The Overview & Scrutiny Panel of Thanet Council discussed youth provisions in Thanet, maintenance dredging at the Port of Ramsgate, and the review of compliance policies for tenant and leaseholder services. Key decisions included the approval of a significant dredging campaign and the review of several compliance policies.

Youth Provisions in Thanet

Councillor Keen presented on various youth projects, including the Knife Awareness Programme, Knife Sculpture, Park Life, Ladder of Risk, and the Ellington Park Youth Café. The Knife Awareness Programme, delivered in nine schools and colleges, led to a successful knife amnesty recovering over a thousand knives. East Kent College is creating a mobile knife sculpture for awareness purposes. The Thanet Youth Council, established in November 2022, meets monthly and is youth-led. They have designed their own logo and are looking to publicise their work more to engage more young people.

The Park Life Community Hub and Ellington Park Youth Café are multi-agency initiatives involving various activities and interactions with agencies like the Police. The Ladder of Risk project raises awareness about risks to young people, and the Thanet Games will stage events for young people in July. The Youth Council is seeking new members and plans a schools’ event in Broadstairs to encourage participation.

Councillors discussed the size of the youth team, budget allocations, and the importance of conducting surveys to understand young people's needs. Councillor Keen and Penny Button responded, noting that the Youth Council has a budget of £1,000 and that the Council is considering conducting a survey. They also mentioned the potential for young people to access part of the £20 million fund allocated to Ramsgate and the £30k fund from the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Maintenance Dredging at the Port of Ramsgate

Mike Humber, Director of Environment, introduced the report on the proposed maintenance dredging at the Port of Ramsgate. The plan involves a single dredging campaign with an estimated value of £362k, to be recommended to Cabinet on 30 May. The total value of the 2024/25 dredging plan is £477k, with a budget shortfall of £152k to be covered by a General Fund revenue budget virement from the Corporate Contingency budget.

The dredging will use hydrodynamic methods, which are more cost-effective than mechanical methods. The campaign will focus on the port turning circle, port entrance, harbour entrance, and the approach to Berth 4/5. The volume of sediment to be removed is approximately 124,000m³. Environmental monitoring will be conducted to mitigate adverse effects on nearby receptors.

Councillors asked about the legal implications of not dredging, budget reductions, and the cost-effectiveness of different dredging methods. Mike Humber explained the legal obligations, the need for dredging to prevent vessels from running aground, and the monitoring of sediment and environmental impact.

Review of Compliance Policies for Tenant and Leaseholder Services

Sally O’Sullivan, Head of Tenant and Leaseholder Services, introduced the report on the review of compliance policies. The policies reviewed include Gas Safety, Electrical Safety, Passenger Lifts, Water Hygiene, and Asbestos. The fire safety policy was reviewed and adopted in June 2023 following the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022.

The review aimed to remove repetition, ensure policies reflect current legislation, and streamline reporting. The Tenant and Leaseholder Services team provides reports to monitor compliance and take appropriate action. The team has moved from recovery to business as usual, reducing the need for extensive reporting.

Councillors asked about the frequency of policy reviews, tenant group recommendations, and the importance of annual reviews. Sally O’Sullivan responded that policies are reviewed every two to three years, tenant groups did not forward recommendations, and the Council has improved its compliance position since bringing the service in-house in 2020.

Overview & Scrutiny Panel Work Programme for 2024-25

The Panel discussed the work programme for 2024-25. Councillor Edwards and Councillor Will Scobie were added to the External Grant Funding Review Working Party. The working party's terms of reference were reviewed to focus on smaller grants and support for smaller voluntary sector bidders.

Councillors requested regular project update reports for regeneration projects and were informed about a new project management system to improve reporting. The Panel agreed to invite the Leader to present on the progress of the five new corporate priorities and noted the upcoming scrutiny refresher training on 24 July 2024.