Agenda item

To receive a report from the Leader of the Council in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.4.

During his report the Leader covered the following areas:

• The Council’s adoption of the Draft Local plan and its publication on 23 August.  The public had six weeks to comment.
• The Leader’s next priority was to address the losses and generate an income at the Port
• The Port may play a significant role in providing resilience for the Country following Brexit.
• The council’s response to traveller incursions was limited due to the special protected status afforded to these people, however work was completed at Jackey Bakers which would help prevent incursions at the site.
• A premises closure order had been successfully implemented at a property in Margate.
• Credit should be given to the council and agency staff who had worked hard to keep Thanet tidy during the peak tourist season.
• The House of Lords would send a Select Committee to look at the coastal regeneration which has taken place in Margate.
• The council had been awarded the South East Employers Charter for Elected Member Development, congratulations were offered to Mr Hughes and the Democratic Services Team for their work.

Councillor L Fairbrass as Deputy Leader of the Independent and UKIP Group made the following points:

• The Draft Local Plan had been published however it was not sound and offered no protection for the airport site.
• Areas of Birchington and Westgate-on-sea would have additional houses as a result of the Draft Local Plan.

·  Congratulations were offered to those involved in obtaining the Charter for elected Members Development.

The Leader replied to Councillor L Fairbrass’ comments with the following point:

·  River Oak had submitted a development consent order to the planning inspectorate for the airport site.

Councillor Reverend Piper as Leader of the Thanet Independent Councillors Group made the following points:

• Congratulations were offered to Mr Hughes and his team for their work in achieving the Charter for Elected Member development.
• The visit from the House of Lords Select Committee should also visit other seaside towns within the District.
• Traveller incursion had been a major problem; thanks were offered to the Chief Executive for the installation of fencing at the Jackey Bakers site.
• The Thanet Independent Councillors group were glad to support the Draft Local Plan.

The Leader replied to Councillor Reverend Piper’s comments with the following points:

• The Select Committee would see the challenges facing seaside towns.

Councillor Matterface as leader of the Labour Party made the following points:

• Were talks regarding a ferry at the Port part of the Kent County Council Brexit resilience strategy?
• The presence of a cargo hub at Manston could be detrimental to tourism, which was a key driving force of economic development within the district.
• The ‘beach within reach’ beach wheelchairs were great, however there had been a recent incident when the beach inspector was unavailable to unlock the wheelchair so it could not be used.
• Did the Select Committee choose to visit Margate?
• Thanks were offered to Mr Hughes and everyone involved in the work on the Charter for Elected Member Development.

The Leader replied to Councillor Matterface’s comments with the following points:

• There was a possibility that the port would be involved in the UK’s resilience plan following Brexit.
• It was disappointing that the beach wheel chair had been unavailable on that occasion.
• The Select Committee chose to visit Margate as the town had been recognised as turning a corner in its regeneration.
• There was no reason why a cargo hub would impact upon the district’s tourism industry.