Meetings, Agenda and Minutes

Details of the Neighbourhood structure are set out in Article 10 of the Constitution and the functions for which Neighbourhood Committees are responsible are set out below. Each Neighbourhood Committee is composed of the Councillors representing the electoral wards within the Neighbourhood.

Functions:

The exercise of all the following powers and duties provided that:

-                     they are within Council policy / there is no conflict with Council policy

-                     any decision taken is properly within the remit of the Neighbourhood Committee concerned;

-                     any financial implications of decisions taken are cpable of being contained within the approved budget;

-                     they do no involve matters of a highly controversial nature as identified by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chair of the Neighbourhood Committee concerned.

1. To have a local community leadership role and, in that context, scrutiny of the provision of Council services within the area and to act as a forum for local influence over the delivery of local services. Responsibility for representing the interests of residents of the Neighbourhood in relation to the provision of services by other public agencies.

2. To be consulted on proposed specifications for any Borough wide contracts where service delivery is likely to impact on the Neighbourhood and to monitor performance of the contractor where appropriate.

3. Responsibility for Development Control matters, excluding the determination of those of planning applications which are the responsibility of the Development Control Committee. (Matters that, for whatever reason (e.g. where a significant number of Members have a pecuniary interest) cannot be dealt with at Neighbourhood level to be dealt with by the Development Control Committee.)

4. Responsibility for Area revitalisation and minor environmental improvement schemes within the Area, including local shopping centres. The exercise of the powers relating to untidy land under Section 78 of the Public Health Act 1936 and Section 34 of the Public Health Act 1961.

5. Housing management responsibilities:

i)                    consideration of and variations to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) expenditure budgets allocated for the Neighbourhood taking into account officer advice and the overall financial position on the HRA;

ii)                  variation of the overall repair and maintenance programme for the Neighbourhood from that proposed, taking into account officer advice and the Council’s contractual obligations to tenants and lessees when so doing;

iii)                determination of the programme for capitalised repairs and improvements  to the Council’s housing stock located in the Neighbourhood within the resources allocated by the Council or Policy and Resources Committee;

iv)                receive representations and petitions from tenants and lessees in relation to housing management issues affecting the Neighbourhood generally or individual estates / groups of estates within the Neighbourhood.

6. Responsibility for the operation of Branch Libraries and the Youth Service, including Youth Service premises, but with Place and Sustainability having responsibility for Borough wide and strategic issues in relation to those servies, including the mobile, housebound and school library services.

7. Responsibility for Licensing and Regulations functions that do not fall to be dealt with under the Licensing Act 2003.

8. The provision and location of recycling facilities: the control of litter; the provision and maintenance of highway trees; and the provision of public notice boards.

9. The overall management of public parks and the promotion and control of events therin.

10. Operation and management of community halls, the Dickerage Adventure Playground (Maldens & Coombe) and the Market House (Kingston Town).

11.  Highway and verge maintenance, street signs, traffic signs and furniture, land drainage; traffic management where the impact of schemes is discreet to the Area; and agreements for the execution of highway works.

12.  Town Centre Management. Shopmobility.

13. The making and implementation of on street parking restrictions; the approval of advisory parking bays for people with disabilities; and the exemption of roads from the footway parking ban.

14.  Within such discretionary budget as may be allocated, the ability to incur expenditure for the general benefit of the Neighbourhood. This could be for example, the promotion or subsidy of courses and activities at leisure facilities, the promotion of community use of facilities or other appropriate activities in relation, say, to the Library or Youth Services.

15. The maintenance of Coombe Estate roads (under the Maldens and Coombe UDC Act 1933) (Maldens and Coombe)

16. The management and operation of caravan sites.

17. The making of grants to voluntary organisations in accordance with the approved scheme.

18. All the miscellaneous powers under the Highways Act, 1980, the Acquisition of Land Act, 1981, the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, the Cycle Tracks Act, 1984, the Housing Act, 1981, the Town and Country Planning Act. 1990 and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, relating to Public Footpaths, Highways, Bridleways and Rights of Way (as set out in Part 1 of the Schedule to the Local Authorities (Functions and Responsibilities) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2001.)

19. The designation by Order, as appropriate, of public places within their areas under S.13 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, where nuisance / annoyance to the public or disorder has been associated with the consumption of alcohol in that place.

20. Where any matter under consideration by the Kingston Town Neighbourhood Committee relating to Kingston Town Centre is deemed to be strategic (i.e. with implications extending significantly beyond the town centre and impacting on other neighbourhoods) it shall be referred to the Policy and Resources Committee for final decision along with any recommendation for action by the Neighbourhood Committee.

21. The decision as to whether a matter under consideration by the Committee falls within the definition of ‘strategic’ for this purpose shall be taken by the Committee itself when considering the matter in question.

22. In cases of doubt as to whether a particular matter under consideration falls within the definition of ‘strategic’, and where at least three Members of the Committee so request, advice shall be sought from the Monitoring Officer. In such cases no further action will be taken in respect of the matter until the Committee has met and considered the Monitoring Officer’s advice.

23.  This procedure shall not apply to:

-                     development control matters where there is already provision within the terms of reference of both the Committee and the Development Control Committee for significant planning matters to be dealt with by the Development Control Committee; or

Licensing regulation matters where there is already provision within the terms of reference of the Committee and the Licensing Committee for significant licensing and regulatory matters to be dealt with by the Licensing Committee.

Audio Recordings of Meetings