Cabinet Decisions

Following millions of pounds of public funding, the successful restoration of the amusement park and substantial private investment, the council is now reviewing ownership of the entire Dreamland complex in order to unlock the continued regeneration of other parts of the site.

To support asset management and financial strategies, there is an ongoing review of the corporate portfolio to identify assets that are not meeting the corporate objectives and therefore should be considered for disposal. Dreamland has been fully appraised and is considered suitable for generating a capital receipt as well as transferring risks and liabilities to Sands Heritage Limited.

Cabinet agreed that:

1.  Subject to agreement of external funders regarding the removal of ongoing grant obligations upon the council, and subject to legal advice, to dispose of Dreamland to Sands Heritage Ltd including the boundary as indicated in Annex 1, all rides listed in Annex 2 and the intellectual property rights of Dreamland.

The Council’s response to a budget petition regarding potential expenditure relating to office accommodation and community asset transfers.

Cabinet notes the concerns, however the provisions in the budget report remain valid.

Cabinet considered a report which set out the management response to the concerns raised about gas safety certification in the Monitoring Officer’s report to Cabinet.

The report set out the background to the identified failure to undertake inspections in a number of council owned dwellings and the remedial actions taken.

The council views the health and safety of its tenants as a critical priority. The council will take all necessary action to ensure that gas safety inspections are completed in line with legislation and to provide assurance to members, tenants and officers of the council about gas safety.

Cabinet:

1.  Adopted the report as its report to the Monitoring Officer in accordance with the requirements of S5A (8)&(9) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, and agreed that a copy of it be provided to all Members of the Council and the Monitoring Officer;

2.  Noted the potential wider concerns about the services provided by EKH, identified as a result of recent developments;

3.  Noted the interim measures taken and delegated authority to the Chief Executive to take further interim measures as required;

4.  Requested a further report setting out the potential future options for the management of the council’s housing stock and whether a detailed options appraisal, including resident consultation, should be completed. An initial scoping report would be required to set out the proposed process, timescale and cost.

Broadstairs & St Peters Town Council have prepared a draft neighbourhood plan. It was published and formally submitted to the Council and has subsequently been assessed by an independent Examiner. The Examiner’s report has also been published. It supports the proposed Neighbourhood Plan, with some minor modifications, and recommends that it be subject to a referendum.

The Council has to issue a Decision Statement as to whether or not it accepts the recommendations in the Examiners report, and, if not, what actions would be necessary. The Council also has to consider whether the draft Plan meets the “basic conditions” for a Neighbourhood Plan.

The draft Neighbourhood Plan is generally supported.  There are however two minor areas, where the submitted Neighbourhood Plan does not meet the ‘basic conditions’ as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework in relation to Local Green Space designations and are not in general conformity with the strategic policies of the development plan for the area (as set out in the emerging Thanet Local Plan).

The two proposed Local Green Space sites (at Fairfield Road/Rumfields Road and Reading Street) were considered for inclusion in the draft Local Plan, but were not included as they do not meet the criteria in the National Planning Policy Framework. The approach in the draft Neighbourhood Plan therefore contradicts the position set out in the draft Local Plan.

It is proposed to modify the submitted St Peters and Broadstairs Neighbourhood Plan, by removing the Fairfield Road/ Rumfields Road and Reading Street Local Green Space designations, and to consult on those modifications.

Cabinet agreed that the draft Neighbourhood Plan be modified as set out in the cabinet report, and that the proposed modifications be the subject of public consultation for a period of six weeks.

Cabinet is required to consider the Monitoring Officer’s report that relates to a breach by the executive of Regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 which places a duty upon a landlord to have a gas safety check undertaken on an annual basis on appliances and flues to which the regulations apply. Cabinet would also be required to take corrective action in relation to the issues raised in that report.

Cabinet agreed the following:

1. To consider the Monitoring Officer’s report at the meeting on the 25 July 2019;

2. That as soon as practicable, after the cabinet had concluded its consideration of this report, to prepare a report which specified—

a)  what action (if any) the cabinet had taken in response to this report;

b)  what action (if any) the cabinet proposed to take in response to this report and when it proposed to take that action; and

c)  the reasons for taking the action specified in the cabinet’s report or, as the case may be, for taking no action.

3.  As soon as practicable after the cabinet had prepared its report in accordance with paragraph 2 above, to arrange for a copy of it to be sent to each member of the Council and the Council’s Monitoring Officer.

PLEASE NOTE: (To assist with recommendation (2) above, a report with a management response was prepared, considered and adopted by cabinet as their report in response to the Monitoring Officer’s report).

The report considered the principle of the Council establishing a housing company to enable the delivery of new homes, that would otherwise not be delivered, with the ability to directly acquire land and construct homes.

Cabinet agree to:

1.  Support the purposes for setting up a housing company to:

a.  Enable the delivery of new homes, that would otherwise not be delivered, with the ability to directly acquire land and construct homes;

b.  Acquire homes with the aim of improving conditions, management standards and affordability for the benefit of residents;

c.  Supplement existing housing programmes and funding within the council’s HRA;

d.  Offer a wider range of housing tenures and costs, in addition to existing provision;

e.  Create a financially viable and sustainable vehicle for the acquisition, development and management of housing;

f.  Such other purposes which are ancillary to the above purposes.

2.  Allocate an initial set-up budget for the housing company of £50,000, to be funded from the Business Rates Equalisation Reserve, and delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive to approve expenditure against this budget.

The Council has a duty to award Disabled Facilities Grants to people who qualify for assistance, subject to means testing. The only way to offer any additional financial assistance for adaptations, repairs or improvements to residents’ homes is by including the provision in a Housing Assistance and Disabled Adaptations Policy.

The council’s current Housing Assistance Policy requires an update to better reflect current government policy which offers more of an integrated care approach. Times have changed; the council no longer holds a waiting list for grants, government funding for adaptations has increased significantly and there is now an opportunity to expand our policy to provide additional assistance in appropriate cases. The draft Housing Assistance Policy (2019-2024) seeks to align the available funding better with the care needs of residents.

The proposed new policy includes:

1.Enhancements to the basic Disabled Facilities Grant so that people who don’t have savings or cannot afford the cost of borrowing will be able to get sufficient funding to pay for the works that are needed. At the moment some larger jobs don’t go ahead because of lack of funding. The proposals would offer a repayable grant in most cases, repayable next time the property is sold.

2.In appropriate cases, to assist people with the cost of moving from a home that cannot be adapted into a more suitable property (this is likely to be very rare)

3.Measures to help address the issue of bed blocking by carrying out vital work in patients’ homes quickly to facilitate discharge from hospital; for example tidying-up, moving a bed downstairs, installing a stairlift, and similar things when there is no-one else available to assist.

4.Enhanced provisions for minor repairs, adaptations and energy efficiency improvements for elderly and vulnerable people to help reduce hospital admissions.

5.A proposal to speed-up the administrative process and improve continuity by having a dedicated Occupational Therapist available in-house to assess peoples’ needs and give advice.

Cabinet agreed to:

1. Approve the draft of the Housing Assistance and Disabled Adaptations Policy attached (Annex 1) of this report;

2. Delegate authority to the Head of Housing and Planning in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods to make any minor changes to the policy and from time to time when needed.