Overview and Scrutiny Panel
Minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2011 at 7.00 pm in Council Chamber, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent.
|
Present:
|
Councillor Mike J Harrison (Chairman); Councillors Bruce, Campbell, Jarvis, Mrs Johnston, King, Mrs Kirby, Lawson, Nottingham, Mrs Roberts, Mrs Rogers, Scobie, Taylor and Watkins
|
166. Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Councillor Brown
167. Declarations of Interest
Councillor Lawson declared a personal interest on Item 6.
168. Minutes of Previous Meeting
The minutes were agreed.
169. Outstanding Issues Action Plan
Porchlight Funding
Councillor Jarvis said that next year’s funding for Porchlight had been secured.
Call-In of Executive decision – Relocation of RNLI Lifeboat Station
Councillor Bruce moved, Councillor Mrs Johnston seconded and Members agreed that a RNLI Lifeboat Station Working Party be set up with at least one Member from Margate Wards.
Members agreed to note the report.
170. Minutes from EKJSC or its sub-committees
Members agreed to receive the minutes.
171. The Coach House - Northdown Park, Margate
Mr Brian White, Director of Regeneration introduced the report. He said that a number of visits by officers had been undertaken to the Coach House to check on the progress of the refurbishment work. The most recent inspection had been carried out weeks before Easter and it was confirmed that the property was now in good repair and could be opened as a Museum at ground level with a caretaker flat above.
The officer recommended that should the property be not open by Easter Monday, 2011, the tenant be given an additional 28 days before formal action to commence repossession is instituted.
Members considered that the tenant had been given ample time to complete the refurbishment works for the Coach House to be opened as a museum by Easter 2011 and that Cabinet had adopted the Overview and Scrutiny Panel recommendations on the matter. They said that the tenant knew what was expected of him and that because the museum had not been opened as per the Cabinet decision then Council ought to take action.
Councillor Bruce moved, Councillor Jarvis seconded and the recommendation was adopted that Members of the Panel reject the officer recommendation and request Cabinet to commence the proceedings for terminating the lease agreement.
Members requested that this recommendation be considered by Cabinet on 28 April 2011.
172. Operation Cleansweep
Mr Mark Richardson, Enforcement Services Manager introduced the report. He said that a number of agencies contributed to the Operation Cleansweep. The operation had been a success. Thanet District Council had been nominated for a National Public Protection Award. This could be attributed to such initiatives as the Cleansweep.
Members requested that such an operation be extended to other parts of the District. Mr Richardson said that Members would be involved in future Cleansweep operations and that there now was a single six-member team dedicated to enforcement duties that included enforcing landlords to tidy-up their properties and dog-fouling.
Members expressed their appreciation to Council staff for the standard of work and support to the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel during 2010/11.
Members agreed to note the report.
173. Community Safety Plan 2011/12
Mr Mark Richardson said that the Plan looked to reduce crime in Thanet by 2%. It was a statutory that Council produces the Community Safety Plan and consults the Overview and Scrutiny Panel.
Mr Mark Richardson said that Partners and Community Together (PACT) Teams would be merged and only the best PACT Teams would continue to operate. He said that there were some legislative changes coming through regarding community safety issues. Such changes would in some way affect the way Council manages community safety matters. Mr Harvey Patterson said as a result of these emerging legislative changes, there may be a need to identify and re-allocate corporate resources to effectively manage the community safety agenda for the Thanet District.
Members agreed that the Thanet Community Safety Plan 2011-12 be endorsed as a worthwhile plan to take forward by responsible officers from Enforcement Services and Kent Police in 2011-12.
174. Review of Overview and Scrutiny Panel Work Programme 2010/11
The report was noted.
175. Overview and Scrutiny Panel Annual Report 2010/11
Members agreed that the Working Party annual written reports presented at the annual briefing sessions be made annexes to the OSP Annual report to Council.
Members agreed that this report form the basis of the OSP Annual Report to be presented to Annual Council on 19 May 2011.
176. Forward Plan
The Forward Plan report was noted.
177. Exclusion of public and press
Councillor King moved and Councillor Mrs Johnston seconded the proposal that the officer recommendation to exclude Press and Public be disregarded.
Mr Harvey Patterson, Corporate and Regulatory Services Manager said that the report was produced and issued to Members in confidence as it contained some confidential correspondence between the relevant Cabinet Member and Councillor King. Members’ views on this subject were divided.
Councillor Mrs Johnston moved, Councillor Campbell seconded and Members agreed that the item be withdrawn.
178. Office Accommodation, Eurokent
The item was withdrawn.
Meeting concluded : 8.35 pm