Cabinet - Wednesday 21 May 2025, 5:00pm - Folkestone & Hythe webcasting

Cabinet
Wednesday, 21st May 2025 at 5:00pm 

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  1. Cllr Tim Prater
  2. Cllr Tim Prater
  3. Ms Jemma West
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  1. Microphone Forty
  2. Cllr Tim Prater
  3. Cllr James Butcher
  4. Microphone Forty
  5. Cllr James Butcher
  6. Microphone Forty
  7. Cllr James Butcher
  8. Microphone Forty
  9. Cllr James Butcher
  10. Cllr Tim Prater
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  1. Cllr Mike Blakemore
  2. Cllr Tim Prater
  3. Cllr Gary Fuller
  4. Cllr Mike Blakemore
  5. Cllr Tim Prater
  6. Gavin Edwards
  7. Cllr Tim Prater
  8. Cllr Polly Blakemore
  9. Cllr Gary Fuller
  10. Cllr Tim Prater
  11. Cllr Polly Blakemore
  12. Gavin Edwards
  13. Cllr Tim Prater
  14. Cllr Jeremy Speakman
  15. Cllr Jeremy Speakman
  16. Cllr Tim Prater
  17. Cllr Stephen Scoffham
  18. Cllr Tim Prater
  19. Cllr James Butcher
  20. Gavin Edwards
  21. Cllr Tim Prater
  22. Cllr Tim Prater
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  1. Cllr Connor McConville
  2. Cllr Tim Prater
  3. Mr Andy Blaszkowicz
  4. Cllr Tim Prater
  5. Cllr Polly Blakemore
  6. Mr Andy Blaszkowicz
  7. Cllr Tim Prater
  8. Cllr James Butcher
  9. Mr Andy Blaszkowicz
  10. Cllr Tim Prater
  11. Cllr Stephen Scoffham
  12. Mr Andy Blaszkowicz
  13. Cllr Stephen Scoffham
  14. Cllr Tim Prater
  15. Mr Andy Blaszkowicz
  16. Cllr Tim Prater
  17. Cllr Mike Blakemore
  18. Mr Andy Blaszkowicz
  19. Cllr Tim Prater
  20. Cllr Tim Prater
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  1. Cllr Connor McConville
  2. Cllr Tim Prater
  3. Cllr Polly Blakemore
  4. Cllr Tim Prater
  5. Cllr Rebecca Shoob
  6. Cllr Tim Prater
  7. Mr Andy Blaszkowicz
  8. Cllr Tim Prater
  9. Cllr Stephen Scoffham
  10. Cllr Tim Prater
  11. Mr Andy Blaszkowicz
  12. Cllr Tim Prater
  13. Cllr James Butcher
  14. Cllr Tim Prater
  15. Cllr Mike Blakemore
  16. Cllr Tim Prater
  17. Cllr Tim Prater
  18. Webcast Finished

Cllr Tim Prater - 0:00:05
Good evening everyone and welcome to the meeting of the cabinet. This meeting is being webcast
live to the internet. For those who do not wish to be recorded or filmed, please leave
the chamber. For members, officers and others speaking at the meeting, it is important that
the microphones are used so viewers on the webcast and others in the room may hear you.
If anyone with a mobile phone, please switch it to silent mode as they can be distracting.
and I'd like to remind members that although we may have strong opinions on any matter
under consideration, it is important to treat members, officers and public speakers with

1 Apologies for Absence

respect. And on that, hello everyone. Firstly, a big welcome to councillors James Butcher
and councillor Colin McConville who are joining the cabinet and I'm sure our thanks to councillor
Rich Holgate who has left the cabinet as well. The astute amongst you may have noticed that
I am not Jim Martin who is currently representing this council at a conference in Leeds and
bothering housing ministers as we understand it. He will explain the t -shirt later I'm
sure. So we will first move to the first item of agenda which is the apologies for absence.
So we start with Jim Martin. Gemma do we have anyone else?
No other apologies this evening. Grandin.
Ms Jemma West - 0:01:19
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:01:19
Thank you then item 2, declarations of interest. Are there any declarations of interest in
in any item on this agenda.

2 Declarations of Interest

3 Minutes

Not up front. If anyone sees something later, just let us know.
Item three minutes to consider and approve as a correct record
the minutes of the meeting held on the 23rd of April 2025,
which are in front of you.
Are there any questions, comments, or can I have somebody to propose those
as a record? That's Councillor Mike Blakemore, thank you, is proposing,
and a seconder would be useful, Councillor Jeremy Speake,
when we got there first, thank you.
unless there are questions all those in favour please share. That is unanimity.

4 Oportunitas Limited - Business Plan 2025/26 to 2029/30

In that case we'll move to item 4, opportunity as limited, the business plan 2526 to 2930.
I believe that Jonathan is going to work us through this report and the recommendations.
Welcome to me Jonathan.
Yes.
Thank you, Chair.
Microphone Forty - 0:02:20
The item before you is the revised opportunity
task business plan.
It presents a refreshed business plan for 2526
and forecasts of 2029 -30.
As per the shareholder agreement,
the company must submit an annual business plan
to the Council of the Cabinet.
The business plan for you was actually
approved by the opportunity task board of directors
at its meeting on the 7th of May, 2025.
There are some key features of this business plan
this time around to highlight two cabinets.
So a number of elements of the business plan
are similar to the previous assumptions, including
the lack of any further planned capital
investment in the company.
Those assumptions are set out at paragraph 1 .4 of the report.
The loan discount itself has changed,
which has improved the position for Oportunitas.
This is because the new interest rate chargeable
is higher now than when the financial review was originally
performed, resulting in a greater discount
on the present valuation.
The original discount was 1 .3 million, but it's now 1 .7 million and is incorporated in
the new business plan.
And this is dealt with at section 3 of the report and section 4 .4 of appendix 1, which
is the actual business plan documentation.
On the return to the council as a shareholder, ultimately the company may be able to pay
a dividend a year earlier than previously anticipated.
This would mean a dividend payment relating to the 25 -26 financial year of £35 ,000.
£2 and the detailed dividend considerations are set out in section 5.
There is some financial risk modelling that's been performed which is linked to the aforementioned
dividend payments, i .e. 10 % movements in net income have been modelled both up and down
and these are set out in paragraph 5 .5 .1 of appendix 1.
Again the opportunity to ask papers.
So the recommendations before you are to receive and note the report and to approve the business
plan and I'd be happy to take any questions.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:04:16
Thank you. On the basis that this is now showing a, that there starts to be a return to the
Council before, by 2028 -29 which is excellent, so that's really good news to see, I'm happy
to move this report. I don't know if there's a second there. Councillor Gary Fuller has
Questions, comments, debate?
Come on, James.
Councillor Butcher.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:04:52
Yeah, a question, I suppose.
The dividend, this is going to be the first time
that the company's been able to pay a dividend.
How does that get decided and agreed
and when does it get paid?
Microphone Forty - 0:05:07
Thank you, Councillor Butcher. The answer to that question lies in, I think, basically
companies' acts. So there has to be a director's meeting to approve a dividend at first. The
likelihood, or the timing of this, would normally be towards the end of the year to ensure that
the company has performed in line with expectations for the year, and also it would then be able
assess whether it has sufficient cash to pay that dividend to avoid it being an illegal
dividend.
But effectively it would be a matter for the board to hold a meeting and approve a dividend
payment.
As I mentioned, it would generally be better to do that towards the end of the financial
year just to be able to confirm that there has been performance in line with expectations.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:05:59
And because I think sometimes the out term for the year
has been refined and changed beyond the end of the financial year,
so would that mean you'd have to wait for a final confirmed out term
beyond the end of the financial year to make that decision?
Microphone Forty - 0:06:20
It wouldn't be absolutely necessary to wait for that,
however obviously it would be sensible to ensure
that all sort of costs and the like have been considered and dealt with as part of the out -term.
But again, it will be a case of making a decision based on the information available at the
time when it can be based on the position that they, and the information available about
whether or not a dividend is valid.
And that's the point is ensuring that no illegal dividend is paid, i .e. the company still has
the cash to pay its creditors, basically.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:06:58
So it's about, in the business plan you've got that
where you talk about if it's plus 10 % minus 10 % of net income
and on the face of it that sounds like quite an impact
of what might look like a relatively small shift
which could look like a bit of a risk,
that just that 10 % shift making quite a material difference.
Is that a reasonable assumption to make?
I guess it's then just for us to be really aware of that
and the need to be carefully managing costs, etc.
Microphone Forty - 0:07:38
We think that 10 % is a reasonable level with which to model with.
Obviously, of course, there is quarterly monitoring that does take place,
And so we'd be able to assess and forecast
to the end of the year projections
are performed at each quarter.
And so that would give the ability
to view where we are in line with those assumptions.
But of course, having some modeling on a 10 % basis
does seem reasonable, given the costs.
Are they likely to move, for example,
is the income likely to move by 10 %?
And are expenses likely to move by more than, say, 10 %?
So it is considered to be reasonable, of course,
So, quarterly monitoring does support
some of the assumptions or the projections that are made.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:08:26
I was thinking, yes, the 10 % sounds sense,
where I suppose it's just striking the impact of the 10 %
that we need to be aware of.
When we're looking at the headline,
return to the council looks very healthy,
but actually quite a small shift in net income
could eat away at that.
just something I think we all need to be alert to.
Thank you.
I think with most of these things we accept that these are a forecast
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:08:52
and the decision in terms of dividends etc.
are made much closer to the point whereby we've got an end of year.
So yeah, absolutely these figures are forecasts and things can change.
But it's a projection and a series of...
Intentions at this stage as opposed to deliverables because I don't know what the accounts will be until the accounts are.
Are there any further questions or comments on this rule?
If not, then we will go to the recommendations which are looking up here somewhere.
Which has been moved by myself and second by the Council.
recommendation to receive a note,
they report and to agree the proposed
business plan for the period through
to 31st of March 2030.
So any questions,
all those in favor, please share.
It's unanimous. Thank you very much.

5 Equality and Diversity Policy 2025-29

Right, that goes us to item five.
The equality and diversity policy 2529.
I understand this is pretty much refresh.
I don't know who's taking us through it.
Let me see.
Pardon?
Mike's going to take it over there.
Ken?
Sorry, I should have asked to have, yeah.
Councillor Mike Lakeville, what was yours?
Thank you, Chair.
Cllr Mike Blakemore - 0:10:16
I'm very pleased to introduce this refresh of the Council's equality and diversity policy.
Such things may have been outlawed elsewhere.
Some people may wish to do so closer to home, but not this Council.
The policy covers the period 21 to 25, so a refresh was required.
but the duties with regard to equality and diversity have not changed.
They are to ensure that everyone has the right to be treated fairly at work
or when using the council services.
The policy will require final approval by full council.
It's already been considered by the Corporate Governance Board,
Corporate Leadership Team and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
The Equality Act 2010 includes general duties for public organisations
and other specific duties for local authorities.
and you'll find more details of these in the Cabinet Report and the policy itself.
As there have been no principal changes in legislation, the policy itself remains largely
unchanged but one of the changes is an updated reference in section 9 to how the Council's
new corporate plan links with the Council's influence in promoting equality and tackling
discrimination within the community through its work with partners via the guiding principle
engaging meaningfully with the community.
To action the policy will undertake
equality impact assessments to consider
the equal opportunities implications of any changes
to policies, functions, strategies or projects
and these will be included with committee reports.
And we'll monitor the equality objectives
and report progress through the youth forum
and as part of the annual equality and diversity report
presented to cabinet.
So therefore I'd like to move the recommendations
which are to receive and note the cabinet report, to consider and approve the draft
equality and diversity policy for 25 to 29 and to recommend the policy to full Council for approval.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:12:08
Thank you Councillor Mike Blackmore. Do we have a seconder please?
We do.
Councillor Fuller do you want to speak?
Cllr Gary Fuller - 0:12:18
Thank you Chair. Yeah this really good report, really good policy. I noted in particular the
the objectives about the customer access strategy and double checked with officers that we are
all over that and we are, which is really good. Also on the feedback from overview and
scrutiny, they basically mentioned that we should think about digital isolation as part
that and we are doing that as well as part of the process so that's good.
I did have one question on the news that the Government is looking at bringing in the socio -economic
duty which is in place in Scotland and Wales but was never implemented in England and whether
or not we expect that to affect us, I mean it does affect us because it requires us as
as it were, as public authorities to have due regard to socio -economic disadvantage,
but how we think that might affect the policy and whether or not we're going to end up having
to review it again in however long it takes the government to get round to implementing
it.
You know that moment you look round the room and officers avoid your eye.
Cllr Mike Blakemore - 0:13:40
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:13:41
Gavin has now blinked, so we're going to give it to him.
Thank you and thank you for your comments on that, Councillor Fuller.
Gavin Edwards - 0:13:49
Now obviously this will be something that I will obviously have to look into with regards
to obviously notably I think on another area that came up, as a separate item on the screws
needs to do with the Supreme Court ruling as well.
So if that is the case we will make the necessary adjustments where needed on that.
I think that's the simplest answer I can give on that.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:14:13
Councillor Polly Blakeman, Blakemore, and then I've seen Jeremy Speakman and Stephen
Scotland in approximately that order.
Cllr Polly Blakemore - 0:14:23
Yeah, just a couple of matters really related to digital isolation, which you've already
heard about. I think there are a couple of areas we need to look at, one of which would
be the visitor car parking permits which are very much just available online and I'm not
sure that we could say that under no circumstances is anyone excluded because you do have to
be on a line in order to get a parking permit for your visitors when you're in a controlled
parking zone.
And the other matter I'd raise is that since we lost your district today, if you're not
online it's really quite hard to find out all the services and events that the council
is putting on so yeah just a couple of matters in relation to that digital isolation there.
Cllr Gary Fuller - 0:15:16
One just to say I've made a note of those and two I forgot the other thing I was going
to mention and I've mentioned this for every policy that's come forward recently can we
have an easy read version of the policy because that is obviously part of accessibility and
quality as it was, so that would be great if we came.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:15:33
OK, I think that's been taken. These are the second question.
Second one Polly. There was just one other thing I was going to
Cllr Polly Blakemore - 0:15:42
add, if that's OK. Just a quick question really. I see all the
contact details have been removed from this version of the
policy and I just wondered what the rationale for that is, please.
Thank you for your comment there, Councillor Blaemore. I think it was
Gavin Edwards - 0:15:57
Just a general, obviously the previous contact details were obviously a previous team.
I think structures have moved around.
I think we just obviously to simplify it in terms of its one position on the website in terms of
the nature of the team that was originally in that policy is obviously separated out now.
So I think that's why we took it out and just to keep it as a basic general corporate policy is
published and available on our website.
And obviously there are questions via whatever channel we'll answer them however possible.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:16:29
Yes, thank you very much.
Cllr Jeremy Speakman - 0:16:31
Very, very good on the policy and it's particularly helpful actually having the track changes
on Appendix 1 because of course for nitpickers like me I'm just interested in a couple of
changes there.
Obviously most of the same but you've got some changes around responsibilities and I
appreciate some of that obviously has not changed with cabinet overall responsibility,
the role of the overview and scrutiny for monitoring.
I'm curious about the corporate governance board in terms of who makes that up, because
that was previously the senior management team.
I presume that was something different to the corporate leadership team.
I'm a little bit confused as to who does what in that one.
Thank you for your comments there, Councillor Smeed.
With regards to obviously the senior management team previously, that was obviously the corporate
leadership team and obviously senior managers there. The corporate governance board is obviously
made up of the council's key chief officers. So they're the chief officers that obviously
oversee those services as well and there's a representative as well obviously as a corporate
director from the corporate leadership team as well. That makes up what is the corporate
governance board. That meets on a monthly basis and as I say it was established to provide
and support recommendations to the corporate leadership team and obviously to drive improvements
and obviously effectiveness of governance arrangements and compliance across some business
matters across the council.
So that's what it's established.
So that was set up because they felt that you needed to have a separation between the
corporate leadership team functions and the corporate government board.
And yes, they were one and the same.
Yeah, so you've got that function there with obviously chief officers having that level
there as well.
Yeah, thank you.
So the corporate leadership team is the CLT as you know it,
but below that is a range of chief officers working with the CLT to implement the governance,
the corporate governance across the council.
And one of the reasons that we established this corporate governance board is recognition that,
you know, significant matters like equalities needed a real focus from senior managers upwards.
Therefore, it's an officer structure to support delivery of objectives of policies like the
Equalities Policy on behalf of cabinet.
Right, doesn't get lost, that doesn't make perfect sense.
Just one other item, if I may?
Yes, but I don't know if your microphone's off.
I think it's not off.
It's on?
Cllr Jeremy Speakman - 0:19:05
Yeah, it's on.
Just curious, again, under the track changes, there was a slight change in language which
I thought was interesting, which was seven,
under monitoring and reviewing, final bullet point.
Previous language was carrying out progress reviews.
I think this is the role of the corporate government's body,
government board now as opposed to SMT,
was carrying out previous, was carrying out progress reviews
and reports of equality and impact assessments, which
I understand is still part of the process.
That's now changed to ensuring officers
are mindful of the equality impact when completing projects or policies.
Bracket equality impact assessments.
It's like strengthening the slight turning down of the language
and I wasn't quite sure what the purpose of that was.
Thank you for your comments there obviously on that Councillor's speech
with regards to that.
Obviously we have mentioned and changed the wording around that.
It's obviously to ensure around equality considerations are considered
at the outset of any new projects or policy.
rather than it being an afterthought,
because that's why you should do
the quality impact assessments,
they're not an afterthought measure.
Obviously the changes require officers
to complete the EIA's on new policies,
and specifically those,
obviously it mentions that in the implications sections now.
Committee reports, Catholic templates,
notably as well, there's been some updates
and revisions to those as well.
Reminders around all the quality impact assessments
have been sent out throughout the year
to all service leads and chief officers
with regards to that, including to ensure that they are included with committee reports
for the transparency purposes.
So you can actually see as members that there has been a consideration being given to equality
matters there.
And obviously this report includes one.
And as part of that, it's a screening stage.
If there are any other issues above that, then it will be a full stage two impact assessment.
But in most cases, it's a screening stage.
But it's giving that transparency to show that actually it's more than just a comment
in the unification section of the committee before,
there's a full impact assessment there and it's covered.
So we are actively encouraging that through the reminders
and obviously making sure they're provided that way as well.
So that's the way which we're trying to keep on top of
with regards to that and making sure that it's done
so you can see that as well as part of that
when you see the papers.
Thank you very much, Nick, as well.
Councillor Scoffin.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:21:26
Oh good, that one lights up.
Cllr Stephen Scoffham - 0:21:30
Yeah, I'm on page 39, 4 .5,
where there's a heading on climate change.
Just to pick up on what Councillor Lakemore was saying
at the beginning, that heading might not appear in reports
in some of the parts of the world.
I'm very glad to see that heading here.
And I'm very pleased to see the detail that these climate
change paragraphs are now including.
And the heading there, or the open sentence,
that climate change disproportionately
affects vulnerable communities, minorities,
and lower income groups is a really well -made point.
So I just wanted to welcome that in the report.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:22:09
Welcome, you noted, Councillor Butcher.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:22:14
Yeah, question about Appendix 1 and the Action Plan and objectives,
and just wonder where those get reported progress against those
and the deadlines and so on.
Thank you for your comments there again, Councillor Butcher.
Gavin Edwards - 0:22:25
So you are right, there is as part of the policy
a new set of equality objectives there,
which we're obviously required to set every four years.
So these will be the new ones.
They are linked in with some areas of obviously the current
corporate action plan, which I believe will be coming
in front of you as members in July as well.
So we've tried to keep some of the link there.
With that as well, we will report these at least annually
with regards to the annual quality and diversity report,
which you'll see as well.
And there'll be other measures as we've mentioned as well
about showing progress through the youth forum as well,
which I think was one of the topics that came up
at overview and scrutiny when this report was presented
on the 22nd of April as well.
so there will be particularly that in terms of the annual report as well.
The annual report will indeed, yeah.
Any more for any more?
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:23:14
In that case that item has been, that item in the recommendation
has been moved by Councillor Mike Blakemore and seconded by Councillor Fuller if my memory
is still right. All those in favour please share.
That is you, Dan. Thank you very much.

6 Remediation of the Landslides at The Leas, Folkestone

Cllr Tim Prater - 0:23:36
And we plunge headlong into item six, the remediation of the landslides at the Lees Folkstone.
I don't know if he's expecting that, but welcoming the cabinet member for assets,
Councillor Conlon O 'Conville, to introduce us.
Cllr Connor McConville - 0:23:52
I'm always ready, Tim.
Good evening members and it's nice to be here.
In an early steep learning curve and this is obviously part of it.
So I would like to move the report and the recommendations with it.
This report focuses on two areas where landslips have previously occurred through the winter
of 23 and onward into 2024 and I thank the officers for their work not only in securing
the areas but also for the survey and investigation work that has enabled the progress that we
see in the report with us.
Let's say those previous works have included some drone survey works of the cliff to inform
our planning and extensive tree works to the areas beneath the binary and the zigzag path
and obviously routine maintenance will continue to those trees throughout.
The first of the land slips that needs to be addressed and actioned is the one that's
above the coastal park play area.
Members can note the course of actions to be undertaken in section three of the report.
Please note that it is time sensitive, the nature of these works.
Part of the work will require the play equipment to be removed before the cliff work can begin
and subsequently the new equipment cannot be installed until the cliff stabilization
works complete. So if we want to deliver a first class play area, which we'll come to
shortly, in time for next summer, then it's essential we move at pace with the works to
the cliff. Following completion of the works to the landslide above the play area, officers
will move on to designing the scheme to remediate the slip above the cow path next year in 2026.
Finally, please note the funding required for the project in 6 .2. The use of SIL funds
This I believe is wholly appropriate in this instance as it unlocks the ability to provide
the new Lower Lees Coastal play area and secures the Historic Lees gardens above.
I ask members to support the recommendations which are to receive and note the reports,
to note the works undertaken to date, to note that officers to issue a tender for the stabilisation
works, that's recommendation 3, and recommendation 4 to note the aim to complete the works on
on the cow path later on next year in 2026.
Thank you.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:26:24
Bless you. Is there somebody who was second in the report?
OK, well, the second you want to speak on it or is that Helen's moment?
Did any officer want to add any technical information?
I think Councillor McConville has pretty much covered it.
Mr Andy Blaszkowicz - 0:26:43
lot of detail in the report.
We'll have to take any questions.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:26:48
Councilor Polly Bacon
thank you. I just had a quick question
Cllr Polly Blakemore - 0:26:56
about planning because it's noted at 5 .1.
It's that it's not clear whether full
planning will be required in that we
would get an update at this cabinet.
Just wonder if there's any news on that.
We have been chasing for an update.
we haven't received one as yet I was hoping to have one for the
Mr Andy Blaszkowicz - 0:27:13
meeting but I
can update members when I do get that update we are of the opinion our
opinion is we don't think we need planning cases here of a similar opinion
with their planners with regards to the road of remembrance but we will follow
that up with a formal formal note form planning and then we'll get that to you
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:27:36
Councillor Butcher.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:27:41
Thank you. I just wondered if it's possible to be any more precise about the Cow Path
than sometime in 2026, just thinking it's one of those significant routes for residents
and visitors to get down into the coastal path, and as it knows it was November 2023
that that landslide occurred, so it's going to feel to people that three years is a long
and sometime in 2026 sounds quite open ended.
Mr Andy Blaszkowicz - 0:28:09
Thanks, Councillor Butcher. We're dealing with quite a few unknowns at the moment,
so we're planning. We're in the planning stage for the first slip above the play area
that will be tendered as per the detail in the report in the summer.
I'm ready to start in the autumn. We are hoping that budget wise we will have money
left over from phase one if you like to roll over into phase two the cow path
design is going to be different from the play area slip because you've got
different you've got different soil structure there essentially that Aaron
coming in the middle is far more eloquent and skilled in these matters
but you've got a different source structure it's much looser down at the
cow path where you've got a more rocky cemented sandstone above the play area
It's looser down there, you've got more access problems with regards to tree works,
so you can't actually get in there without extensive tree works and stuff like that.
So the design solution is going to be different to the design solution above the play area.
So we are dealing with this series of unknowns.
There is going to be some more testing, some borehole testing as part of the work we're doing now,
which has been commissioned and will be carried out shortly, which will help inform the works.
but we're fairly set on the solution for the one below the binary and above the play area.
But that will then help to inform the other one, but it is going to be different.
So it depends how much money we've got left over from that after we've tendered it to how quickly we can get on.
But what we're thinking is that we've had conversations already about the use of further SILF monies
and building into next year's budget setting process, which will obviously commence in August -September,
by which time we will know the cost of this, how much money we're going to have left over,
then we can build in a capital sum for next year if required,
to be approved next February by full council,
and then we can crack on straight away after that.
So it is anticipated to get on with that as soon as we can after the first one is done,
if that makes sense.
Councillor Scafford.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:30:14
Cllr Stephen Scoffham - 0:30:16
I notice the comment that public interest in what's going on remains high,
which is absolutely right.
I was just wondering, I imagine we'll be communicating what's going on
in the usual way through press release and so on.
I just wonder if there's any mileage in putting up a sign or something like that,
or signage actually at the site,
saying very briefly why it's taking so long to do this,
and it's not our inefficiency.
We have a difficult problem to solve,
and we are working on it,
and it will be resolved in a professional and robust way,
and that can't be done overnight.
Finding those right words, which you can say in a couple of paragraphs on the site,
so that people who look at it say,
oh, God, they still haven't got on with it, will be able to find out why.
Just a thought.
Happy to do so.
Mr Andy Blaszkowicz - 0:31:08
We will of course be, after we've got your approval this evening,
we will of course be updating the website.
Once we've got a programme, once we've got a tender, we've got a programme for the works,
we'll update the website.
We will have signs in the coastal park regarding to the wider play area project, which we're
going to come on to next.
We can certainly look at incorporating some of this into that as well.
Thank you very much.
Cllr Stephen Scoffham - 0:31:29
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:31:31
I'm going to go in first, Mike, then I'll move you.
On section 2 .3, and I've got segues into Councillor Scoffr's point here at this stage, it discusses
is about the approach to trees and trees, which effectively, as I understand it from
a very non -technical background, so Aaron can take my leg in a minute, a lot of the
issues of those landslides were caused by the fact that we had, that trees are good
for stability along the bank, but tall trees are really bad for stability along the bank,
and the longer the lever, the more it moves in the ground and the more the ground comes
So it is discussed within the vapor that there is some, but not very explicitly, that we're
going to need to be reducing, that it would make good sense to reduce the height of many
of the taller trees along there, as I said, all of the trees, almost all of the trees,
would be expected to be retained, but shorter.
So Pollard did and Topstake and off and things like that.
I think it would be worthwhile within e -signage if we make that clear as well.
we are not removing trees along there for any bad reasons.
We are removing trees because without it they could pull,
that they will continue to pull the land down in high winds
and particularly wet conditions and high winds as well.
There didn't appear to be, it wasn't referred to explicitly,
we didn't hear about funding for those tree works
along the length of the scarp, both there and further along.
I'm assuming that's because that's a rolling programme
and it's part of a piece of work which will happen around
that program but could you just a confirm that and I think that would be helpful with
our signage as well but we're doing this work and the reason if we're doing those tree works
that we are not the Fungsten tree murderers we are doing this for a very good reason and
we're doing it for the reason of protecting the Escalpment and making sure that it doesn't
continue to come down and we don't continue to have to close off areas and close off pathways
because we're losing the clef.
Yes.
Mr Andy Blaszkowicz - 0:33:35
routine maintenance you'll recall maybe probably eight years ago, eight, nine years ago
we did some extensive tree work removing all the self set sycamores
on the cliff
the trees that we're dealing with now are typically larger holm oaks
which have big canopies and they're evergreen
So with an evergreen tree in the big winter storms saturated
bank, that is the issue. So I'll just go back to your point
regarding removal of trees. We're not removing any trees.
We haven't removed any trees from anywhere. We have copies
things down to various levels. Now the lower we copies it, the
more we can stabilize the root zone.
Which is which is helpful as soon as Tim says as soon as that
canopy gets big, it's blown around in the wind, saturated
the roots up, which is causing the slip in the loose sandstone
cliff. The routine maintenance is picked up by the councils tree
team and the works that we're doing now will just be added to
the sycamores. Because again, the sycamores were all pollarded
right down there and been removed because you can't remove
them off a cliff. So we have a routine maintenance program on
those and we will just extend that out to the new trees that
but it is also worth knowing we cannot access all of the trees in there.
We've profiled the whole cliff.
We've had walkover surveys.
We've had drone surveys.
We've looked at the topography of the cliff.
We've done a tree survey of the whole cliff so that can be overlaid on the drone survey
looking at the topography.
So all of the steepest areas of the cliff, we've mapped the trees and we know where all
the biggest trees are on the steepest bits of the bank.
So it's almost like a risk assessment.
highlighted the risk of trees,
and then we're accessing the trees that we can to maintain, to reduce,
and that is the work that is ongoing currently.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:35:27
Thank you very much, and Councillor Mike Blakemore.
I was going to ask a very similar question,
but I do remember after that work was carried out eight years ago,
Cllr Mike Blakemore - 0:35:34
there were comments on social media about why have you cut all the trees back,
and then after the land slips, there were lots of comments about
why didn't you cut all the trees back?
But no, my question was more generally about prevention
And as Tim mentioned, there's not much in here about what,
presumably because we just don't know yet,
what needs to be done on an ongoing basis
and what the cost attached to that is.
And is it limited to trees or is there,
because I know with Madeira Walk,
the way in which Madeira Walk is supported
is possibly quite difficult.
So are we confident that there aren't other things
that we need to do to prevent other bits of Madeira Walk
from disappearing down the cliff face
from the surveys we've had.
Any guarantees on this?
I'm not going to provide you with a guarantee.
Mr Andy Blaszkowicz - 0:36:23
There are other bits of work going on.
Aaron's team have completed a 10 year maintenance survey, if you like, for the Lees.
We are aware of issues that need to be rectified,
particularly the walls adjacent to Madeira Walk are an issue for us.
We think the rest of Madeira Walk is OK. We will be looking at that and we're looking at the drainage coming down from the walls above Madeira Walk and then what happens to that water and if we need to replace drainage gullies. We have got some money identified in the current infrastructure delivery strategy for still. So the IFS we have got I think it was 150 ,000 pound currently allocated in there, which we're going to be looking at next year.
And we've been talking about increasing that so as we've got
this 10 year maintenance plan.
There's some fairly big numbers in there, but it's looking at
reinstating everything on the lease exactly how you want to
ban, stand, tarmac, cliffs, pass, steps, etc. etc. It's
looked at absolutely everything and then that will inform a
capital program moving forward. So we are aware of other issues.
We believe the plan that we've got here for underpinning the
current bit of Madeira Walk where we know there's issues
with that saw nailing which basically goes horizontally into the cliff and then obviously the netting thereafter
will stabilize that area and allow us to open it. We're not aware of other areas where the area by the binary we were aware that was cracking you could see it slipping
we're aware that we don't have that in other places or if it is in other places it's minor. That was a high risk area which we're addressing first
and the maintenance plan going into the future will pick up the rest.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:38:13
There don't appear to be further questions or people showing.
OK. In the dim pass, I think that was both moved and seconded.
Yeah, Councillor, on the second as well.
So if there are no further questions,
we're voting on recommendations one to four.
All those in favour, please share.
That is unanimous. Thank you very much.

7 Lower Leas Coastal Park - Play Area Refurbishment Project

Cllr Tim Prater - 0:38:39
That tees us up nicely for Item 7, because without it Item 7 was going to be awkward.
So we'll move to the Lower Lees Coastal Park play area refurbishment project.
And I'm going to go back to Comba Con vault and move that report as well.
Cllr Connor McConville - 0:38:55
Thank you, Chair.
Okay, so again I'd like to move this report and the many recommendations attached we will
come to at the end.
The green flag award winning Lowick Lees Coastal Park is home to the council's premier destination
play area.
The 1 .2 kilometre linear park consists of formal gardens, wild zones and play space.
It boasts extensive tree coverage, ecological habitats and public open space.
Since the Coastal Park play area's construction in 2000, it has attracted hundreds of thousands
of visitors year round to the district.
The main piece of play equipment currently within the play area is a multi -tower timber
structure.
It was constructed from pressure treated softwood which typically has an expected lifespan of
between 20 and 25 years in good conditions.
Sadly despite the best efforts of officers to keep it going, it is at the end of its
life with certain sections slowly being removed due to deterioration.
The recent consultation resulted in over a thousand responses showing the importance
of this area to the public and I thank everyone who took part in the consultation and I hope
to review the responses in full to fully inform the project moving forward.
I remember when I first moved to Folkestone in 2009 and how impressed I was with the coastal
park as a destination.
I spent many hours there over the years and I would like to see this council replace it
with something that will once again wow our local residents and visitors alike, and to
offer something to everyone who wishes to make use of it, regardless of age or ability.
A high quality, accessible play area for the future.
As members are aware, there is already existing budget for the project detailed in section
3 .13, however officers have concluded that some additional funds are needed to bring
the total project budget up to £750 ,000 as seen in tables 3 .14.
I ask that members support the recommendations.
There are ten of them.
I won't read them all out but the key ones are to obviously note the total project budget
of 750 ,000 and to agree that, to authorise officers to submit a report to Council to
agree the remaining sum, the 191 to the medium term capital programme, to authorise officers
to apply for any potential grant funding to help the budget of the project and that obviously
any successful grant funding will minimise the costs.
Thank you.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:41:32
I'm going to jump the queue on this one
and I'm going to second it myself.
This is an excellent project
and I'd also like to thank those over 1000 people
who responded to the consultation.
That's really great.
Thank you for your views on that.
I'm sure that a lot of those were around the accessibility
and about making sure it remains a fun place for the future.
And if we can add the detail of that is brought in to the plans as we move forward, that would be great.
So this is essentially the plan to create the money in order to go out to tender in for the project
and to design the thing.
We are doing it with a different hat on than the previous conversation.
So, under the, as Trustees, we were accepting, should this Council be so minded, that the
equipment would be replaced on our land.
Now we are, as cabinet members, agreeing the budget for that to happen, knowing that we
just granted ourselves permission to do it if we wanted to, or in the case of coastal
park.
So, leaving aside that note, we have ten recommendations ahead of us.
The debate is open. Anyone wish to speak?
Councillor Pauli, Blakemore and then Councillor Shubin.
Yeah, I'll just add to what Councillor McConville said about having
Cllr Polly Blakemore - 0:43:00
spent many, many hours in that park some years ago.
And yes, it's been quite sad to see it deteriorating and bits of it having to be removed.
So this is great news to see that this is on the way.
I just wanted to pick up on a couple of figures at 3 .20.
There's reference to the 12 .8.
Let me find it here.
It didn't seem to quite tally up with the tables on the previous page.
Yeah, the 12 .8 thousand of contributions.
On the previous page it's referred to as 12 .2 in both those tables.
It obviously affects whether it's 37 .2 that remains outstanding or 37 .8.
So I think it's just the figure that has already been secured,
whether it's 12 .8 or 12 .2 has a knock on effect.
But yeah, just a matter of detail.
But no, in principle, I think that this is a great project.
And I look forward to seeing a bit of a breakdown of what
maybe we don't know yet because it needs to go out to tender,
but a bit of a breakdown of what we're going to get for that money.
Because I think that's what people are eager to see.
Thank you.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:44:20
We go to Councillor Shueburn and I will let Pundi then come back on.
Any other questions?
Thank you. Yes, really welcome this report as well.
Cllr Rebecca Shoob - 0:44:27
It's quite incredible to think it has been there for such a long time
and obviously bits of it have made its life expectancy,
but great to know that it can be renewed, refreshed and made more accessible and inclusive.
So I think that's really to be welcomed.
I did ask officers about some comparisons,
about just expanding on what Polly was saying about what it does sound like.
It is a big figure, 750 ,000, but I'm sure we all appreciate it.
It doesn't go as far as one might imagine.
I believe a big park in Dartford a couple of years ago
came in at about 1 .2 million.
So I think obviously, yeah, so it would seem that, you know,
the 750 ,000 is well in the sort of ballpark
of a sort of destination playground park
of the kind and quality that we'd like to see.
So any other comments on that, you're welcome. Thank you.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:45:46
I don't know that we were promising a ballpark, but what can we do?
Mr Andy Blaszkowicz - 0:45:51
I think it sounds like a big number, and it is a big number,
but it's a big park, and it's our destination park,
and it's been there for 25 years.
We started with a lower number, we had a conversation with the corporate leadership team,
if we're going to do this,
we should do it properly.
The funding package there,
which is made up of capital receipts
and still so it's a really good use
of developer contributions coming
in and people can really see where
those contributions are going so that
is really positive for the district.
But to do it properly,
you need that sort of budget,
and it's not just the play equipment
you've got that it will be landscape
led because it's in the coastal part
location so you've got the landscape
and you've got the new pathways.
You've got all the planting and it
does it does really quickly add up,
but we believe that that budget should represent a really decent project
and we should be able to deliver it for that.
With regards to the other bit of detail,
with regards to the Section 106 funding,
I will follow that up, but I believe it's 12 .2.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:46:52
Thank you. Councillor Scotland.
I really welcome the proposal.
Cllr Stephen Scoffham - 0:46:56
I think it's an excellent report and I'm very pleased to see it.
The option of doing nothing isn't really an option
Because if you do nothing, it's going to go on decaying,
and it's going to go on to getting into worst repair.
So this is an excellent moment to seize the opportunity
to refurbish the area.
So congratulations to everybody who's picked this up.
I think it's the first report I've seen which actually
is on a technical level, refers to the draft new corporate plan
with three headings.
Clearly, growing the economy and health and well -being
are absolutely there together with the climate change.
Councillor Speakman will be pleased to see that I'm developing his eagle eye
in that under the addressing climate change in 1 .8
it says, the bullet point, first one,
reducing climate change and adapting to our future climate.
I read that and I thought, gosh, what's that mean?
So I went back to the draft and it said,
reducing carbon emissions and adapting to our future climate.
senior typo, I just thought I'd pick that up to show that I was practicing in Councillor
Pincher's footsteps.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:48:12
I'm sure that change under addressing climate change will be picked up.
Just in terms of process, and I'll have to clarify, obviously this is a consent to proceed,
obviously you've then got a tendering process to go through and then a selection process
based on those tenders etc.
Is there an intention then to just
write an update report to Cabinet of
what's been selected and timetables
and the budget at that stage?
I accept that effectively this gives
authority to proceed but it would be
just, I think there would be
considerable interest as outlined
earlier in what we're selected and
what's coming so that people are clear
on that and whether it's a Cabinet
report or whether it's a briefing note
that would be, I think, welcomed
yeah, we can certainly do that
Mr Andy Blaszkowicz - 0:48:58
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:49:01
and I knew I could rely on Councillor Butcher already
yeah, just to pick up on Andy's point about it being a really good use
Cllr James Butcher - 0:49:07
of civil money
and I was just thinking about the comms and that's the kind of thing that just isn't clear to people often
I think that, yes, people can object to development going on
but at least on the other hand it's generating funds that can be invested in something I
think most people really appreciate and also that isn't something we could say well we're
not going to do that we're going to fill the potholes instead which is a very frequent
comment that you get so I think helping people understand where the money's come from that
it is connected with the development that's gone around the district I think will be helpful.
I'm sure Councillor Butcher will be reminding people that filling potholes is a county council
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:49:44
responsibility and Councillor Mike Blakney.
To that point it is mentioned in the draft press release which I saw this afternoon.
Cllr Mike Blakemore - 0:49:50
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:49:58
If there are no other questions or contributions, we have as mentioned earlier the ten recommendations on this report in front of us.
All those in favour of those recommendations be shown.
That is unanimous.
And we go.
Cllr Tim Prater - 0:50:17
And that's our last item of business.
Thank you very much indeed for being here.
Thank you for bearing with me.
And I'm sure we're all hoping that Jim will be back
for the next meeting.
See you then.
Bye now.