Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Game.

To approve the summary of recommendations and decisions of the Cabinet meeting held on 18 September 2018, copy attached.

Councillor Savage proposed, Councillor Ashbee seconded and Members agreed the minutes as a correct record of the meeting that was held on 27 September 2018.

Members considered the report on four properties owned by Council, which are the Margate Museum, Margate Old Town Hall, The Tudor House Margate and Dickens House in Broadstairs. A review of the condition of these properties had identified a significant backlog of repairs and, with the current economic climate of reduced public funding, consideration had to be given to finding alternative ways to continue supporting museum provision in the future.

Cabinet was requested to authorise officers to look for alternative options that will ensure a sustainable museum presence in Margate and Broadstairs and facilitate the re-opening of the Old Margate Town Hall building.

The following Members spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1:

Councillor Stuart Piper;

Councillor Campbell;

Councillor Lin Fairbrass.

Cabinet acknowledged the recommendations from the Executive Scrutiny Panel where the Executive was asked to consider the following:-

?  Legal title and conveyance history to confirm rights to transfer properties and;

?  Establish when the funds bequeathed to Dickens House would be made available for the maintenance of the property.

In response to the above Panel proposals, Cabinet agreed to address concerns raised in the recommendations; should Cabinet decide to proceed and agree to the marketing of the properties as part of the stage 1 of the disposals process.

Councillor Gregory proposed, Councillor Ashbee seconded and Members authorised officers to progress the following decisions:

(1)  Dickens House, Broadstairs - to market the opportunity as a going concern (i.e. the premises, collections and staff) through appropriate channels for transfer to a voluntary or community body and

(2)  Margate Museum, Margate - to market the opportunity following the rules imposed by the Asset of Community Value regime (Localism Act 2011)  to transfer to a voluntary or community body and

(3)  Tudor House, Margate - market opportunities through appropriate channels to transfer the premises to a use that demonstrates credible investment will be achievable in a reasonable timeframe and the use will continue to support the heritage of the area and use of the asset by members of the public and

(4)  Margate Town Hall, Margate – market opportunities for the property through appropriate channels to transfer to a use that demonstrates credible investment but with consideration given to preserving the Margate Charter Trustees presence. The existing leasehold interest on the ground floor will not be affected by the transfer.

(5)  In respect of above to report back to Cabinet with the outcome of the marketing exercise and a recommendation on the way forward for each of the above properties.

Cabinet was advised that all local authorities with responsibility for housing are required by law to publish a Housing Allocations Policy. The allocations policy sets out the way in which the council allocates its homes and local housing association owned homes. The council’s current Allocations Policy was adopted by the council in July 2013.

As a result of changes to the legislation which saw the enactment of the Housing Allocations Act on 03 April 2018 and case law regarding the operation of the allocations policy, it was necessary to update the Housing Allocations Policy for the district.

The following Members spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1:

Councillor Campbell;

Councillor Lin Fairbrass;

Councillor Jaye-Jones.

Councillor Savage proposed, Councillor Ashbee seconded and Cabinet:

1.  Approved the consultation draft of the Allocations Policy attached at Annex 1 to the Cabinet report;

2.  Delegated authority to the Head of Housing and Planning in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods to make any minor amendments required to the policy following consultation.

The Food Standards Agency required local authorities to produce a Plan that outlined how each council provided food safety service in their respective areas. The proposed Plan and Policy sets out how the Public Protection Team would prioritise and manage their work for the next 24 months taking into consideration the unknown elements of BREXIT and the Food Standards Agency reform known as ‘Regulating our Future’.

The impacts on service delivery from these two elements were unknown and the Public Protection Team had been keeping track of these changes and continued to do so, thereby adjusting service delivery where necessary. The Team together with the Kent Food Group, made representations about the likely impact of these proposals on some of the small local businesses in the district.

The proposed policy was presented to the Executive Scrutiny Panel on 27th September, where Members were supportive of the proposals, the work the team undertook and recommended that Cabinet ensured the Service continued to have adequate funding for staffing and training.

The following Members spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1:

Councillor Campbell;

Councillor Jaye-Jones.

Councillor Savage proposed, Councillor Ashbee seconded and Cabinet recommended to Council for approval, the Service Plan and Enforcement Policy.