Full Council - Wednesday 4 October 2023, 6:45pm - Start video at 0:10:08 - Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Webcasting

Full Council
Wednesday, 4th October 2023 at 6:45pm 

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  1. Webcast Finished

1 Apologies for absence

Wednesday, before, from October 2023, the procedure announced has made itself the preceding eight-story meeting still apply, this is now a separate meeting to the earlier extraordinary meeting, so for the record agenda item 1 is to receive any apologies for absence, this ordinary meeting Chief Executive.
thank you, Mr. Mayor, I think everyone in the in the room was here when I read out my initial announcement, so I don't think there's any need to to to repeat them, even though technically it's another meeting, it's only for the purposes of people here in the meeting thank you.
apologies for absence.
thank you, Mr. Mayor, we've received apologies for absence from Councillors Hill Holden Opara and Johnson.
thank you.

2 Minutes of the meeting dated 5 July 2023

agenda. Item 2 is to agree the minutes of the meeting held on the 5th of July 2023, which start on page 5 of your agendas. This is for accuracy, checking only, and I remind members that they only record what was said and provide a brief summary of the debates. It has been brought to my attention that there was a small typo where the word answer was typed. Instead of the word question in the minutes reference F C 22, stroke 22, and this will be noted in the minutes. Councillor Popper, you have the second. I second the motion
does any Member wish to speak, or are there any other amendments to these minutes?
I see numb, the motion is to agree the minutes, are we agreed?

3 Declarations of Interest

thank you, the next item number 3 on the agenda is to receive any declarations of interest in accordance with Members' Code of Conduct, as any Member, any declarations of interest to make in respect of any item on the agenda today.
Councillor warm, thank you, Mr. Mayor.
I wish to declare an interest on agenda item 7 of the Cranbrook assisting his Neighbourhood Development Plan, as OK, I understand you're gonna be saying.
thank you, OK, everybody else, any declarations of interest, thank you, we will move on to the next item.

4 Announcements

agenda item 4 is to receive announcements, I have no announcements, Councillor Chappell are do you have an announcement.
thank you, Mr. Mayor, I just thought I'd take this opportunity to update Full Council on the corporate plan, and I'd also like to thank the 1,500 residents that took part in the borough survey over the summer, putting the feedback from the councillors convention and the borough wide survey there are five emerging corporate priorities for the Borough Council number 1 climate action number to our environment number 3 sustainable growth number 4 is a vibrant economy and number 5 is community wellbeing.
the next step of drawing up our Corporate Plan Plan is set out in my e-mail to Councillors over the weekend, and I hope that every Councillor will contribute to that next stage of the process, thank you, Mr. Mayor.
thank you, Councillor Shepherd, is there any other members of the cabinet who would like to make an announcement, Councillor Hall, thank you, Mr. Mayor, as the portfolio holder for finance, it's not often I'm in a position where I have the opportunity to be the bearer of some good news as I am very pleased to report that on the 29th of September the Council received a clean audit on the 2022 23 accounts which have now been signed off and published by the statutory deadline.
those of you who are not as easily excitable as I am might be asking why we should be proud of this, while we believe that Tunbridge Wells is the first and only council in Kent, to have achieved this by the deadline and should rightfully get the recognition it deserves, a huge amount of work goes into this, covering six months of producing hundreds of detailed working papers to provide evidence for the financial report. So I'd just like to express my huge thanks to the dedicated and professional finance team and the other officers who made this possible
thank you, Councillor Home, any other announcements, Councillor Vaughan.
thank you, Mr. Mayor.
as Cabinet Member for Communities, I am pleased to announce that, on Sunday, the 10th of September I had the privilege to host a volunteers. Thank you, tea party in the Assembly Hall theatre, which gave me an opportunity to show our appreciation on behalf of the Council to all the incredible people who gave their service through volunteering and charitable work to make our borough a blessed a place in which to live. We welcomed 21 charities on the day and honoured 57 voluntary service organisations in a roll-call, as well as enjoying a delicious afternoon tea. We were entertained by the Tunbridge Wells, obvious melville's voice, choir, that this Is Us dance company and Lucy Andrea, an Egyptian style dancer all who gave their time for free to help me celebrate our volunteers. So thank you to them for some moving and memorable performances. I also have to thank others for their contribution to the event are noted. Speakers Dawn Sanford them be from nourish, and Jeremy came up from the Amelia, as well as many council and assembly hall staff who worked so hard to make the event possible and for making the day go six so successfully
thanks also to my fellow Council Members who attended, on the day and including the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress, I have received much positive feedback from those who attended and many who hope we might make it a regular event, thank you, Mr. Mayor, where he goes to the wall and the other cabinet members.
Councillor Neville.
thank you, Mr. Mayor, our young people generation Z all the generation raised on budget cuts, austerity of central government choices, indelibly defined a whole generation of childhoods, crumbling services and no funding of what they know that's their life, never knowing upward social mobility, security, stability or the good times that we all had.
against this backdrop, young people's perceptions of their lives have ceased to be shaped by the expectations of reward for hard work and hope that were common to us in the pre-crisis period and are instead governed by a frustration and resignation.
division is ever more apparent, COVID-19 has knocked confidence and social engagement too, with countless children never returning to school following lockdowns, they are lost, we in Tunbridge Wells face a shifting demographic that could alter the face of our communities our young adults are leaving for the reasons just mentioned.
so we want to make our young people feel heard and invested in their communities, wellbeing and connection are key factors in reducing crime and increasing quality and length of life.
which is why we are celebrating Local democracy Week with young people in mind.
local democracy week, which is between the 9th and the 15th of October this year, promotes some fosters democratic participation at a local level through public initiatives which involve residents. We will be hosting the Gen Z Youth debate, a free event for young people between the ages of 15 and 19 who go to school in the borough 24 students from Oakley, Skinners' Kent Academy and mass schools are debating three hypothetical topics which members of the Council on their panel with members of the Council on their panel and our Deputy Mayor has agreed to chair the meeting. The topics will have some background information with the very real scenario that budgets have been cut and services are under pressure. The hypothetical topics debated will not be easy to answer with some difficult issues rising to the surface, when pupils have to think on behalf of everyone in their community, for example, we will explore why it would be wrong to cap voting age and we will also cover why it is wrong to exclude young people and discriminate against marginalised communities.
I have met with the pupils' at Oakley if you are not aware they are a district special school for children and young people with a wide range of profound, severe and or complex needs, the eight Oakley students attending are excited to be included in the debate and are very much looking forward to being integrated with mainstream students most importantly they are thrilled to be seen.
the lively discussions between us will be on 10th of October in this Chamber, 1 pm start, thank you, Mr. Mayor, are you Councillor level and any other announcements?
Councillor Wilkinson,
first time, just on a lighter note, last Friday the Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom team travelled to the Royal horticultural Society gardens at Wisley, but the south and south-east in Bloom awards, I am delighted to say that they returned with a huge array of prizes, including the top ward for small city of the year 2023, our parks, churchyards, nature reserve and Commons all received awards many of them gold. Yesterday at the Assembly Hall theatre, the the in Bloom team celebrated local residents, schools, community organisations and businesses that help our town looks so beautiful. I would like to say a huge congratulations and thank you to all involved, especially to the parks and the in Bloom teams,
thank you, Councillor Wilkinson, that's to count Cabinet Members with good news then.
anybody else.

5 Questions from members of the public

no, Mr Ma, thank you, I say it, we move on to agenda item 5 is to receive questions from members of the public.

6 Questions from members of the Council

we have no questions from members of the public agenda. Item 6 is three questions from Members of the Council, we have no questions from members of the Council

7 Cranbrook & Sissinghurst NDP

6 Questions from members of the Council

we move on to the supplementary pack, where the covering reports can be found on pages 2 to 69, we have no public speakers on this item, but I am going to ask Councillor Warmington to introduce the item and move the recommendations Councillor Wellington,
thank you, Mr. Mayor.
the new warding patterns have necessitated new polling district organisation in Tunbridge Wells.
the Council, in consultation with others, have been working hard on establishing what these should be.
having worked on similar projects myself and having seen the responses in the consultation, I know that this is time-consuming and technical work, I think the final product that we see today is an impressive feat, and I want to thank everyone who had a hand in making it it's a good scheme which meets the requirements in a sensible and fair way and clearly designing it was not an easy task.
I am happy to support the recommendation set out in the agenda and the agenda item, and I encourage all councillors to do likewise.
thank you, Councillor, Worthington, Councillor, British Alan, I understand you wish to second.
yes, I was thinking this.
sorry, we'd be reserving your right to speak, would you want to speak now, so I reserve my right to speak, thank you.
the matter is now open for debate, would anybody like to speak?
seems not Councillor British Alan
if you'd have said anything now.
nothing to add, thank you, Ms, thank you.
anything else to add.
so the motion is set out in the report is to agree that the Full Council agrees to the proposed polling districts and polling places, as set out in the report.
are we agreed,
thank you.

7 Cranbrook & Sissinghurst NDP

the next item either agenda item 7 is the Cranbrook consisting Hirst Neighbourhood Development Plan.
the covering report starts on page 15 of our agenda pack, and the recommendation is that the report be noted
we have no public speakers on this item, but I understand Councillor Waun would like to say a few words, I am going to ask the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning Councillor Pound, to introduce this item and move the recommendation Councillor LB.
thank you, Mr. Mayor.
I'm going to provide a general introduction to item 7 8 and 9 on your agenda, because this is a procedural motions.
that cover all three, if I'm may, I will be proposing, and in relation to agenda item 7, the seconder will be the Leader of the Council been shabbily and for 8 and items 8 and 9, it will be Councillor Warren, thank you. Do you wish me to introduce now?
please, yes, thank you. Planning practice Guidance confirms that a neighborhood development plan comes into force as part of the local planning authority's statutory development plan, once it's been approved at referendum, and this means that the Neighbourhood Development Plan is a material consideration for assessing planning proposals within the geographical area covered by it. That is the relevant parish. Therefore, policies in the Neighbourhood Plan will be taken into account in determining a planning application or for an appeal against the planning decision, together with other relevant local and national planning policies.
neighbourhood plan regulations require that the Neighbourhood Development Plan be formally made by us Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, which must be done within 8 weeks of a successful referendum, the circumstances where the Borough Council is not required to make a Neighbourhood Plan are when it considers that the making of the Neighbourhood Plan would breach or otherwise be incompatible with any EU or human him or any human rights obligations.
now Members will note that the three neighborhood development plans before us this evening are all seeking to be made. Cranbrook and Sissinghurst had a turnout of 25.5%, of whom 92.7% said yes to the referendum, that the plan should be made. Paddock ward had a turnout of 17.1%, of whom 75.5% of all voters said yes, it should be made and in Pembury 22.3% turned out with an 83.6% saying yes, the plan should be made. I would like to therefore propose, in the first instance that the Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Neighbourhood Development Plan is made, thank you.
thank you, Councillor LB, Councillor Cha Shepherd, you are going to second and that, yes, Mr Men, I reserve my right to speak, thank you.
thank you, the matter is open for debate, and I understand Councillor Nancy Warren would like to say some words.
thank you, Mr. Mayor.
so I am declaring an interest in this item because, although I have been involved in the making, the plan since 2016
and been involved,
I haven't been involved closely for some time, I'm still technically the chairman of the steering group of I therefore won't participate in the discussion or vote, but I've just going to say a few words from May, thank you.
the process of making the camera consisting as Neighbourhood Plan has been quite a long journey, although it's been much longer and more complex process, and I envisaged when I first signed up, it's also been tremendously rewarding experience and one which I still think is a valuable project for communities to undertake and I remain a huge advocate for neighborhood planning my statement this evening is really a roll-call of thank you. Firstly, I would like to thank past and present officers in Tunbridge Wells Planning Policy Team for their sustained professional support, guidance and encouragement throughout the process.
I would like to thank the Parish Council for their support over the years.
I am also very grateful to the many people of crumble consisting has perished, who engaged in the process for those who came to the many engagement, events and workshops to share their views and to help form the vision and objectives for the plan to those who joined the steering group and the working groups for each of the plan chapters who gave their countless hours of bedtime helping to formulate and shape policy.
I would like to say a particular thank you to the members of the steering group who saw the process through to the end to June Bell, Annie Hopper, Liz Daly, Marianne Cranmer, any Hatcher, Matthew Vaughan, Jeremy Boxall and two parish councillors, Leigh Hatcher, and especially Gary Pettus Gary has been steering the plan through the last 18 months since I stepped back from active involvement. Gary and Marion were absolutely incredible in the last months, weeks and days running up to and on referendum day itself, helping to ensure that the plan will reach the final stage and that the community fully understood what it was all about a massive thank you to them both.
and finally, thank you to the residents who came out to vote in the referendum with a resounding 97 point Cif 92.7% voting yes on the 14th of September I would lie, I would lie, sorry, I would like to ask Members to please follow their lead and support the motion to adopt the crumble consisting of a Neighbourhood Development Plan. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
thank you, Councillor Wall.
were you going to be drawn from the Chamber?
just to remind you sorry.
OK, so the matter was open for debate, would anybody else like to contribute to the debate?
I do not see anybody Councillor, Sheppard you'd like to say nothing further to add, Mr Mayor, thank you and Councillor LB.
no, thank you, Mr Magister endorsed the three recommendations within your papers. Thank you, thank you, OK, so the motion is to agree that the Cranbrook consisting of Neighbourhood Development Plan be formally made or adopted and become part of the statutory development plan, the area with immediate effect following a favourable local referendum to the Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Neighbourhood Development Plan, post-referendum decision Statement at Appendix A be published and 3 that the Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Neighbourhood Development Plan ECA, adoption statement be drafted and published after the LDP is made
are we agreed, thank you,

8 Paddock Wood NDP

we move on to agenda item 8, which is the pilot would enable development plan report covering report starts on page 28 of our agenda pack and the recommendation is that on the report be noted, we have no public speakers on this item, but I am going to ask the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning Councillor pounds to introduce the item and move the recommendation.
thank you, Mr. Mayor, I was waiting for Councillor Warren to return, it's a long way from the pub, but
she has returned the recommendations in relation to the Paddock Wood neighborhood development plan are exactly the same wording as that which the mayor has just read out in relation to the previous item, I have nothing further to add, except to absolutely endorse the value of this and all three Neighbourhood Development plans and seek your approval of the recommendations within the report. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor LB, Councillor Morgan, would you like to speak second, the motion, yes, our second last motion and reserve my right to speak, thank you. So the matter is now open for debate. Would anybody like to speak on the item? Councillor Moon,
thank you Michelle, I just wanted to clarify that.
any applications after the adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan be subject to the same policy type documents that planning officers consider can you just confirm, or my assumption is that it is enforced straight away.
in relation to applications that have not been resolved or agreed by a planning committee or by officers.
and the reason I mention this because at the moment in Paddock, Wood, Lamb, west of Queen Street and of wood, there are two present hybrid applications going through with comments from residents linked with those applications, there has been another submission for another interested party, the active travel England,
a group or organisation which have had my direct reference to the Paddock Wood Neighbourhood Plan that was submitted to the borough.
so I just wanted to get some clarification that the Neighbourhood Plan if passed tonight will be considered in relation to active travel with England's representation and to existing applications I'd mentioned I haven't got into the actual numbers, et cetera, but you need that thank you, thank you Councillor, that obviously this isn't a question and answer session so hopefully the proposer might pick up your point in their conclusions if he if they wish to would anybody else like to contribute to the debate?
it seems not Councillor 1 when it goes to bed.
sorry, Councillor LB.
thank you, Mr. Mayor, can I just repeat the statement that I made in the general introduction, but it pertains, obviously to this.
a Neighbourhood Development Plan as well.
the statement says, planning practice guidance confirms that a neighborhood development plan comes into force as part of the local planning authority's statutory development plan, once it has been approved at referendum.
thank you, thank you, thank you, Councillor LB, Councillor Warren, did you want to say that I have no particular further comment, apart from obviously to support the motion, but I would just like to thank the people of Paddock Wood because I think their journey started before us in Crowborough consisting Hirst and I did actually gatecrash one of their early public engagement events and was inspired by that so thank you to them and good luck with the plan.
thank you, Councillor, warm Councillor pound, is anything to add.
no, thank you, Ms Smith.
thank you, so the motion is to agree 1, that the Paddock Wood Neighbourhood Development Plan before me, made or adopted and become part of the statutory development plan for Paddock Wood parish, with immediate effect following a favourable local referendum, result to the Paddock Wood Neighbourhood Development Plan a post referendum decision statement at Appendix A be published and 3 The Paddock Wood Neighbourhood Development Plan ECA, adoption statement be drafted and published after the LDP is made, are we agreed?
thank you.

9 Pembury NDP

agenda item 9 we move to agenda item 9, which the Pembury Neighbourhood Development Plan, the covering report starts on page 40 of our agenda, pack and recommendation is that the report be noted.
we have no speakers on this item and once again, I am going to ask the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning Councillor Pound, to introduce this item and move the recommendation.
thank you, Mr. Mayor, I think you would know where I'm going with this really, which is that there are three recommendations in your papers, this is in relation to the Pembrey neighborhood development plan, which, as with the other two, was an exceptionally good read and it was interesting particularly to read of the Inspector's wanderings around the around the village of Pembury and surrounding areas I would like please council to endorse the recommendations that are within your report.
thank you, Councillor pounds Councillor Warren Wood, got to second the motion.
I would like to second the motion and reserve my right to speak, thank you, thank you, Councillor Warren.
Heywood,
thank you, Mr. Mayor, I'd just like to asked Council members to vote this through clearly and I'd like to thank all the people that worked very hard on this in the in the Parish Abenbury. Thank you very much. Thank you, Councillor Heywood with anybody else Councillor abandoned King, thank you Mr. Mayor and to add to Councillor Hayward's comments. All three borough councillors, the witnessed the endeavours of Pembury Parish Council have been hugely impressed by the
endeavours of the Members there, which was the very small group of councillors who produced what I believe is an excellent report, and it should be commended with this Councillor Dave and I'll be hopeful that Council be endorsed this particular LDP, thank you very much, thank you. Councillor Brenda King and Councillor Roberts.
in a similar vein, the residents of Banbury and the council put significant effort into producing these documents, and it was pleasing to read the inspections rogue comments where he was offered a broody I'm impressed with some of the the contents of the report and the residents have been fully engaged and fully support that and hopefully the Council will support this as well.
thank you, Councillor Roberts, would anybody else like to speak?
it seems not Councillor warm, I must say.
thank you, Mr. Byrne, and nothing further to say, apart from the support the recommendations, thank you Councillor Parnell, and to add no, thank you, Mr Ma,
OK, OK, so the motion is to agree the Pen Pembrey Neighbourhood Development Plan be formally made or adopted and become part of the statutory development plan for Pembury parish, with immediate effect following a favourable local referendum result the Pembrey Neighbourhood Development Plan post referendum decision statement at Appendix A be published and through the Pembrey Neighbourhood Development Plan ECA adoption statement be drafted and published after the LDP is made, are we agreed?
thank you.
agenda item 10.

9 a) Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places

10 Changes to Appointments to Committees

changes to appointments September 2023. The report begins on page 52 or agenda pack. There are no members of the public register to speak on this item. I understand there are a number of updates which are set out in the table document which are since the agenda was published, we have received notification from Councillor Moon that he is no longer a member of the Independent for Tunbridge Wells group. Under the terms of the constitution, the independent for Tunbridge Wells party ceases to be a political group, and Councillors Moon, Heywood and Atkins are regarded as being three separate independent members, and the allocations committees will reflect this
further Councillor Fitzsimons has stepped down as Cabinet Member and Councillor Wilkinson has been appointed in her place.
Councillor Wilkinson has been removed from overview and scrutiny because she is now a Cabinet Member.
Councillor Heywood has been removed from licensing due to changes in party is now a member of the planning policy working group.
it says here, Councillor Moon will take the independent seat on Planning, finally, however, and it has been removed from finance and governments, and it has a housing advisory panel due to policy changes, Councillor Holden has resigned from finance and governance.
Councillor British Alan has stepped down as Vice Chair of Planning Committee.
Councillor Atkins will resume his position as Chair on Licensing along with Councillor Webster, who will continue as Vice Chair, I am going to ask Councillor Chappell Lord, to introduce this item and move the recommendations as amended, Councillor Chappelow.
thank you, Mr. Mayor, and is to stay housekeeping.
agenda item due to the change in the political balance of this Council, and I hope that all councillors will support it. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, thank you, Councillor, Sheppard Councillor Warren, we would like to second the motion. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, I'll I'd like to second the motion and reserve my right to speak, thank you very much, but anybody else like to speak on this item. Councillor Hayward
thank you, Mr. Mayor, yes, I just like to say that.
Councillor Moon, who is still,
the adjudicate for his membership of the Labour party has brought about the issue
it relates to the council website stating that he is a member of a party and not a grouping and Councillor Moon feels this will prejudice his appeal with the Labour party, so it starts, it's not so much an issue of.
thank you for your information, which was to stay a member of the group but wants to be recognised, has not been thank you, Councillor, we don't think we get the drift, I'm not sure it's totally relevant of this, but thank you for the background.
anybody else would like to speak, it seems not Councillor Warren, would you like to say yes, or no, particularly, I think, everything to say, Councillor Chappell Austin, nothing further to Mr Murph, thank you, thank you. So the motion is that 1, the allocation of seats to committees, political balance, as set out in paragraph 3.7 of the report be approved and 2, that the appointments to Committees nominated by Group leaders, including the chairmanship and vice chairmanship of the Committees as set out at Appendix A of the report be approved. Are we agreed
thank you.

11 Urgent Business

agenda item 11 is for urgent business, but I can confirm there is no urgent business for the Council consider this evening.

12 Common Seal of the Council

item 12 is to authorise the common seal as set out on page 64 of the agenda.
I so move Councillor Pope, are you happy to second? I second the motion
thank you, the motion is to authorise the Common Seal of the Council to affix, to any contract minute, notice or other document arising out of the minutes or pursuant to any delegation, authority or power conferred by the Council, are we agreed?

13 Date of next meeting

thank you finally, agenda item 13, the date of the next meeting is Wednesday, the 13th December 2023, thank you for your attendance, the time is now 1,009 20, and the meeting is closed, thank you.