Agenda item

Maidstone Strategic Infrastructure Collaboration Board

Minutes:

The Chief Executive outlined that MBC and KCC had agreed to establish a strategic board as part of the resolution of the recent Judicial Review.  This was to take place by 30 September 2019.  The arrangements of the Maidstone East Strategic Board had influenced the draft Maidstone Strategic Infrastructure Collaboration Board (MSICB) terms of reference, as the small membership size had proven to be effective.  The key difference between the MSICB and the Maidstone East Strategic Board was that Members of Parliament (MPs) were to participate as Members of the MSICB.  This provided greater leverage when bringing investment to the Borough.  It was stated that the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board (JTB) would not be decommissioned, as it would be used to monitor the progress of projects agreed by the MSICB and consider consultation feedback on Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs).

 

The Committee commented that:

 

·  Co-Chairs from each Local Authority at the Maidstone East Strategic Board had been an effective approach, therefore, this was to be considered for the MSICB.  This would be instead of alternating the Chairmanship on an annual basis.

 

·  The membership proposed in the report inhibited collaborative work and continuity between the MSICB and the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee.  The Vice-Chair of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee was therefore a more appropriate member than the Vice-Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee.

In response to questions from the Committee, the Chief Executive replied that:

 

·  The MSICB was not limited to the consideration of transport infrastructure, as it would also consider areas such as education and health infrastructure.

 

·  The MSICB would not implement decisions directly through its terms of reference, but existing provisions in the MBC and KCC Constitutions allowed areas of consensus to be implemented by Committees or Officers.

 

·  The MISCB was an opportunity to generate consensus on Statements of Common Ground.

 

·  Extending the membership to include a fourth MBC Councillor was a possibility, however, by limiting the number of Members to three, the Board remained compact and more efficient.

 

·  The allocation of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies by the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee was reactive if there was no collaboration with KCC.  The implementation of the MISCB would ensure that CIL allocations could be more proactive.

RESOLVED: That:

 

1.  The agreement between Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council to establish a Board with the purpose of jointly working on strategic projects be noted.

 

2.  The proposed arrangements for the Board including its purpose, aims and membership (as amended by resolution 4), as set out in section 2 be agreed, for the purpose of discussion at the first meeting of the Board.

 

3.  Delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive to make changes to the proposed arrangements and agreement of terms of reference with other members of the Board, namely Kent County Council and Maidstone Members of Parliament, in consultation with the Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee.

 

4.  The Maidstone representatives on the Board be; the Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee, the Chief Executive and the Director of Regeneration and Place.

Voting: For – 8  Against – 0  Abstentions – 1

 

Note: The meeting was adjourned from 8.00 p.m. to 8.08 p.m.

 

Supporting documents: