Cabinet - Thursday 23 November 2023, 6:30pm - Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Webcasting

Cabinet
Thursday, 23rd November 2023 at 6:30pm 

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Seat 3 - 0:00:00
sorry, good evening my name is Councillor Bentley shuffler and I'm the leader of Thomas Rose Borough Council, I will be cheering this meeting of Cabinet on Thursday, the 23 of November 2023, and I'd like to welcome everybody.
before we start, please could you give your full attention to the following safety and broadcasting announcements, thank you Chair good evening in the event of the fire alarm ringing continuously, you must immediately evacuate the building at walking, pace officers with a sculpture via the most direct available route this is a public meeting and proceedings are being webcast live online a recording we will also be available for playback on the Council's website shortly afterwards.
you should all be aware that any third party is able to record or film the Council meetings unless exempt or confidential information is being considered. The Council will not accept liability for any third party. Recordings is very important that the outcomes of the meeting are clear at the end of each agenda item, the Chair will ask whether the matter was agreed in the absence of a clear majority, or if the Chair decides a full vote is desirable. No vote will be taken by a show of hands. Members should raise their hand to indicate their vote when caught and keep their hand up until the count has been announced.
members requesting a recorded vote must do so before the vote is taken, etc
thank you, Caroline, for the benefit of the recording the following members of Cabinet, a presence Councillor Christopher Hall, Councillor Alan Lovell, Councillor Hugo pound Councillor Justin Rutland, Councillor Jane Sharratt, Councillor Pamela Wilkinson, Councillor Nancy Waun and Councillor Ben Chappel are also present are the following members of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council staff, William Benson, Lee Collier, Paul Taylor, Claudette Van Moore, Jane Feynman and Caroline Britton,
for the benefit of any members of the public who may be watching. I would like to explain a few things. Each report on the agenda today has previously been considered by relevant Cabinet Advisory Board, and the views expressed by the Cabinet Advisory Board have been taken into consideration. Members of a Cabinet have had their agendas for over a week and we've had had the opportunity to study the papers and ask if any factual questions of the council staff ahead of the meeting when each agenda item is being considered. The cabinet member responsible for the item will provide an overview of the report. Members of staff who have written the report will be available to answer any questions will then move into a cabinet discussion, and I will first ask for questions before opening the debate. At the end of the debate, I will ask Cabinet Members to confirm they have fully understood the matter and are content that any proposals and all actions have been fully captured.
when we will then proceed to the recommendations and vote.
so we'll move on to Item number 1, which is?

1 Leaders Introduction and Announcements

announcements from Cabinet does anybody wish to make an announcement?
no, none at all all I'd like to say it's one month and two days until Christmas, just just say.

2 Apologies

apologies for absence.

3 Declarations of Interest

we have known declarations of interest, as any members of cabinet have any declarations of interest to make in relation to the items on the agenda.
no, we have known we're going to move on to.

4 Notification of Visiting Members wishing to speak

the notifications are visiting persons registered to speak.
we have known.

5 Minutes of the meeting dated 26 October 2023

so I will move on to agenda 5, which are minutes of a meeting dated the 26th of October, the matter for public record rather than discussion, does anybody have any amendments to make to the minutes of our last Cabinet meeting, no, we have no, so are we agreed?
thank you very much.

6 Questions from Members of the Council

question number 6 questions from Members of the Council, we have none.

7 Questions from Members of the Public

8 Consideration of the Forward Plan as at 1 November 2023

moving on to agenda number 7, which are questions from members of the public, we also have none, and then we're going to move on to item 8, which has considered consideration of the Forward Plan, as, at the 1st of November 2023 at doom, any Members have any comments Councillor Hugo Pound, thank you very much Ben just to confirm for the public record that the levelling up and regeneration Bill reforms on the national planning policy.
the Council's response has been sent and that item will be removed from the Forward Plan in its next iteration, similarly, the public consultation on the draft High Weald and A and B Management Plan for 2024 to 2029 has now been sent, so that can be removed representations on the Regulation 16 consultation on the draft and capable Neighbourhood Plan has been returned to them, with our comments and the empty homes policy, 2023 to 2028 was endorsed and enacted by cabinet at its last meeting so they will be removed in the next iteration, thank you.
thank you, does anybody else wish to make any other comments on the forward plan, so we're happy to note the Forward Plan where few goes.
all iterations, thank you agreed.

thank you very much OK, item number 9, we're going to slow down a bit now.

9 Fees and Charges Setting 2024/25

is fees and charges setting for 2024 and 2025, and I'm going to ask Councillor Chris Hall, Cabinet Member for Finance and performance to introduce the item police. Chris thanks very much Ben yes, the the Fees and charges report that you have before you and is prepared several months in advance of its presentation to Cabinet and the finance and governance Cabinet Advisory Board, which recently met and where it was unanimously supported on the evening and in preparing the report, I've consulted with portfolio holders who have reviewed them with their heads of service, and I am satisfied that the fees have been set fairly and in consultation with officers and colleagues to calibrate appropriate levels of fees for the forthcoming budget. 24 25
in doing so, we've we've tried to ensure that the fees are sustainable, but they take into account affordability and market conditions, and also that they take into account the impact of inflation that has been running very recently and for much of the over 6%, so we need to make sure ultimately that we in,
in raising these fees and charges, we meet that challenge the impact that inflation is having on the costs of our services, so in it overall you'll hear from Jane in a moment about the report the average rate of increase of 6.3%.
I think is necessary to keep up with the the rate of inflation and the cost of delivering services, just to reminder the backdrop to this is.
balancing the budget for 2024 to 25, where we still have a budget gap to fill of 489,000.
to potentially fund from reserves of note this year, and perhaps I should mention is that we are not raising parking charges, except for some small amendments that you will find in the in the report, the reason is to ensure that we monitor the impacts and how they've bedded in since we raised them in the in-year budget review.
last year, and that takes a full year really to assess the to assess the impact before considering potentially right increasing them again, so I now like to hand over to Genk to introduce the report, thank you.
thank you.
this report proposes the fees and charges for 24 25 and delivers a budgeted income of nearly 7 million pounds the medium term financial strategy usually assumes an increase of 3%, but this year we have needed to pass on some of the inflationary pressures being brought to bear on the council's cost base as Councillor Hall has already explained, whilst inflation is running at around 6.7% the budgeted income is proposed to increase by 6.3.
there are a few points to which I would like to draw your attention in 2015 government granted HTM Land Registry, the sole power to issue local land searches.
the Council was notified that this power would actually be transferred in 23 24, but a date is yet to be set once this happens, local authorities will lose the 15 pounds income per LLC, one search which is a total of 19,000 pounds of income for TW B C but will still be required to maintain the Local Land Register.
it can be seen that the prices for escaping session remain the same as for 23 24, but that the income has increased by 20% that's far, the rounding.
following various legal challenges, HTML C has agreed to allow all local authorities to treat their suppliers of leisure services as non business for VAT purposes, this enables the Council to keep the 20% VAT rather than paying it over to HMR C.
following the acquisition of the lease for the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre, the Council would like to offer annual, full and part time season tickets, in line with all of the other multi-storey car parks in the town.
these will be available for parking on floor 8 and above, and it is also proposed to offer a 20% discount on the season ticket prices to all staff working in the retail units leased from the Council.
planning application fees are set nationally, but there is currently legislation before Parliament which intends to increase major application fees by 35% and all other applications by 25% from the 1st of April 2024, these increases have been included in the budget but the volumes have been reduced, bringing the total planning income increase to only 11%. This is because a pause in the progression of the Local Plan has reduced the number of applications likely to be received in the year.
yesterday, however, in the budget government extended this for local authorities to be able to charge fees to cover the cost of major planning applications, so I would like to propose a new recommendation for the fees and charges report that allows the section 1 5 1 officer in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member, the delegated authority to determine an appropriate mechanism for recovering that forecast of those major planning applications when that's approved and finally there is a section in the report which shows our continued progress towards digitisation and electronic payments.
supported by our constant efforts to develop our systems. This work is helping to provide best value to the customer when delivering our Council services. Thank you
thank you, Jane, does anybody have any questions for join at this time?
Nancy Ward, Councillor Pritchard, Councillor Wheeler, thank you then.
on that last point Jane I wonder if you you might describe what an appropriate mechanism might look like for recovering the cost if you know it at all
we do need to have a look at it.
we need to try and split the costs of the major planning applications from the minor ones, and then we've got to try and find some way of allocating the overheads to it.
at the moment, it's very new news, we haven't really had very much time to think about it, if, if I'm really honest, so I I I don't want to make any suggestions now, but we will bring some suggestions to you as soon as we've had time to get the detail of what government is is suggesting and we've had some time to put some proposals together and then thank you.
does anybody else have any questions on the fees and charges, does anybody wish to open the debate?
Councillor Hugo Palmer.
thank you, and just to reiterate what Chris Hall has said, I too think that overall, that increase in fees and charges for 6.3% is correct.
and is necessary for us to be able to run the services that most of our residents and businesses expect to us.
that one area that I think we need to focus upon in the coming year, and some work has already been done on it, with the director of changing communities, is about ensuring that everybody in this borough has an opportunity to access sport, wellbeing, leisure and other opportunities. We do have a go card which is very poorly utilised across the borough and we need to raise it, raise people's awareness of of the potential that they have to access it. It is available to all of those who are on benefits and all students, 16 plus who are in full-time education, and I note within the report this evening that there are some recognition of reductions in prices on particular actions, but more needs to be done and I think that that will occur in the coming year
widening sport participation is one of the things I really want us to do in the new Corporate Plan under fifth priority, which is our community wellbeing and say Yes, I'd echo that.
Ellen Joanna Currie.
thank you Chair. Yes, I would just like to make a Con comment about the cremation and burial fees, and because that may cause some concern or about excluding certain people within the borough and as we've already discussed, the increase reflects the inflationary pressure on costs that the Council is facing. However, we are very mindful that the time when people need the services of our crematorium or symmetry is really a very difficult time for them, and we have no desire to add to that. This year our staff have worked hard to introduce options for people to consider when planning cremation service, which helps to keep costs down, if desired, yet retain choices from a wide range of products for memorials and continue to access our compassionate services as an alternative for those on low incomes. We have added a new option for a direct cremation time which has received between 8 30 am and 9 15 am, which is the cheaper option than anything we offer at the moment at 530 pounds. Therefore, we can continue to deliver final services to a resident with the greatest care attention, and tend to support for their loved ones, at a time when they most need it. Thank you.
thank you, Allah does anybody else wish to comment on the fees and charges before we move to the recommendations, so Jane can you give us see a wording for a third recommendation on that please?
dot
sorry sorry, a recommendation that allows the section 1 5 1 officer, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member, the delegated authority, to determine an appropriate mechanism for recovering the full cost of major planning applications.
thank you.
so.
allows the section 1 5 1 officer, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member, the delegated authority
to determine.
an appropriate mechanism.
for recovering.
the full cost.
of major planning applications.
coming, thank you.
just for consistency of approach, it will begin delegated authority to the section 1 5 1 Officer, in consultation with
whatever it is a third, and then it continues on, because that is how the movement so delegated authority to the section 1 5 1 Officer, in consultation with
we're just getting the wording correct for anybody who is listening online for this new.
recommendation, given the chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement yesterday.
Chloe, do you want to?
right so we'll proceed to the recommendation, so there are three recommendations to in the agenda papers then we're going to add a third one recommendation. One reads that Cabinet agrees the fees and charges set out within this report and the attend attached appendices and delegated authority to the Section 1 5 1 Officer to make any necessary amendments recommendation to the Cabinet agrees. The timings for the price increases to be implemented on the 1st of April 2024 or as otherwise indicated in the report and recommendation 3 allows delegated authority to the Section 1 5 1 Officer, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member, to determine an appropriate mechanism for recovering the full cost of major planning applications. I got that, thank you all we agreed

10 Urgent Business

11 Date of Next Meeting

thank you very much, we're gonna move on to Item 10, which is urgent business, and we have known then item 11, which is the date of the next meeting, which will be Thursday, the 7th of December 2023 at 6.30, which will be our Christmas marathon, special where loads of items to make up with a light agenda for tonight.
so it's 18 51 and the meeting is now closed.