This week, the Canterbury council held several meetings, with key discussions on budget management and council performance.

The Regulation Committee Appeal Panel (Transport) met on Wednesday, but no video broadcast was available for this meeting.

The Cabinet convened on Thursday, focusing on the council's financial performance for the 2023-24 financial year. The meeting revealed significant budgetary challenges, with a reported revenue overspend of £12.4 million. This includes a £12 million contingency that had been set aside. Key areas of overspend were identified in adult social care (£32.6 million) and children's services (£26.6 million). The council plans to fund the overspend from the budget stabilization smoothing reserve, which will weaken financial resilience if further overspends are not mitigated.

Key Financial Decisions

• Revenue Overspend: The council recorded a revenue overspend of £12.4 million, including roll forward requests of £2.8 million.
• Adult Social Care: Overspend in this area totaled £32.6 million.
• Children's Services: Overspend in this area totaled £26.6 million.
• Capital Program: The total capital program for the year was £216.4 million, representing 52.9% of the approved budget, with a £192.7 million underspend.
• Reserves: The council agreed to draw down £12.372 million from the smoothing reserves to fund the overspend.

The council emphasized the need for stringent financial controls and highlighted the importance of delivering savings programs, particularly in adult social care and children's services. The meeting also touched on the broader economic environment and the challenges posed by potential changes in government.

Performance Report

The Cabinet also reviewed the quarterly performance report for the 2023-24 financial year. Out of 38 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), 17 were rated green, 11 amber, and 10 red. Notable areas of concern included:

• Customer Satisfaction with Routine Highway Service Delivery: This KPI was newly rated red due to dissatisfaction with the time taken to resolve issues like drainage problems and pothole repairs.
• Education and Healthcare Plans (EHCPs): Only 13% of EHCPs were issued within 20 weeks, significantly below the floor standard.
• Freedom of Information (FOI) Requests: Performance in responding to FOI requests within the statutory timeframe remained a concern.

Positive developments included:

• Homes Brought Back to Market: The No Use Empty scheme achieved its highest 12-month performance in over two years.
• Library Visits: Visits to Kent libraries continued to exceed levels seen in the previous year.
• Waste Management: Only 0.1% of waste went to landfill over the last 12 months.
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Emissions continued on a downward trend towards net zero.

The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday was postponed.

This week's meetings underscore recurring themes of financial management, efficiency, and accountability, particularly in the context of budgetary pressures and service delivery. These discussions will likely continue to shape future council activities.

This week, the Canterbury council held several meetings, with key discussions on transportation, environmental initiatives, and council leadership.

The Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee met on Tuesday. They covered a wide range of topics, notably the High Western maintenance contract, the reopening of the A29 Thanet Way, and various environmental initiatives.

High Western Maintenance Contract

Mr. Baker provided an update on the High Western maintenance contract, emphasizing the detailed progress included in a recent newsletter. He mentioned that all cabinet committee members had been invited to briefings on the contract.

A29 Thanet Way Reopening

The A29 Thanet Way is planned to reopen eight weeks early on June 1st, instead of the originally anticipated July 20th. Mr. Baker thanked the contractors and highway staff, particularly Brian Lovell and his team, for their efforts.

Environmental Initiatives

Mr. Thomas provided updates on various environmental initiatives, including the Kent Plan Tree, NOMO May, and the repair, reuse, and upcycling map. He also mentioned the establishment of a member's group for the high ambition net zero target.

Pothole Blitz

Mr. Baker shared data on the pothole blitz, including the total spend, number of potholes filled, and square meters of patching. He emphasized the importance of efficient and proper repairs to avoid repeated issues.

EU Entry-Exit System

An update was provided on the EU entry-exit system, with planning based on a worst-case scenario from July 2020. The start date is still tentatively set for October 6th, with ongoing work with the Home Office and Department for Transport.

Other Discussions

• Joint Transport Boards (JTBs): A review highlighted the need for engagement to give residents a voice in local highways issues.
• Street Works and Permits: High demand for street work permits and their impact on the network were discussed.
• Personnel Changes: Concerns about changes in personnel and the need for an updated list of contacts for members were raised.
• Asian Hornets: Sightings in Kent and the need for reporting them to the relevant authorities were discussed.
• Street Works Audit: Good compliance and the recruitment of additional road closure inspectors were highlighted.
• Moving Traffic Enforcement: Delays due to issues with accessing the DVLA system were noted.
• Night Flight Restrictions: The Department for Transport's consultation on night flight restrictions was discussed.
• Lower Thames Crossing: An update on the development consent order application was provided.
• Galley Hill Road: Investigative work is ongoing to determine the root cause and potential solutions.
• Kent Resource Partnership: The partnership received an award for the Town and Binfrastructure project.
• Institute of Environment Management and Assessments Training Centre: KCC has been accredited as a training centre.

The County Council met on Thursday. The primary focus was on the election of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Kent County Council.

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman

• Brian Sweetland was elected as Chairman. His nomination was proposed by Mr. Kight and seconded by Mr. Kennedy.
• Alan Ridges was elected as Vice Chairman. His nomination was proposed by Jordan and seconded by Sir Paul Carter.

Chairman's Announcements

• Gary Cook was praised for his previous term as Chairman.
• Charities for the Year: The Chairman announced two Kent-based charities, We Are Beams and the Elliott Holmes Memorial Fund, as his chosen charities for the year.
• Tributes: The Chairman paid tribute to James Williams, Medway Council's Director of Public Health, and acknowledged the bravery of Craig McKinley MP.

Questions and Answers

• Pothole Blitz: Mr. Baker provided an update on the pothole blitz.
• Southern Water: Concerns were raised about Southern Water's performance in reducing sewage discharges.
• School Transport: Questions were raised about the number of children receiving subsidized transport and personal transport budgets.
• SEND Services: A motion for a short-focused inquiry into SEND services was debated but ultimately failed to pass.

Other Business

• Pay Strategy: The Council approved a new pay strategy.
• Local Transport Plan Update: An update on the Local Transport Plan was provided.
• Standards Update: The Council approved updates to the standards code.
• Petition Scheme: The Council approved changes to the petition scheme.

The Kent & Essex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority also met on Wednesday, but no video broadcast was available for this meeting.

The Selection and Member Services Committee met on Thursday, but the notes from this meeting have not yet been summarized.

This week's meetings underscore recurring themes of striving for efficiency, accountability, and support for vulnerable populations, themes we've discussed before. These discussions will likely continue to shape future council activities.

This week, the Canterbury council held several meetings, with key discussions on economic development, social care, and public health.

The Growth, Economic Development and Communities Cabinet Committee met on Tuesday. They covered a wide range of topics, notably the No Use Empty scheme, apprenticeships, and broadband infrastructure. The No Use Empty scheme has successfully brought 8,244 properties back into use, with discussions on increasing funding to continue this work. The council also emphasized the need for better organization and support for small businesses regarding apprenticeships. The broadband program, Project Gigabit, aims to deliver full fiber broadband across Kent with a significant investment of £112 million. The Kent Film Office's role in promoting local economic benefits through film and TV productions was also highlighted.

On Wednesday, the Policy and Resources Cabinet Committee focused on performance metrics for the 2023-24 financial year, the Kent Estates Partnership, and various lease agreements. Mr. Wagner presented the final performance dashboard, noting that 20 out of 27 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were rated green, two were amber, and five were red. Mr. Coop expressed concerns about the declining performance in freedom of information requests and subject access requests, urging for solutions rather than just identifying problems. Mr. Jeffrey explained that the increase in FOI and subject access requests, particularly complex ones related to children's care, was a significant factor. He also mentioned staffing issues but assured that the service is now fully staffed and operational. The committee also discussed the implementation of an independent construction consultancy services framework and emergency response capabilities for marine pollution incidents.

The Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee also met on Wednesday, focusing on proposed changes to charging policies and the future of social care contracts. The most significant topic was the proposed changes to the adult social care charging policy, which included stopping the disregard of higher rates of Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) when calculating a person's accessible income. This proposal was highly contentious and approved by a narrow vote of 6 to 4. Another major topic was the introduction of a new arrangement set-up fee for self-funders who request the council to arrange and manage their care, which also faced opposition but was approved by the same margin.

The Children's, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee met on Thursday. They discussed the primary school offer day, school attendance statistics, the success of the SCND information roadshows, the launch of the Send Inquiry Hub, and developments in secondary school proposals on the Isle of Sheppy. Nearly 99% of over 16,500 Kent applicants received one of their three named schools, with over 91% offered their first preference. School attendance levels have shown improvements, with a decrease in overall and persistent absence rates. The SCND information roadshows have been fully booked, and the Send Inquiry Hub has supported 11,554 families with their queries. Significant developments regarding secondary school proposals on the Isle of Sheppy were also discussed, with the DFE issuing a formal closure letter for OASIS Academy Isle of Sheppy.

The Health Reform and Public Health Cabinet Committee also met on Tuesday. The meeting began with a tribute to the late James Williams, Director of Public Health for Medway. Public health updates included celebrating Kent's Public Health Champions, encouraging participation in National Walking Month, and additional MMR vaccine clinics. Rising cases of measles and whooping cough were discussed, emphasizing the importance of vaccinations. The committee also discussed extending contracts with Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust by one year to March 2026 to allow more time for the Public Health Transformation Program.

Lastly, the Governance and Audit Committee and the Personnel Committee met on Thursday, but details from these meetings were limited.

This week's meetings underscore recurring themes of striving for efficiency, accountability, and support for vulnerable populations, themes we've discussed before. These discussions will likely continue to shape future council activities.

This week, the Canterbury council held several meetings, with key discussions on public health and educational needs.

The Scrutiny Committee convened on Wednesday to evaluate the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) subcommittee. The council decided to reintegrate SEND issues back into the main scrutiny committee due to concerns about the subcommittee's effectiveness and transparency. Members debated the subcommittee's achievements and shortcomings, particularly its handling of EHCP processes and SEND transportation. The decision aims to enhance oversight and efficiency by consolidating efforts under the broader scrutiny committee. Here's a notable quote from the discussion:

We need a more integrated approach to handle SEND issues effectively. The subcommittee, while well-intentioned, has not met our expectations in terms of concrete outcomes. - Council Member

On Thursday, the Kent Health and Wellbeing Board focused on public health initiatives, approving the Integrated Care Strategy to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities. The strategy promotes collaborative efforts across various sectors and emphasizes the importance of measurable outcomes. The board also endorsed the Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report, highlighting ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable adults. A significant point of discussion was the development of a Shared Delivery Plan, which aims to ensure the effective implementation of the Integrated Care Strategy through clear metrics and accountability mechanisms.

Unfortunately, the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday and the Cabinet meeting on Thursday were both cancelled. Additionally, the notes from Monday's Regulation Committee Member Panel have not yet been summarized.

This week's meetings underscore a recurring theme of striving for efficiency and accountability in council operations, a focus that will likely continue to shape future council activities.