Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no Visiting Members.

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

Councillor Mrs Blackmore stated that she had been lobbied on the report of the Cobtree Officer relating to the future management of the Cobtree Manor Park and the Visitor Centre/Cafe.

RESOLVED:  That the item on Part II of the agenda be taken in private as proposed.

1.  That agreement be given to the creation of the new posts of Cobtree Manager, Visitor Centre/Café Supervisor and Visitor Centre/Café Assistant in accordance with the required skills set out in exempt Appendix A to the report of the Cobtree Officer.

2.  That agreement be given to the employment of casual staff or volunteers to work at the Visitor Centre/Café as and when demand requires it.

3.  That agreement be given to Cobtree Manor Park, including the Visitor Centre/Café and the car park, being managed by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) in accordance with the proposal set out in exempt Appendix A to the report of the Cobtree Officer for an initial period of five years subject to annual review by the Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee with an option to terminate on the part of the Charity if the conditions of the contract are not being met.

4.  That detailed financial projections be submitted to a meeting of the Committee early in the New Year.

5.  That agreement be given to the surplus funds generated by the Visitor Centre/Café and the car park being utilised towards the future maintenance of the Cobtree Manor Estate with initial emphasis on the actual Park itself.

6.  That agreement be given in principle to the introduction of car parking charges at Cobtree Manor Park on the basis that a more detailed report dealing with the proposed charges and the method of operating the car park will be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.

7.  That the Head of Legal Partnership be authorised to prepare and enter into contracts giving effect to the decisions set out above.

The Committee, wishing to consider the information contained in the exempt Appendix to the report of the Cobtree Officer in private:

RESOLVED:  That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business because of the likely disclosure of exempt information for the reason specified having applied the Public Interest Test:

Having discussed the information contained in the exempt Appendix to the report of the Cobtree Officer in private, the Committee:

RESOLVED:  That the public be re-admitted to the meeting.

The Cobtree Officer undertook to circulate an update for Members clarifying the differences between the various sets of figures provided in the exempt Appendix to the report.

DECISION MADE:

1.  That agreement be given to the creation of the new posts of Cobtree Manager, Visitor Centre/Café Supervisor and Visitor Centre/Café Assistant in accordance with the required skills set out in exempt Appendix A to the report of the Cobtree Officer.

2.  That agreement be given to the employment of casual staff or volunteers to work at the Visitor Centre/Café as and when demand requires it.

3.  That agreement be given to Cobtree Manor Park, including the Visitor Centre/Café and the car park, being managed by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) in accordance with the proposal set out in exempt Appendix A to the report of the Cobtree Officer for an initial period of five years subject to annual review by the Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee with an option to terminate on the part of the Charity if the conditions of the contract are not being met.

4.  That detailed financial projections be submitted to a meeting of the Committee early in the New Year.

5.  That agreement be given to the surplus funds generated by the Visitor Centre/Café and the car park being utilised towards the future maintenance of the Cobtree Manor Estate with initial emphasis on the actual Park itself.

6.  That agreement be given in principle to the introduction of car parking charges at Cobtree Manor Park on the basis that a more detailed report dealing with the proposed charges and the method of operating the car park will be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.

7.  That the Head of Legal Partnership be authorised to prepare and enter into contracts giving effect to the decisions set out above.

For further information regarding this decision, please follow this link:

http://services.maidstone.gov.uk/meetings/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?AIId=20051

9.00 a.m. to 9.50 a.m.