Agenda and draft minutes

Councillors Hills and Meade both made declarations in respect of their roles as Councillors for Kent County Council.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the council held on 28 February 2024 and to authorise the Chair of the Council to sign them as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 February 2024 were submitted, approved and signed by the Chair.

The Chair of the Council gave the following communications:

“As a feminist March is a very important time of the year for me as it included IWD or as I like to call it international Womens Month, it is coincidentally, if you didn’t already know women’s history month as well. I started my month long celebrations by honouring an  invitation sent out by the Mayoress of New Romney. What a great night! Thank you Carly Bryant – Chior master for a brilliant speech and the joy you helped to evoke with our sing-along to Jon Bon Jovi – such fun. I caught the music bug for the rest of the evening and could not stop smiling. As the song says "girls just wanna have fun". A dose of singing is a great prescription for many ailments especially in regards to mental health.

I then went on to Sevenoaks for the second IWN event this time by invitation of the Mayoress of, you've guessed it, Sevenoaks. I thought I knew a lot about the Suffragettes but Jenny Godfrey our speaker is a true enthusiast and die-hard fan. I was absolutely blown away by what these amazing women did locally, within Kent, as well as nationally to get us our right to vote.

I volunteered at the recent Take up Space festival run by Folkestone Women's Forum. and joined in with the amazing, freeing and therapeutic dancing for all ages offered by Moving Memory CIC.

I marvelled at the procession led by the Mayor of Folkestone – Cllr Belinda Walker  that brought in the mother bread baked by a community of women across all demographics. The Cheriton Nepalese community also held their own event to pay homage to the sisters, daughters, mothers, grandmothers and friends of the community and I felt honoured to open an exhibition of beautiful photographs taken by my minister Anita McKenzie. In addition, I returned a week or two later for the Holi celebrations. I went prepared wore white and covered my hair. I was therefore rightfully seen as a blank canvas and spent most of the event being splattered with various vibrants shades of blues, yellows, reds.. One particular child thought pink was a good colour on me and proceeded to pummel my face with it. I got powder in my mouth eyes and ears. I have never looked so colourful in my whole life! Sadly, I had to leave early to have sufficient time to remove all of the beautiful colour before proceeding to the Mayor of Canterbury Spring ball that evening; because unfortunately, although I thought I looked great I don’t think my Holi outfit was suitable attire for a formal ball.

I have attended many events and supported many charities over the months and still have many to come in what will be a jampacked month. This will be the last council meeting that I chair, I had my official photo taken just before I entered and my tenure is now solidified and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 93.

There were no petitions.

1.       From Ms Kate Arnold to Councillor J Martin, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and Otterpool Park

On behalf of all Newington and Peene residents, I would like some clear and concise answers regarding a seriously disruptive issue taking place within 'The Street', Newington, Folkestone. Can the Leader tell us when the 24 hour/day Sewage Tankers will stop driving through Newington Village and why we have had to endure it for 4 months now?

The questions asked, including supplementary questions, and the answers given are set out in Schedule 1, appended to these minutes.

(Questions can be found on www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk from noon 2 days before the meeting, on Modern.gov, under the agenda for this meeting).

Up to 45 minutes is allowed for questions from councillors.

The questions asked, including supplementary questions, and the answers given are set out in Schedule 2, appended to these minutes.

The Leader gave the following announcements:

“Good evening Members, I hope you all had a relaxing, if not wet Easter.

1.       I have been chairing the committee considering the applications for Green Business Grants along with officers, the Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Bio Diversity and Ward Councillors. I have been very impressed with the range and diversity of the applications. The scheme has now closed to new applications and I am delighted to tell the Council that, following the next round of grant panels, all of the Green Business Grants funding will have been allocated. This will have a significant positive impact on the reduction of Carbon produced by businesses in the District.

2.       I have also been chairing the committee considering applications under the Rural Prosperity Fund along with officers and Ward councillors. Again I have been delighted with the range and diversity of the proposals. I realise in this chamber, many members represent urban wards where the majority of our resident live, but, geographically we are a rural District and the prosperity of rural areas must be supported where possible.  I note the involvement of ward members.

3.       The leaders of the four political groups and Independent Councillor Paul Thomas have been meeting regularly as we move towards a committee system. There is a significant update for members planned this month, although no date has been agreed yet.

4.       I am pleased to announce that work will begin this month on our new corporate plan and to support this I will be establishing a Corporate Plan Working Group, which will include all parties. I am also committed to ensuring that all Councillors will have the opportunity to work together and contribute to the strategic direction for the Council through the new plan.

5.       I have attended many meetings regarding Otterpool Park with government agencies, and developers, these discussions have been positive and will continue.

6.       I was delighted to attend my first meeting of BOSCO, our joint initiative with our neighbour across the Channel Boulogne. BOSCO has suffered somewhat in recent years because of Covid etc, there has been a concerted effort on both sides of the Channel to meet once again. We have so much in common with our neighbours, I am delighted that our cross channel relationship has been renewed.

7.       I attended meetings in my role as Armed Forces Champion.

8.       I have been visiting businesses in the District as usual including weavers, healthcare providers, hotels, hospitality and Chartered Surveyors. Business holds some very interesting perspectives on the future of the District. This Council is a friend to good business.

9.       Princes Parade hoarding: I am delighted to announce that the hoarding surrounding the Princes Parade site is being dismantled.

10.     My regular contact with Stagecoach continues. I was delighted to attend the first meeting of the Folkestone Bus Users group along with Councillor Davison, Councillor Blakemore and the Mayor of Folkestone Councillor Walker. A great community response to a community  ...  view the full minutes text for item 97.

The Portfolio Holder updates had been circulated within the agenda pack and noted by Members.

The Labour Group has raised the matter below. This matter was deferred from the previous meeting of the Council held on 28 February 2024.

Council Notes:

This council continuously engages with local cultural organisations to provide opportunity and promote the local district.

The Council continuously supports local projects of a cultural nature through a wide variety of channels.

 Council Believes:

The council produced a Heritage Strategy in 2019, however it was largely to support the local planning process and not to outline a comprehensive plan to support Heritage assets within the local area.

A co-ordinated strategy that brings together all aspects of the district’s Cultural, Heritage and Tourism based assets will only benefit the district.

Council Resolves:

As part of the Corporate Plan refresh being undertaken, to continue ongoing work to produce strategies which are inclusive to Culture, Heritage and Tourism.

To conduct meaningful consultation with members, community organisations, residents and businesses to assist in the production of council strategies which are inclusive of Culture, Heritage and Tourism.

Should a Culture, Heritage and Tourism Strategy be drafted, it be adopted by full council as the overarching authorising body of this council.

Debates on opposition business shall be limited to 30 minutes.  If the time limit is reached or the debate concludes earlier, the leader of the group raising the item shall have a right of reply.

The Council shall:

a)         Note the issue raised and take no further action;

b)         Refer the issue to the cabinet or relevant overview and scrutiny committee, as the case may be for their observations before deciding whether to make a decision on the issue;

c)          Agree to examine the matter as part of a future scrutiny programme;

d)         Adopt the issue raised by opposition business provided that the decision so made is within the policy framework and budget.

Councillor Davison on behalf of the Labour Group presented the opposition business which called for the drafting of a Culture, Heritage and Tourism Strategy.

Proposed by Councillor Davison,

Seconded by Councillor Lockwood; and

RESOLVED:

That Option (b) (refer the issue to Cabinet or the relevant overview and scrutiny committee, as the case may be for their observations before deciding whether to make a decision on the issue) be applied to the business below:

As part of the Corporate Plan refresh being undertaken, to continue ongoing work to produce strategies which are inclusive to Culture, Heritage and Tourism.

To conduct meaningful consultation with members, community organisations, residents and businesses to assist in the production of council strategies which are inclusive of Culture, Heritage and Tourism.

Should a Culture, Heritage and Tourism Strategy be drafted, it be adopted by full council as the overarching authorising body of this council.

(Voting figures: 28 for, 0 against, 0 abstentions).

There are no motions on notice

There were no motions on notice.

This report provides information relating to the voluntary redundancy of employee 14290.

The report provided information relating to the voluntary redundancy of employee 14290.

Proposed by Councillor Prater,

Seconded by Councillor J Martin; and

RESOLVED:

1.     That report A/23/27 be received and noted.

2.          That it be noted that the redundancy and associated costs for employee 14290 were agreed and paid from the Transformation Fund, as set out in the council report A/23/15 included in the 23/24 budget.

(Voting figures: 28 for, 0 against, 0 abstentions).

This report considers the recommendation from the Personnel Committee and presents the pay policy statement for 2024/25 for approval.

The report considered the recommendation from the Personnel Committee and presented the pay policy statement for 2024/25 for approval.

Proposed by Councillor Prater,

Seconded by Councillor J Martin; and

RESOLVED:

1.     That report A/23/28 be received and noted.

2.     That under S38(1) Localism Act 2011 the updated Pay Policy Statement appended to the report for 2024/25 be approved.

(Voting figures: 28 for, 0 against, 0 abstentions).

This report advises on changes to the political balance of Folkestone and Hythe District Council following the by-election at Romney Marsh on 22 February 2024 and election of Councillor Tony Hills.  Under the Folkestone and Hythe District Council Constitution, Part 8.1 ‘Delegation to Officers’, paragraph 3.16, the Head of Paid Service is authorised to make appointments to committees or sub-committees at the request of the relevant political group leader.  This report sets out the appointments made, under these powers, at the request of the political group leaders, since the last Council meeting.

The report advised on changes to the political balance of Folkestone and Hythe District Council following the by-election at Romney Marsh on 22 February 2024 and election of Councillor Tony Hills.  Under the Folkestone and Hythe District Council Constitution, Part 8.1 ‘Delegation to Officers’, paragraph 3.16, the Head of Paid Service is authorised to make appointments to committees or sub-committees at the request of the relevant political group leader.  This report sets out the appointments made, under these powers, at the request of the political group leaders, since the last Council meeting.

Proposed by Councillor J Martin,

Seconded by Councillor Prater; and

RESOLVED:

That report A/23/26 be received and noted.

(Voting figures: 28 for, 0 against, 0 abstentions).