Council - Wednesday 7 May 2025, 7:00pm - Folkestone & Hythe webcasting

Council
Wednesday, 7th May 2025 at 7:00pm 

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  1. Cllr Anita Jones
  2. Microphone Forty
  3. Cllr Anita Jones
  4. Cllr Anita Jones
  5. Dr Susan Priest
  6. Cllr Anita Jones
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  1. Cllr Jim Martin
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  1. Cllr Jim Martin
  2. Cllr Anita Jones
  3. Cllr Anita Jones
  4. Cllr Tim Prater
  5. Cllr Tim Prater
  6. Cllr Anita Jones
  7. Cllr Anita Jones
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  1. Cllr Anita Jones
  2. Cllr Anita Jones
  3. Cllr David Wimble
  4. Cllr Tim Prater
  5. Cllr Anita Jones
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  1. Cllr Jim Martin
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  7. Cllr Jim Martin
  8. Cllr Anita Jones
  9. Cllr Jim Martin
  10. Cllr Anita Jones
  11. Cllr Anita Jones
  12. Cllr David Wimble
  13. Cllr Anita Jones
  14. Cllr Jim Martin
  15. Cllr Gary Fuller
  16. Cllr Anita Jones
  17. Cllr Jim Martin
  18. Cllr Anita Jones
  19. Cllr Jim Martin
  20. Cllr Anita Jones
  21. Cllr Anita Jones
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  1. Cllr Jim Martin
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  1. Cllr Jim Martin
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  1. Cllr Anita Jones
  2. Cllr Liz McShane
  3. Cllr Anita Jones
  4. Cllr Connor McConville
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  1. Cllr Anita Jones
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  1. Cllr Connor McConville
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  3. Councillor Tony Hills
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  1. Cllr Jim Martin
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  6. Webcast Finished

Cllr Anita Jones - 0:00:00
Microphone Forty - 0:00:05
in prayer please. Good evening. If you'd like to join in with these
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:00:06
prayers I
warmly invite you to join in with the Amen. Heavenly Father, we give you thanks
for the work of this council and all of its staff and volunteers over this past
year. Thank you for the passion and dedication of everyone who was given of
their time and energy to see this district made a better place. May this council continue
to be a place where people may work together for the enriching of the lives of everyone
in this district. Amen. At the end of this season of elections, we give you thanks for
the work of all those outgoing KCC councillors and ask that you would give wisdom to all
those newly elected. May they work with all colleagues for the good of this county and
of all its residents. Amen.
We ask you Lord to bless all those who live and work in this district. This is a place
of many and diverse communities. May our district continue to be enriched by them and we ask
and the joy of life within rich, flourishing and generous communities. Amen. Thank you.

1 Apologies for Absence

Cllr Anita Jones - 0:01:30
Thank you. Let's be seated. Good evening and welcome to the annual Council meeting. This
meeting will be webcast live to the internet. For those who do not wish to be recorded or
filmed, you will need to leave the change of the recording.
meeting, it is important that the microphones are used so
viewers on the webcast and others in the room may hear you.
Would anyone with a mobile phone please switch it to silent mode
as they can be distracting?
I would like to remind members that although we all have strong
opinions on matters under consideration, it is important
to treat members, officers and public speakers with respect.
Thank you.
Item 1, apologies for absence.
Dr Susan Priest - 0:02:19
Thank you, Chair, and good evening, councillors, colleagues and members of the public. We have
two apologies for absence this evening from councillors Cooper and Davidson. Thank you.

2 Election of Chair of the Council

Cllr Anita Jones - 0:02:32
Thank you. And we'll move on to item two. And before we elect the chair of the council,
I would like to firstly thank everyone for supporting me over the last year. I've done
my best to celebrate and promote Folkstone Heights District by attending many events
both throughout our area and across Kent. The most recent highlight was my event in
Dungeness where we had a tour of the RSPB reserve and the old lighthouse. I was pleased
to showcase this amazing part of our district to mayors from across Kent and thank you to
the councillors who joined us. I made a number of pledges last year when I was elected chair
and I'm delighted that I've achieved what I set out to do. I raised around two and a
£5 ,000 for the Rainbow Centre through our Sleepout in November, my Civic Church service
collection and most recently a raffle at my event in Dunginess. Collectively we have donated
essential items to their food bank at every Fall Council meeting throughout the year,
so thank you all for supporting this. I was pleased that we achieved our goal of taking
the Council on tour by visiting New Romney in October for our Fall Council meeting. I'm
forum and thank you to the councillors and officers who have helped make this happen.
The first meeting in February was inspiring and I'm looking forward to our next meeting
in September. It is brilliant to get young people involved in our democracy. In late
autumn I planted around 600 tree whips. I'm pleased that many of these are thriving and
playing an important part in increasing biodiversity in our district. I'd like to thank Gemma,
Alex and Jake for organizing both me and my diary over the last year.
They are a fantastic team.
Thank you also today for ensuring that I get to events on time.
Thank you to Michael for being my chaplain this year.
Your thoughtful prayers have set a good tone for all of our meetings
and I have given them all gifts to show my appreciation.
So thank you to all of them.
So we'll move on and we will call for nominations for chair for the next year.
Do we have a proposer?
Councillor Jim Martin.
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:04:46
Chair, I would like to nominate Councillor Anita Jones as Chair.
Thank you and do you have a seconder?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:04:52
You do, I'd like to second.
Thank you Councillor Prater.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:04:56
And do we have any other nominations?
So are we all agreed?
Thank you, that's very kind.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:05:14
So now I just need to sign the declaration. Do I need to read it out?
You do. I do.
So, you will complete it, so if you see a name you might not know how to sign it.
OK. So, shall we do it here?
I, Councillor Anita Jones, have been elected to the office of chair of Folkestone High
District Council, declare that I take the office upon myself and will duly and faithfully
fulfil the duties of it according to the best of my judgment and ability.
Thank you for electing me for a second year in this role.
I promise that I will again endeavor to celebrate and promote the district.
I'm really keen to continue the work that I started last year,
and I will carry on raising money and awareness for the Rainbow Centre
as they support many residents in our district with their amazing work.
I'm planning to order and plant more tree whips from the Woodlands Trust
to further increase biodiversity in our area.
And most importantly, I will work with our officers to develop the youth forum
to ensure that the young people gain meaningful insights
as stakeholders in our local democracy.
So, thank you.
And if Reverend Michael agrees,
I'm keen to appoint him as my chaplain for this year.
Thank you.
So, we're going to move on to item three,

3 Election of Vice-Chair of the Council

election of Vice Chair of the Council,
and do we have any nominations?
In his absence I would like to nominate Councillor Cooper.
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:07:24
Thank you and do we have somebody to second that?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:07:26
Councillor Tim Prater?
No, who do I?
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:07:29
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:07:29
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:07:34
Okay Councillor Keane, let's have Councillor...
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:07:36
Do we have any other nominations?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:07:45
meetings. So are we all agreed? Thank you and he will take the declaration after the
meeting when he is well. So moving on to item four declarations of interest do we have any

4 Declarations of Interest

declarations?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:08:04
Councillor Wimble. I think I've got to make a declaration for the KCC. And Councillor
Cllr David Wimble - 0:08:13
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:08:13
As his custom and tradition, I would also like to make a
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:08:15
decoration as a Kent County Councillor.
Thank you.
And we'll move on to item five, the minutes.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:08:23
And this is the minutes we are agreeing of the meeting last
year, so the annual meeting last year.
I hope everybody's had a chance to read those.
And are we all agreed they're a correct record?
And I will sign them.

5 Minutes

Cllr Anita Jones - 0:09:01
So we'll move on to item six.
The appointments to committees and subcommittees.

6 Appointments to Committee's and Sub-Committee's of the Council (including the appointment of Chairs and Vice-Chairs)

So we have some recommendations in front of us.
Do we have a proposer?
Chair, thank you very much.
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:09:16
I would like to, sorry, Chair, do you want to take these as a block or one at a time?
So I would like to nominate as Chair of Audit and Government.
No, no, no, just hold fire for a moment.
Can we have a look at number one and two first recommendations?
recommendations and then we'll move on to…
So very, very happy to move Item 1 to receive a note or report.
I am very happy to move to make the necessary appointments and I am very happy to move that
we appoint a chair and vice chair of each committee.
So we want to just hold back on Item 3 at the moment.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:09:57
I'm very happy to second recommendations one and two, as the leader
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:10:02
just said.
Thank you.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:10:05
So we're looking at items one and two, recommendations one and two.
Are we all happy and agreed?
Thank you.
So we'll move on to recommendation three to appoint the chair and vice chair of each committee.
So first of all, do we have any nominations for the chair of audit and governance?
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:10:32
I would like to nominate a Councillor McShane as a chair of Audit and Governance.
Do we have a seconder for that?
Councillor Wimble.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:10:39
And are there any other nominations?
So are we all agreed?
So we move on to the Vice Chair of Audit and Governance.
Do we have somebody who would like to propose?
Councillor Jim Martin.
Thank you, Chair. I would like to propose
as Vice Chair of Audit and Governance,
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:11:01
Councillor Butcher.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:11:05
Thank you. And do we have a seconder?
Councillor Godfrey.
And do we have any other proposals?
So are we all agreed?
So we'll move on to the Chair of Planning and Licensing Committee.
Do we have a nomination, Councillor Jim Martin?
Thank you, Chair.
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:11:26
I would like to nominate, as Chair of Planning and Licensing Committee,
Councillor Mead.
And...
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:11:34
Councillor Filler would like to second.
Do we have any other proposals?
Councillor, Mrs Jenny Hulingsby?
Yes, thank you, Chair.
I'd like to propose Councillor Goddard
as Chairman of the Planning and Licensing Committee.
And do you have a seconder?
Councillor Wimble.
Cllr David Wimble - 0:11:54
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:11:54
So we have two nominations for the planning and licensing
and we'll take them separately.
So all those who would like to vote in favour of Councillor Mead,
please raise your hands.
And if we could pop our hands down. And those in favour of Councillor Goddard.
are not.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:12:55
Were there any abstentions? Thank you.
So Councillor Mead is going to be the Chair of Planning and Licensing.
Now we're going to move on to the Vice Chair of Planning and Licensing and do we have any
nominations?
Councillor Martin.
Chair, thank you.
I would like to nominate as Vice Chair of Planning and Licensing,
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:13:17
Councillor Keane.
And Councillor Fuller, would you like to second that?
Yep.
And do we have any other nominations?
Cllr Gary Fuller - 0:13:28
So are we all agreed?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:13:29
We agree.
And then we're going to move on to the Chair of Personnel Committee.
Do we have any nominations?
Thank you, Chair.
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:13:42
I would like to nominate as Chair of the Personnel Committee, Councillor McConville.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:13:51
And do you have a seconder? Councillor Prater. And are there any other nominations? Now we
all agreed? And then we need to then look at the Vice Chair of the Personnel Committee.
Do we have a nomination? Councillor Jim Martin.
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:14:08
Thank you, Chair. I would like to nominate Councillor Holgate as the Vice Chair of the
Personnel Committee.
And do you have a seconder?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:14:17
Councillor Mike Blaipmore.
Are there any other nominations?
And are we all agreed?
Thank you.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:14:32
So we'll move on to item 7, the delegation
on non -executive functions.

7 Scheme of Delegation of non-executive functions

And do we have somebody who would
to propose this report and introduce it?
Councillor Jim Martin.
Very happy to propose, Chair.
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:14:52
The report is as it appears in the pack.
There's very little I can add except to thank the officers for their diligence and skill
in preparing the report.
Thank you.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:15:07
And would somebody like to second this?
Councillor Thomas.
And would anybody like to debate this?
Or are we all agreed?
Agreed. Thank you.

8 Schedule of meeting dates 2025/26

So we'll move on to item 8, schedule of meetings for 25 -26.
So do we have somebody who...
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:15:30
Councillor Martin would like to propose this.
Thank you very much, Chair. Sorry about this.
I am very happy to propose the schedule of meetings for 25 -26.
It's very much a standard report.
And again, just to thank the officers for working so hard to draw this together.
Thank you.
Thank you. And do we have a seconder?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:15:50
Councillor Thomas was first, I'm afraid.
OK, so moving on to item 9.
Are we agreed?

9 Annual report on policies and strategies adopted by Cabinet and update on urgent decisions 24/25

Agreed. Excellent. Okay. So moving on to item 9, the annual report on policies and strategies
adopted by cabinet. So do we have a proposer?
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:16:19
Thank you, Chair. Sorry about that. I'm very happy to propose the annual report of policies
and strategies adopted by the cabinet.
And do we have a seconder?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:16:32
Councillor Tim Prater.
And would anybody like to debate
this or are we agreed?
Thank you and item 10 in the annual

10 Annual report of the Audit and Governance Committee 24/25

audit and governance report.
Councillor Liz McShane would
like to introduce this.
OK, you'd like to propose it.
Would you like to speak on it?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:16:55
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:16:59
Just to put on record again, thanks, big thanks from the committee to the finance team. They
really did amazing work. We had a backlog a couple of years ago. They've put amazing
work in getting our systems up to scratch, fit for purpose, so it's a real achievement.
So it's a pleasure really. Thank you.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:17:16
And do you have a seconder? Councillor Lockwood. And would anybody like to debate this? Or
Thank you.
So moving on to item 11, the annual report of the overview and scrutiny committee and
Councillor McConville would like to propose this.
Cllr Connor McConville - 0:17:41
Happy to propose this report and just say briefly thanks to Councillor Davidson who's
not here for all the work she's done on that committee over the past year, especially some
of the meetings where we've had quite a lot of external guests and they are quite hefty

11 Annual report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 24/25

meetings to manage and thanks obviously to all the officers and everyone else that's
helped through both the committee and the subcommittee throughout the year.
Thank you and do we have somebody who'd like to second this?
Councillor Martin.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:18:11
Chair, may I?
Cessna.
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:18:15
Just to add to Councillor McConville, I think Councillor Davidson has been an absolute standout
My mind goes back particularly to the meeting she organised with Southern Water.
We made so much progress during that meeting with regard to our relationship,
not only with Southern Water but also the Environment Agency.
That has opened the door in many ways for a greater level of communication.
and I think had that been handled differently, had Councillor Davidson not been in the chair,
I think we would have struggled.
So I cannot thank Councillor Davidson enough because I think she's done a brilliant job.
Thank you, I agree.
She's been an excellent chair.
Would anybody else like to add anything?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:19:10
So we're happy to agree it.
Agreed.
Okay so, oh Councillor Meade. Thank you, I just wanted to ask because we
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:19:23
have various reports on committees, we never have one on planning and as we're held to
a housing target, I do feel that we should have an annual report as to how we're achieving
against our target and also regarding the amount of appeals because that will tell us
as a council whether we're making strong decisions.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:19:48
A very good suggestion and I will take that on board.
Moving on to Item 12, the annual scrutiny programme.

12 Annual Scrutiny work programme 2025/26

Would somebody like to introduce this?
Councillor McConville.
Cllr Connor McConville - 0:20:03
Yeah, happy to propose the programme for councillors that aren't aware.
A broad list of subjects are sent out to members of the committee to sort of score.
Members of the public are also asked to put their suggestions in to the mix as well as
officers and any Councillor really can put a suggestion in.
And then obviously what we see in the report is the preferred sort of the ones that score
the highest but obviously nothing is set in stone as we've seen in the past if the committee
feels there's something that deserves our attention, then obviously, through the chair,
we try to do our best to make sure that happens.
Thank you.
And do we have a seconder?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:20:44
Councillor Wayne.
And would anybody like to add anything to that?
Councillor Hills.
Councillor Tony Hills - 0:20:54
I'd just like to say I've been very impressed by that committee since I rejoined this council.
And Lawrence has done a great job, a fantastic job in doing it.
I support what Councillor McConnell has said.
I think building that flexibility also going forward as things happen is also worthwhile
considering but it operates a very transparent committee.
Yes, I agree.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:21:18
It's a very good committee to sit on.
Would anybody else like to add anything?
So are we all agreed?

13 Governance arrangements of Folkestone and Hythe District Council

Okay, so moving on to Item 13, the governance arrangements for Folkestone High District
Council and I believe Councillor Jenny Hollingsby will be proposing this.
Thank you chair.
Well it gives me great pleasure really to move the recommendations, recommendation one
and recommendation two.
I think that that actually clarifies the decision that we made and actually confirms that decision
from the Labor Secretary of State.
I think the summary really sets out the situation.
Particularly the last sentence,
or the last paragraph, perhaps,
a response was received from the Secretary of State
on 2nd April,
agreeing that retaining a cabinet leader,
executive model of governance,
is likely to improve the economic, social, environmental wellbeing
of some or all of the people who live or work in the area of the local authority, and giving
consent to the Council's proposal to resolve to retain the cabinet leader model of governance.
In the light of the previous decision of Council and the Secretary of State's consent to the
proposal, members are recommended to pass a further motion to this effect, and I would
recommend that we do so tonight. Thank you very much indeed.
Thank you. Do we have a seconder?
Councillor Martin.
Thank you, Chair.
I'm happy to second.
Cllr Jim Martin - 0:23:01
But it gives me no pleasure at all.
I have had to change my position on this 180 degrees.
I can't express it any other way.
I was a fervent supporter of the committee system,
but we find ourselves in a very, very, very different situation
from the one that we were when we first took this vote.
I have given this a great deal of thought,
a great deal of discussion,
and so that is why it is with a heavy heart,
but I think it is the best route for the council to take.
So that is why I willingly second the motion.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:23:55
Thank you and it's now open for debate.
Councillor Lockwood.
Cllr Adrian Lockwood - 0:24:00
Thank you, Chair.
We've expressed our disappointment as a group at this decision.
We respect the democratic process.
It was debated, there was a vote, and this was agreed collectively.
I still find it slightly strange that a group of elected officials on behalf of their constituents
would pass a motion to give them less say in the business of this council.
I don't think I'll ever figure that one out.
Personally, I can't vote for this, but given that we've agreed collectively that this is
the way forward, we're not going to stand in your way.
Thank you.
Would anybody else like to speak?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:25:01
So I believe Councillor Hollingsbury has the right of reply.
Thank you chair. Well I would just encourage people to vote for it. I think it is the right
decision bearing in mind the road ahead and I would ask that you do support this. Thank you.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:25:25
So we're going to move to a vote. Those in favour?
Those abstaining.
So we have 17 for, four against and seven abstentions, so that has passed.
And that's the end of our meeting.
So have a lovely evening everybody.