Folkestone and Hythe District Council

The committee reviewed year-end performance and financial outturns, with most discussion focused on housing pressures, waste and fly-tipping KPIs, food premises inspection resourcing, and capital/HRA slippage. Members also examined reserve use, temporary accommodation funding, car parking income, and a number of housing-related capital projects delayed into 2026-27, while agreeing to recommend the reports to Cabinet.

The meeting covered significant operational pressures on public toilets, beach and street cleansing, parking and enforcement, and bathing water quality, alongside capital and maintenance decisions for beach huts and bins. Members also discussed local government reorganisation, climate resilience, housing and rough sleeping responses to heat, the safety and civility motion following Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, and the handling of large solar farm proposals on Romney Marsh. Several items signalled future procurement or service delivery activity, including bins, enforcement resources, maintenance contracts, signage updates, and possible cool-space and climate adaptation measures.

The meeting focused on housing compliance and resident safety, including adoption of a new damp and mould policy under Awaab’s Law and a private sector housing civil penalties policy with a free CPN generator tool. Cabinet also approved the corporate plan annual report, the Oportunitas business plan and management charge, and a £337,479 project to move Lifeline 365 from analogue to digital telecare before the national switchover. Several members raised process, data protection, reporting and performance-measurement questions relevant to future procurement and contract management.

The committee considered two planning applications: a section 73 amendment for Sandbanks, including roof alterations, dormer windows, and solar panels, and a major hybrid application for the former Foxwood School site in Hytown/Hive. The second scheme dominated discussion, with members and speakers focusing on housing viability, lack of affordable housing, land stability, drainage, biodiversity net gain, tree loss, and section 106 clawback arrangements. Both applications were ultimately approved.

The committee considered a largely unchanged draft licensing policy for statutory renewal, with minor revisions and added process detail around cumulative impact reviews. Members discussed trends in licence numbers, the handling of delivery alcohol risks, and whether temporary event notices and neighbouring councils' approaches should be considered. The report was approved for an eight-week public consultation, with delegation for minor amendments before it returns to committee and full council for final approval.

This Licensing Act Sub-Committee meeting transcript contains no procurement-related discussions or decisions. The agenda centers on electing a chair and confirming public-exclusion procedures, with Councillor Blakemore nominated as chair and a note of apology from Councillor Polybake-Moore.