Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies received at the meeting.

To receive any declarations of interest.  Members are advised to consider the extract from the Standard Board Code of Conduct for Members, which forms part of the Declaration of Interest Form at the back of this Agenda.  If a Member declares an interest, they should complete that Form and hand it to the Officer clerking the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the summary of recommendations and decisions of the Ordinary and Extra Ordinary Cabinet meetings held on 29 March 2012 and 5 April 2012 respectively, copies attached.

The minutes of the previous meetings were agreed and signed by the Chairman.

In October 2011 Infratil, the owners of Manston Airport consulted the Council on their proposed night time flying policy. Thanet District Council then conducted a public consultation between 3 February 2012 and 2 March 2012. The draft response of Thanet District Council on the proposed night time flying policy was produced and had now been considered and amended by the Airport Working Party, Overview and Scrutiny Panel and Cabinet. Full Council would be making the final decision on the response to forward to Infratil.

Councillor Bayford spoke under Council Procedure Rule 24.1.

Councillor C. Hart moved, Council Everitt seconded and Members agreed the following:

1.  That Cabinet recommends the report to Full Council;

2.  That the Cabinet confirms that Thanet District Council fully supports the day-time operation of Manston Airport but further recommends that as a Consultee; Thanet District Council cannot support the introduction of scheduled night-time flying operations between 23:00 hours and 07:00 hours for the following reasons:-

a.  The Council's consultation shows 73% of respondents are opposed to night-time flying;

a.  Noise and environmental impacts are underestimated;

b.  The number of jobs generated and the economic benefits maybe overestimated;

c.  The probable detrimental impact of night-time flying on Thanet’s recovering Tourism Industry;

d.  Concerns raised in the World Health Organisation’s assessment of the impacts of disturbed sleep;

f.  There is concern that the Night Time Flying proposals have not considered Article 8 of the Human Rights Act;

g.  The Airport would need to address whether the proposed Night-time Flying Policy constitutes a 'plan or project' for the purposes of the Habitats Regulations and then follow the further requirements of those Regulations as relevant.

Councillor Poole moved, Councillor Fenner seconded and Members agreed that Cabinet adopt the Interim Asset Disposal Plan as attached in Annex 1 of the report.

The new proposals were to discontinue the unique provision of blue recycling bags to approximately 4,500 properties in Central Margate and West Cliftonville for collection of mixed recycling paper, card, plastic bottles, cans and aluminium foil. This would be replaced by the same paper and card service that the remaining 7,700 properties in the district that are not currently on the wheeled bin system have.

Councillor Moores spoke under Council Procedure Rule 24.1.

Councillor Poole moved, Councillor C. Hart seconded and Members agreed the following:

1.  The discontinuation of the blue bag scheme, to be replaced with a separate paper collection scheme (identical to the scheme operating in other areas for properties on black sack collection) by 1 June 2012;

2.  The provision of black boxes to people participating in the replacement paper/ card scheme if they specifically request this.

The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) would set out how Thanet District Council will engage with the community in the new district planning process. The Draft SCI went out for public consultation between 13 February 2012 and 26 March 2012 using the online consultation system. Three hundred and fifty letters and three hundred and fifty four emails had been sent out to people who had registered or asked to be kept informed by the Council. A total of twenty one comments were received.

Councillor Johnston moved, Councillor Fenner seconded and Members agreed the amended SCI and that the final version be presented to full Council for adoption.

Thanet District Council had made a successful bid for £535,000 of Homes and Communities Agency grant funding that would be used to bring 30 empty homes back into use as affordable housing. The grant would be used in conjunction with the funding from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account.

Councillor Johnston moved, Councillor Everitt seconded and Members agreed the following:

1.  Endorsed bringing back 30 units of accommodation into use as affordable housing, utilising the £535,000 HCA grant funding and the £1,386,000 of HRA reserves;

2.  The purchase of the empty properties and project management of the works undertaken to bring them back into use will be delegated to officers.

The Government’s planning system required that a Local Development Scheme be produced and maintained setting out the Council’s programme for preparing the documents that will make up the Local Planning Policy for the district. The Scheme has to be regularly revised following the Government guidance.

Councillor Bayford and Councillor Moores spoke under Council Procedure Rule 24.1.

Councillor Johnston moved, Councillor C. Hart seconded and Members agreed to bring the revised Local Development Scheme into effect on 10 May 2012 (or if necessary as soon as possible thereafter).

Report to follow

On 8 December 2011, Full Council received a question from a member of the public in relation to unconfirmed proposals for transferring trauma services from QEQM Hospital in Margate to Ashford. Some discussions had occurred between Thanet District Council’s Cabinet representative and Mr Stuart Bain, Chief Executive of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. Further investigations of the issue would need to be carried out by the Council.

Councillor Johnston moved, Councillor Fenner seconded and Members agreed the following:

1.  To note the report;

2.  To support the ongoing dialogue with the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and local campaigners;

3.  Requested the Overview & Scrutiny Panel to add this matter to its Work Plan with a view to informing itself, drafting a consultation response and reporting back to Cabinet.

This item was withdrawn.

Report to follow

This item was withdrawn because the Development Agreement had not been completed for Members’ consideration.