting Article 4 protections, there is now a growing risk that developers will increasingly target areas like Medway where those safeguards are absent. This could result in the loss of family homes, disruption to community cohesion, and irreversible changes to residential neighbourhoods.

Will the Cabinet therefore urgently commit to accelerating the Article 4 Direction process as a standalone priority, rather than deferring it to the broader Local Plan timeline?”

In response, Councillor Curry said that Article 4 directions in relation to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) had generally been brought forward in university towns and related to specific areas within those towns/cities within close proximity to the universities.

There had recently been an increase in the number of HMOs within Medway and urban areas. This was a specific reaction to the housing crisis that the country and the south east was facing due to the availability and cost of either buying or renting a property. HMOs had an important role to play in the housing market and many provided a good standard of affordable accommodation for key workers and young professionals, which was much needed in Medway and other areas. This needed to be balanced against the protection of family homes provision.

The existing and emerging Local Plans had policies to guide when HMOs would be acceptable. In addition, HMOs of five tenants which formed two or more households and used shared facilities required mandatory licensing under the Housing Act 2004. This function was undertaken by the Private Sector Housing Team. Following an initial tenure intelligence activity, a feasibility study had been completed earlier in 2025 to review the viability and capacity to introduce additional licensing. Additional licensing was a discretionary scheme that a local authority could introduce following due council process and formal public consultation. Additional licensing provided local authorities extra powers under the Housing Act 2004 to designate areas within their district as subject to additional licensing, which allowed for regulation of smaller HMOs. Additional Licensing required landlords within a designated area, where three or more persons from two or more households shared basic amenities to have a licence.

In relation to planning, it was accepted that properties over a certain age could be converted to HMOs for no more than six people, living independently but sharing facilities like bathrooms, kitchens and living areas, without requiring planning permission. Some authorities were now doing work to support bringing in an Article 4 direction in part of their areas. A general Article 4 direction covering the whole of a Local Authority area could not be justified and would not get through the Article 4 approval process.

The process for Article 4 directions was clearly set out in legislation and national planning guidance and must be based on evidence and justification and consultation with affected property owners and the public. It was recognised that such directions could be used to maintain control over developments that could impact the character and quality of neighbourhoods.

Councillor Curry committed to producing the necessary evidence which would be needed to support and justify Article 4 directions in parts of Medway and for this activity to run alongside work on the Local Plan.

No supplementary question was asked as John Baker was not present and the question had been asked on his behalf.

Question B - William Burvill, of Strood, asked the Leader of the Council, Councillor Maple, the following:

“Can the Medway Labour leader clarify whether, like the Labour Party at conference, they believe the 88,997 residents here in Medway who voted Leave are racists, fascists, bigots, or people who hate their own country?”

In response, Councillor Maple said that the answer to the question was ‘no’ as the statement contained in the question was not correct. He gave examples of Reform UK  Councillors whom he considered held such views; Mark Broadhurst, Daniel Taylor, Jaymey McCiver and Christopher Hesp.

William Burvill did not ask a supplementary question.

Question C – Alan Wells, of Chatham, asked the Leader of the Council, Councillor Maple, the following:

“In this 80th year since the formation of the United Nations, I am asking this question on behalf of Medway United Nations Association.

While the United Nations (UN) doesn't directly influence a Local Plan's content, local councils are encouraged to align their plans with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as local governments are considered best-placed to link global goals to local communities.

All of the SDGs have targets that are directly or indirectly related to the daily work of local and regional governments. Local governments are policy makers, catalysts of change and the level of government best-placed to link the global goals with local communities.

I would, therefore like to ask the following:-

What impact or influence has the UN's SDGs had on the decisions the Council has made in aligning its policies and priorities for localising the 17 global goals, particularly in areas like climate action and social deprivation?”

In response, Councillor Maple said he was proud that the United Nations flag would be flown at Gun Wharf on the Friday in the week following the Council meeting. SDGs were critically important and influenced policy in relation to the Local Plan and other matters.

Councillor Maple highlighted a few examples.

In relation to Climate Change, Medway’s Climate Change Action Plan (2025–2028), set out the ambition of net zero by 2050 and lay out a set of priority themes (Knowledge and empowerment; Clean, efficient and equitable energy; Sustainable travel and transport; Resource efficiency and Green and resilient Medway). This Strategy also explicitly linked to the regional Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy which addressed broader regional action on emissions, air quality and fuel poverty.

The Medway Local Plan included explicit references to “meeting the challenge of climate change,” promoting sustainable design and transport, and ensuring new development would be resilient to future climate pressures. The plan also included water efficiency and sustainable drainage strategies, acknowledging the pressures of climate change on water supply, and treated climate change as a key vulnerability, especially for flood risk, sea level rise, drought and shifting rainfall patterns.  

Medway had declared its ambition to become a Marmot place in April 2025. This status recognised that health and health inequalities were mostly shaped by the social determinants of health and the place element took action to improve health and reduce health inequalities. The aim was to halve health inequalities in Medway over the next ten years, working on the eight Marmot principles, which were complementary of the 17 UN's SDG goals.

Alan Wells did not ask a supplementary question.