All Decisions

This report proposes Thanet District Council extend the current Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) until October 2023.

That the current PSPO is renewed until 25th October 2023 and adopted in accordance with the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB), Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Cabinet approved to  offer grants of up to £10,000 to help community groups with up front costs e.g. specialist, professional advice needed to bring housing projects forward such as planning appraisals, financial feasibility appraisals and housing needs surveys etc.  It was agreed that delegated authority be given to the Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods.

The purpose of the Community Housing Fund is to enable and support  community groups  to create affordable housing to meet local housing needs. This can be new homes or empty homes brought back into use. These community groups are integrally involved in key decisions throughout the development process, and play a long term role in ownership and management of the homes. 

An application for a grant from the Thanet Community Land Trust for £9952.00 has been received.  They are proposing to purchase 12-20 Clifton Street, Margate and redevelop the site 'to help resolve the shortage of affordable long term rented accommodation in Margate to benefit local people'.

Approve the grant application from Thanet Community Land Trust for £9,952.00.

Cabinet considered an initial report at its meeting on 30 July 2020 and agreed to approve the letting of the contract for the refurbishment of seven passenger lifts in council owned residential buildings. The conditions of the lifts had been an ongoing concern considering that a number of vulnerable residents who needed access to the building were living in these properties. The refurbishment of the lifts was therefore a top priority for the council to address the situation.

The report informed members of the blocks included in the programme, the method of procurement and the pre-tender estimated costs of £1.6m. The letting of the contract was also subject to the approval of the required budget at full council on 10 September 2020. Submitted tenders were evaluated for both price and quality and a winning bidder identified. This report was an update to Members on the finally approved budget for the works.

The value of the winning tender was £1.865m, some £265k above the pretender estimate for the works. This was still considered to represent good value, as it had been thoroughly market tested by means of a full public tender process and the additional budget required was presented and approved by the full council at its meeting on 10 September 2020.

Councillor Whitehead proposed, Councillor Everitt seconded and Cabinet agreed to note the contents of the report.

A report was presented to Cabinet seeking authority for the council to enter into two new contracts for works to its housing stock.

The works include:

Passive fire safety works, including fire doors and fire stopping, at Harbour Towers, Trove Court, Kennedy House, Brunswick Court and Staner Court.

Installation of new fire alarms, fire detection and smoke ventilation at Harbour Towers, Trove Court, Kennedy House, Brunswick Court and Staner Court.

The values of both contracts are detailed in the attached report and exceed £250,000.

Cabinet authorised:

1.  The letting of the contract for the completion of passive fire safety works, as detailed in the Cabinet report;

2.  The letting of the contract for the renewal of fire alarms, detection equipment and smoke ventilation as detailed in the report.

An e-petition containing 27 valid signatures was received by the Council requesting that Thanet District Council immediately reverses its decision to continue to restrict dog walking on Thanet Beaches for one month.

The Council’s Constitution sets out the rules on petitions as follows:

“Ordinary petitions - those petitions signed by 25 or more petitioners but fewer than 650 will be presented to Council and referred to the Cabinet or another appropriate committee without debate, for report to the Council within three ordinary meetings.”

Cabinet agreed recommendation 3.2 of the Cabinet report which was, not to change the current Dog Control Public Space Protection Order.

Over the last six months, especially considering the impact of the global pandemic there has been a significant amount of change and as part of this the Council is reviewing how it delivers services in the future and how it can maximise the benefits of revenue opportunity from existing assets, which include some potential sites previously identified for use.

There has been significant interest from stakeholders and local residents regarding a temporary tolerated site including commentary on suitability of sites, level of need and other locations.  In order to capture this information and understand the views of all those with an interest in temporary stopping sites a robust engagement process is required.

The identification of possible temporary stopping sites has previously been restricted to land owned by Thanet District Council, a change in process has the potential to widen the scope for other sites to be identified.

The Local Plan has recently been adopted and is now subject to a review process. Part of this process has a defined consultation and the ability to place a general call to landowners to put forward sites for specific use.

Cabinet agreed the following:

1. That the identification of appropriate tolerated stopping sites becomes part of the Local Plan review;

2.  That Officers continue with an officer and partner group, working with known groups of gypsies and travellers to address site access and behaviours.