| Number | Item |
| | Tabled Papers  |
| | Minutes for this Meeting |
| | Agenda Papers |
| | Agenda Papers |
| 1. | Apologies |
| 2. | Declarations of Interest |
| 3. | Minutes – To approve the Minutes of the Meeting of the Cabinet held on the 12th January 2017 |
| 4. | To receive any Petitions |
| 5. | Leader’s Announcements |
| 6. | Part I – Matters Referred to the Cabinet - None for this Meeting |
| | Part II – Consideration of Reports from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee |
| | The Overview and Scrutiny Budget Scrutiny Task Group has scrutinised the Council’s draft 2017/18 budget and regards it as legal and achievable. |
| | Report of Budget Scrutiny Task Group |
| 7. | Part III – Ordinary Decision Items - Key Decisions Annotated* |
| | This report is the culmination of a number of financial planning reports that have been received by Cabinet over the last year. In October Cabinet received a report updating the Council’s Corporate Plan 2015-2020 including the Medium Term Financial Plan; this informed the draft budget that was presented to Cabinet in December and a consultation exercise and scrutiny process followed. This budget has been updated for the provisional funding announcements and this report presents the final budget for 2017/18 for consideration by Cabinet. Cabinet’s recommendations will then be presented to the full Council. The consultation process is still open and responses will either be presented to this meeting or to the full Council meeting on the 16 February.The budget supports the second year of the Council’s updated Corporate Plan and includes changes to services following the Housing Service review after consultation. The report covers the Housing Revenue Account which includes a 1% reduction in rents the second of a four year reduction programme. Capital programme and the council’s Treasury Management Strategy.For some time this Borough’s council tax has been the lowest of Kent districts and well below the national average. This budget proposes a £4 (2.67%) rise in the Borough’s annual council tax with a Band D (the standard council tax band) charge moving to £154.00 for the year. It is expected this will remain the lowest of any Kent district. This excludes changes to Parish Councils’ precepts which vary from parish to parish. |
| | *Budget 2017/18 |
| 8. | In July last year this Cabinet approved a Statement of Intent to explore a potential merger of the five East Kent district councils. As a result of this a business case was jointly commissioned to examine the advantages disadvantages and feasibility of forming a single East Kent district council. This report is the culmination of that work and a recommendation needs to be made by Cabinet to Full Council as to the decision to proceed or otherwise. |
| | An Independent Business Case to examine the feasibility of establishing a new single council in East Kent |
| 9. | This report seeks Cabinet approval for the release of Section 106 contributions from Park Farm South and East developments to be used for the enhancement of Kingsnorth Recreation Centre as detailed in the attached plans.Kingsnorth Parish Council and Kingsnorth Recreation Centre Trust have jointly approved draft plans to reconfigure the Recreation Centre as phase 1 of a long term plan to develop the offer at the Centre for sport fitness and community activities.The plans include expansion of the gym provision of a dedicated spin studio improved changing shower and toilet facilities and enhancements to the area of the building currently hired to Little Acorns nursery including a dedicated entrance (refer Appendix 1 for layout proposed). |
| | *Kingsnorth Recreation Centre: Section 106 Expenditure |
| 10. | This report presents the case for introducing a range of measures to improve the quality of the water at Conningbrook Lakes Country Park so enabling the ongoing establishment of the lake as a key water sports facility for the Borough. |
| | *Conningbrook Lakes Country Park – Water Quality |
| | Background Document |
| 11. | In order to assist in the delivery of Highways England’s proposal for a new M20 Junction 10a the Department of Communities and Local Government has agreed to provide the Council with a fund of £16m to spend in 2016/17 on capital projects subject to the Council agreeing to repay the money from developer contributions to the Homes and Communities Agency.The sum (alongside contributions from Highways England and the SELEP) will ensure that there is sufficient funding available to promote and construct the scheme if the Development Consent Order for it is granted by the Secretary of State later this year.Due to the size of the sum involved this must be approved by Full Council and this report seeks the Cabinet’s recommendation for this. |
| | M20 J10A – Allocation of Capital Spend |
| | Exempt Appendix |
| 12. | This report proposes the formal write off of 446 debts totalling £332469.31. The proposals are in line with the Council’s Revenues & Benefits Service Write Offs policy. Existing bad debt provisions already more than cover the sums involved. |
| | Revenues & Benefits recommended Write-Offs Schedule |
| 13. | This paper sets out for comment the progress the council and its partners have made on projects relating to domestic abuse over the past 12 months. It specifically addresses:• The current position on the Kent and Medway Independent Domestic Violence Advisory Service and the work of the council’s Domestic Abuse Coordinator• The partnership approach tackling domestic abuse and for applying to national organisations for additional funding• The proposal to make permanent the post of Domestic Abuse Coordinator |
| | Domestic Abuse Annual Report |
| 14. | Report for information on the Health & Social Care Sustainable Transformation Plan for Kent & Medway including Ashford CCG update. |
| | Transforming Health and Social Care in Kent and Medway |
| 15. | This report presents an assessment of an outturn position for this financial year based on the first three quarters of the year for the General Fund the Housing Revenue Account and the Collection Fund.There is currently a forecasting an overall favourable variance of £121000 however it needs to be noted that quarter one underspends were transferred to reserves (approved in quarter 1).The details of this variance are within the report including highlighting any current risks following this review.The Housing Revenue Account is projecting an overall deficit of £444000 which is lower than the budgeted position. |
| | *Budget Monitoring Report – Quarter 3 2016/17 |
| 16. | This report seeks to update members and the public on the performance of the Council against its Corporate Plan during Quarter 3 2016/17. This includes information on what the Cabinet has achieved through its decision-making key performance data and consideration of the wider borough picture which impacts upon the Council's work.The organisation's approach to the monitoring of its performance against this plan has been revised. Accordingly attached are summary highlights from the new online Performance 'Dashboard' for each of the Council's Corporate Plan areas. |
| | Ashford Borough Council’s Performance – Quarter 3 2016/17 |
| 17. | Part IV – Information/Monitoring Items |
| | Member Training Panel – Notes of the Meeting held on 6th December 2016 |
| 18. | Local Plan and Planning Policy Task Group – Notes of the Meeting held on 22nd December 2016 |
| 19. | Economic Regeneration and Investment Board – Notes of the meeting held on 21st December 2016 |
| 20. | To set out the latest Schedule of Key Decisions to be taken by the Cabinet of Ashford Borough Council. |
| | Schedule of Key Decisions |
| 21. | Items for Future Meetings |
| 22. | Part V – Cabinet Member Reports - None for this Meeting |
| | Part VI – Ordinary Decision Items - None for this Meeting |