The Policy and Resources Committee met on Wednesday to discuss a range of issues, including revisions to the covert surveillance policy, public consultation policies, treasury management, the annual delivery plan, planning service fees, and the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. The committee agreed to recommend a number of changes to Full Council's approval, including updates to the treasury management strategy, new and amended fees for planning applications, and a refreshed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. They also recommended that a Community Governance Review be undertaken.

Key Discussion Points:

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2025-2030

The committee considered the refreshed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2025-2030, which had been approved by the Licensing Committee. The aim of the policy is to protect the public by ensuring that all drivers, vehicles, and operators are licensed and regulated. The policy takes into account the Best Practice guidance issued by the Department for Transport (DfT), the Regulator's Code, and other relevant matters.

Key elements of the updated policy include:

• Adopting the DfT's 2023 Guidance where applicable.
• Strengthening vehicle emission limits and setting out when the taxi fleet will need to consist of wholly electric vehicles to support the council's commitment to becoming a carbon neutral borough by 2045.
• Improving the knowledge and calibre of licence holders through additional training requirements, such as safeguarding awareness and disability awareness training.
• Continuing to support the digitisation of the council's services.

The committee agreed to recommend the adoption of the refreshed policy to Full Council.

New and Amended Fees for Applications made to the Planning Service

Following a referral to the Task and Finish Group, the committee discussed proposed changes to planning application fees. The proposals included introducing charges for amendments to undetermined applications, fees for monitoring biodiversity net gain (BNG), a fee schedule for Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs), and a revised pre-application and post-decision advice fee schedule.

The key changes are:

• Amendments to Undetermined Applications: Fees ranging from £129 for householder alterations to £1,000 for strategic major developments.
• Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Monitoring: Fees ranging from £5,489.73 for developments with significant biodiversity gain to £17,413.72 for major developments over 21 biodiversity units.
• Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs): Fees ranging from £19,903.20 for 50-100 homes/1,000 to 4,999 sqm commercial floorspace to £48,070.80 for 200+ homes/10,000+ sqm commercial floorspace.
• Pre-application Advice: Fees ranging from £360 for householder applications to £6,500 + Discounted PPA for strategic major developments.

The committee agreed to recommend the proposed fee changes to Full Council for approval.

Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26 Update

The committee considered an update to the Treasury Management Strategy for 2025/26. The update was required due to the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standard 16 (IFRS 16) – Accounting for Leases, which necessitates changes to the council's treasury management strategy¹.

As a result of the accounting changes, two treasury management performance indicators needed to be amended: the Operational Boundary and the Authorised Limit for external debt. The lease liabilities now reported on the balance sheet are captured within these limits.

The committee agreed to recommend the updated Treasury Management Prudential Indicators 2025/26, as recommended by the Audit Committee, to Full Council for approval. The updated limits are shown in the table below:

Annual Delivery Plan 2025/26

The committee reviewed the Annual Delivery Plan (ADP) for 2025/26, which outlines the priorities for the second year of the Corporate Plan 2023-2027. The ADP is derived from the 3-year service plans and highlights key actions to be delivered within the council's capacity and resources.

The Corporate Plan is structured around five key objectives:

• Community
• Economy
• Environment
• Health & Housing
• Running the Council

The committee agreed to note the contents of the report and the achievements of the Annual Delivery Plan 2024/25, and to agree the ADP 2025/26.

Revisions to the Covert Surveillance and Access to Communications Data Policy and Guidance Notes

The committee considered revisions to the Covert Surveillance and Access to Communications Data Policy and Guidance Notes for 2025/26. The revisions were required to comply with the Home Office Covert Surveillance and Property Interference Revised Code of Practice 2018 and advice from the Investigatory Powers Commissioners' Office (IPCO).

The key change was the transfer of the role of Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) from the Chief Executive, Larissa Reed, to the Director of Regeneration and Neighbourhoods, Emma Wiggins. This change was recommended by the IPCO to ensure that the SRO has general oversight of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) process and is not an authorising officer for confidential information or juvenile Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS).

The committee approved the proposed revisions to the policy and guidance notes for 2025/26.

Public Consultation Policy Statement, Member guidance, public guidance and officer toolkit

The committee reviewed the Public Consultation Policy Statement, Member guidance, public guidance, and officer toolkit. The documents aim to provide corporate guidance on how and when consultations are carried out, ensuring a legal and consistent approach.

Key aspects of the policy include:

• Consultations should take place for a minimum period of 6 weeks but preferably 8 weeks.
• Consultations should adhere to the Gunning Principles².
• Guidance for councillors and officers on carrying out effective consultations.

The committee agreed to:

• Approve the Public Consultation Policy Statement.
• Agree that consultations should take place for a minimum period of 6 weeks but preferably 8 weeks.
• Approve the Swale Borough Council councillors' guide to consultations.
• Note the Swale Borough Council's officer consultation toolkit.
• Approve the public guidance on consultations.

Community Governance Review

The committee discussed the process for undertaking a Community Governance Review to create additional town and parish councils within the borough. The review aims to extend Town or Parish Council coverage to all of Swale, if that is the wish of the majority of residents within the specific areas.

The committee recommended to Full Council that a Community Governance Review be undertaken. They also agreed that the Steering Group be politically balanced with two members from Labour, Conservatives and Swale Independent Alliance (SIA) groups, one member each from Liberal Democrats, Reform and Green group, plus the unaligned Independent Member.

Procurement of Build Contract for Cockleshell Walk, Sittingbourne

The committee considered a report on the procurement of a build contract for the 51-unit housing scheme at Cockleshell Walk, Sittingbourne. The Southeast Consortium Framework was used to carry out a one-stage tender process, and three compliant tenders were received.

Airey Miller, the Employers Agent, recommended that Swale Borough Council enter into a contract with Company A, with a fixed price of £11,477,992.50 (exclusive of VAT and inclusive of £330,000 of agreed provisional sums) and a contract period of 90 weeks.

The committee approved the appointment of Company A as the supplier for the Cockleshell Walk Build Contract, subject to securing appropriate levels of grant funding from Homes England. They also delegated authority to the Head of Service to award the contract to the next suitable alternative tenderer if a contract could not be executed with Company A. The committee approved the total project cost of £13.763m and delegated authority to the Director of Resources to determine the most appropriate balance of funding sources for a viable scheme.

Local Plan Review - Timetabling and Way Forward

The committee discussed the barriers to progressing the Local Plan in line with the current Local Development Scheme (LDS). The Planning Manager (Policy) presented the recommendations made by the Planning and Transportation Policy Working Group (PTPWG) at its meeting on 15 July 2025.

The committee agreed to recommend the updated Local Development Scheme, as set out under Option 1 in the PTPWG report.

Leisure Contract Capital Investment

The committee considered a report on capital investment in the new leisure contract from April 2027. The report detailed discussions with the cross-party Members Leisure Working Group (MWG) and the decision made at the Housing, Health & Communities Committee on 3 July 2025.

The committee agreed to add a capital budget allocation of £2 million and the revenue allocation for the capital financing to the Medium-Term Financial Plan from 2026/27 for leisure centre contract investment. They also delegated authority to the Director of Resources on the most appropriate sources of capital financing and delegated that officers work up a robust investment plan, in liaison with the Members Working Group, to deliver the improvements, based on the criteria to reduce running costs and help meet carbon reduction challenges, and to select the most appropriate time to undertake the works.

Constitution Update

The committee considered a report from the Constitution Working Group with a number of proposed amendments to the council's constitution.

The committee agreed to recommend the following amendments to Full Council:

• That the subcommittees will be made up of 7 members of the Council who will be provided with contemporaneous training and support from an external provider as required.
• That the Policy and Resources Committee recommends to Full Council that a Community Governance Review be undertaken.
• That the political configuration of the Steering Group be two members from Labour, Conversative and SIA groups, one member each from Liberal Democrats, Reform and Green group, plus the unaligned Independent Member.
• That the draft Terms of Reference as shown in appendix B of the report be noted and these not go to Full Council until the areas covered by the Community Governance Review had been agreed by the Steering Group.
• To write-off any irrecoverable debt in accordance with the Financial Regulations, and the information to be kept in a register.
• To write-off any irrecoverable debt in respect of Council Tax, Non-Domestic Rates and Housing Benefit Overpayments in accordance with the Financial regulations and the information to be kept in a register.
• To write-off any irrecoverable debt in the case of council tax, business rates or housing benefit overpayments in accordance with the Financial Regulations, and the information to be kept in a register.
• All debts arising from companies being dissolved, bankruptcies, and liquidations, which are not covered by distributions from liquidators, receivers or administrators; and any other single amount due to the Council up to £10,000 or with Strategic Management Team Directors and CX approval £20,000. Any outstanding debt in excess of this amount can only be written off with the consent of the Policy and Resources Committee.
• To make any necessary updates to the Constitution (as required by law) where there is no discretion in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Chairman of the Constitution Working Group.
• To publish and maintain the Council's Constitution with authority to make minor textual changes and amendments in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Chairman of the Constitution Working Group.