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Extraordinary Council, Council - Tuesday, 17th December, 2024 7.00 pm, NEW

December 17, 2024 View on council website
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Summary

The meeting will receive updates and make decisions about the upcoming Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s (LGBCE)1 electoral review and on the location of polling places across the district.

Electoral Review

The Electoral Review - Consultation on Warding Patterns report sets out the next steps in the LGBCE’s review of Sevenoaks electoral wards.

The LGBCE has proposed that the number of Sevenoaks district Councillors is reduced from 54 to 48. As a result, the District must be divided into a new set of wards so that each Councillor represents approximately the same number of people. In October, the LGBCE opened a public consultation on the new ward boundaries, which closes on 20 January 2025. The report pack includes information on the criteria the LGBCE will use to decide on the new ward boundaries: electoral equality, community identity and interests, and convenient and effective local government. The report states that “The most effective consultation responses are supported by information and evidence about the strength of community identity in the ward or wards being proposed”.

The report pack suggests that Sevenoaks Council will be asked to approve a proposed ward pattern for submission to the LGBCE. If the Council does not propose a ward pattern, individual Councillors and groups of Councillors will be able to make their own submissions.

Polling Places

The PDR2024 - Polling District Review - Report report proposes that the Council approves a new set of polling places across the District. Sevenoaks District Council is required by law to review its polling districts and polling places every 5 years. The last review took place in 2019. The report pack contains an assessment of the existing polling places, taking into account their accessibility for disabled voters and whether the facilities are suitable for the needs of voters and staff.

The report pack indicates that the Council consulted on the new polling places with Sevenoaks’ two MPs, all Parish, District and County Councillors, Kent County Council, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, and various disability rights groups. During the consultation, 10 responses were received from members of the public. The report pack states that the Council is legally required to publish the responses received during the consultation, along with a summary of the responses and any comments the Council wishes to make.

The report pack includes responses from Swanley Town Council. The Town Council has proposed alternative polling places in Swanley Village, Swanley Lane, and St Mary's Road. The report pack indicates that the Council is open to the suggestion of using The Red Lion in Swanley Village as a polling place and is currently assessing the suitability of St Mary’s Church Hall on St Mary’s Road. The Council has indicated that it prefers to keep the polling place on Swanley Lane at the ACF Centre, which is inside the polling district, rather than moving it to Five Wents Hall, which is outside the polling district.

The report pack also includes a response from a member of the public who is unhappy that the polling place for Sevenoaks Common is currently outside of the ward. They propose that the polling place is moved to the Kippington Centre. The report pack suggests that the Council will not be moving the Sevenoaks Common polling place to the Kippington Centre.

The report pack indicates that the Council is proposing no changes to the existing polling districts in the Sevenoaks District.

Chairman’s Agenda Item

The report pack contains a Chairmans Agenda Item indicating that the Chairman of the Council called an extraordinary meeting to discuss a motion about the Labour Government’s recently announced changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).2

The motion states that the recently announced changes to the NPPF will increase Sevenoaks’ annual housing target by 58%, to 1,113 homes per year. The report notes that this is a higher target than many other Kent Councils, including Ashford, Dartford, Dover, Folkestone, Gravesham, Swale, Tonbridge & Malling, and Tunbridge Wells. The motion argues that this increase will lead to “unacceptable urban sprawl”, that the Government’s decision to reduce housing targets in London is inconsistent, and that the Council already grants many planning permissions, but developers are not building the homes they are permitted to build. The motion requests that the Leader of the Council writes to the Secretary of State to ask her to rescind the 58% increase and requests that the Council be given powers to incentivise developers to build the homes they are granted permission to build.


  1. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, that is responsible for reviewing local authority electoral boundaries in England. 

  2. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. 

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor Lawrence Abraham
Councillor Lawrence Abraham  Conservative •  Hartley & Hodsoll Street
Profile image for Councillor Michelle Alger
Councillor Michelle Alger  Liberal Democrats •  Brasted, Chevening & Sundridge
Profile image for Councillor Angela Baker
Councillor Angela Baker  West Kent Independents •  Edenbridge North & East
Profile image for Councillor Laurence Ball
Councillor Laurence Ball  Conservative •  Farningham, Horton Kirby & South Darenth
Profile image for Councillor Michael Barker
Councillor Michael Barker  Green Party •  Eynsford
Profile image for Councillor Clare Barnes
Councillor Clare Barnes  Conservative •  Swanley Christchurch & Swanley Village
Profile image for Councillor James Barnett
Councillor James Barnett  Conservative •  Cowden & Hever
Profile image for Councillor Kim Bayley
Councillor Kim Bayley  West Kent Independents •  Dunton Green & Riverhead
Profile image for Councillor Emily Bulford
Councillor Emily Bulford  Conservative •  Fawkham & West Kingsdown
Profile image for Councillor Susan Camp
Councillor Susan Camp  Liberal Democrats •  Sevenoaks Town & St. John's
Profile image for Councillor Graham Clack
Councillor Graham Clack  Conservative •  Dunton Green & Riverhead
Profile image for Councillor Tony Clayton
Councillor Tony Clayton  Liberal Democrats •  Sevenoaks Eastern
Profile image for Councillor Penny Cole
Councillor Penny Cole  Conservative •  Hartley & Hodsoll Street
Profile image for Councillor Perry Cole
Councillor Perry Cole  Deputy Leader & Portfolio Holder for Housing & Health •  Conservative •  Hartley & Hodsoll Street
Profile image for Councillor Glynnis Darrington
Councillor Glynnis Darrington  Conservative •  Swanley White Oak
Profile image for Councillor Paul Darrington
Councillor Paul Darrington  Conservative •  Swanley White Oak
Profile image for Councillor Lesley Dyball
Councillor Lesley Dyball  Portfolio Holder for People & Places •  Conservative •  Swanley St. Mary's
Profile image for Councillor John Edwards-Winser
Councillor John Edwards-Winser  Conservative •  Otford & Shoreham
Profile image for Councillor Diana Esler
Councillor Diana Esler  West Kent Independents •  Westerham & Crockham Hill
Profile image for Councillor Jasmine Ferrari
Councillor Jasmine Ferrari  Conservative •  Swanley White Oak
Profile image for Councillor Victoria Granville
Councillor Victoria Granville  Liberal Democrats •  Sevenoaks Town & St. John's
Profile image for Councillor John Grint
Councillor John Grint  West Kent Independents •  Halstead, Knockholt & Badgers Mount
Profile image for Councillor Chloe Gustard
Councillor Chloe Gustard  Liberal Democrats •  Sevenoaks Kippington
Profile image for Councillor Lynda Harrison
Councillor Lynda Harrison  Chairman of the Council •  Conservative •  Fawkham & West Kingsdown
Profile image for Councillor Chris Haslam
Councillor Chris Haslam  West Kent Independents •  Kemsing
Profile image for Councillor Roderick Hogarth
Councillor Roderick Hogarth  Conservative •  Seal & Weald
Profile image for Councillor Michael Horwood
Councillor Michael Horwood  Portfolio Holder for Improvement & Innovation •  Conservative •  Swanley Christchurch & Swanley Village
Profile image for Councillor Christine Hudson
Councillor Christine Hudson  Sevenoaks Independents •  Independent •  Hextable
Profile image for Councillor Darren Kitchener
Councillor Darren Kitchener  Leader of the Sevenoaks Independent •  Independent •  Hextable
Profile image for Councillor Alan Layland
Councillor Alan Layland  West Kent Independents •  Edenbridge South & West
Profile image for Councillor Alan Leaman
Councillor Alan Leaman  Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group •  Liberal Democrats •  Sevenoaks Northern
Profile image for Councillor Mark Lindop
Councillor Mark Lindop  Green Party •  Ash and New Ash Green
Profile image for Councillor Sean Malone
Councillor Sean Malone  Conservative •  Fawkham & West Kingsdown
Profile image for Councillor Shani Manamperi
Councillor Shani Manamperi  Green Party •  Ash and New Ash Green
Profile image for Councillor Laura Manston
Councillor Laura Manston  Leader of the Green Party •  Green Party •  Ash and New Ash Green
Profile image for Councillor Kevin Maskell
Councillor Kevin Maskell  Portfolio Holder for Finance & Investments •  Conservative •  Westerham & Crockham Hill
Profile image for Councillor Margot McArthur
Councillor Margot McArthur  West Kent Independents •  Edenbridge South & West
Profile image for Councillor Cathy Morgan
Councillor Cathy Morgan  Conservative •  Swanley St. Mary's
Profile image for Councillor James Morgan
Councillor James Morgan  Liberal Democrats •  Edenbridge North & East
Profile image for Councillor Elizabeth Purves
Councillor Elizabeth Purves  Liberal Democrats •  Sevenoaks Eastern
Profile image for Councillor Simon Reay
Councillor Simon Reay  West Kent Independents •  Kemsing
Profile image for Councillor Sandra Robinson
Councillor Sandra Robinson  Liberal Democrats •  Brasted, Chevening & Sundridge
Profile image for Councillor Irene Roy
Councillor Irene Roy  Portfolio Holder for Cleaner & Greener •  Conservative •  Otford & Shoreham
Profile image for Councillor Nina Scott
Councillor Nina Scott  Conservative •  Swanley Christchurch & Swanley Village
Profile image for Councillor Claire Shea
Councillor Claire Shea  Liberal Democrats •  Sevenoaks Northern
Profile image for Councillor Malcolm Silander
Councillor Malcolm Silander  Liberal Democrats •  Leigh & Chiddingstone Causeway
Profile image for Councillor David Skinner
Councillor David Skinner  Liberal Democrats •  Sevenoaks Town & St. John's
Profile image for Councillor Richard Streatfeild
Councillor Richard Streatfeild  Liberal Democrats •  Penshurst, Fordcombe & Chiddingstone
Profile image for Councillor Julia Thornton
Councillor Julia Thornton  Leader of the West Kent Independents •  West Kent Independents •  Seal & Weald
Profile image for Councillor Nicholas Varley
Councillor Nicholas Varley  Liberal Democrats •  Sevenoaks Kippington
Profile image for Councillor Rachel Waterton
Councillor Rachel Waterton  Crockenhill & Well Hill
Profile image for Councillor Alan White
Councillor Alan White  Conservative •  Farningham, Horton Kirby & South Darenth
Profile image for Councillor Nigel Williams
Councillor Nigel Williams  Portfolio Holder for Development and Infrastructure •  Conservative •  Brasted, Chevening & Sundridge
Profile image for Councillor Gary Williamson
Councillor Gary Williamson  Conservative •  Halstead, Knockholt & Badgers Mount

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

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