To receive declarations of interest from Members including the terms(s) of the Grant of Dispensation (if any) by the Audit Board or the Chief Officer & Director of Corporate Services.

Summary:

To confirm the minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 20 February 2025 and 17 March 2025 as accurate records.

The minutes of the Special Cabinet meeting held on 17 March 2025 are ‘to follow’.

Recommendation:

That the minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 20 February 2025 and the Special Cabinet meeting held on 17 March 2025 be confirmed as accurate records.

Summary:

To consider a report providing information on funding offered to the Council in 2025 through the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 3. The programme has been established by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support Local Authorities to acquire homes to accommodate households with housing needs who have arrived in the UK Afghan resettlement and relocation schemes and provide temporary accommodation homes for homeless households.

The Council has been offered a grant to acquire 3 family homes to be used for temporary accommodation for homeless households and 1 larger (4 bedroom +) property for an Afghan household. This is subject to acceptance of terms by the Council through a Memorandum of Understanding.

The report seeks approval to accept funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to deliver the homes and that the Council will need to provide additional funding from the Temporary Accommodation reserve to purchase the properties on the open market.

Recommendations:

1. That Cabinet accept grant funding of £730,000 from the MHCLG to assist in purchasing four homes on the open market;

2. That Cabinet agree to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to agree terms for the delivery of the homes before 31 March 2026;

3. That Cabinet agree additional funding of £950,000 from the Temporary Accommodation reserve for the purchases, which includes costs for repairs and maintenance; and

4. That the Director of Housing and Public Protection be given delegated authority to proceed with individual purchases of the properties in consultation with the Head of Legal Services.

Summary:

To consider a report updating Members on the Dartford Town Centre Regeneration (DTCR) scheme and the next phase of the works programmed to come forward. Members’ agreement is sought to go out to tender and award the contract for the improvement works for Phase 3A Spital Street where the cost in the tender is in line with the cost estimate produced for the works.

Recommendation:

That authority be granted to Director of Growth and Community to tender for the works at Phase 3A Spital Street of the Dartford Town Centre Regeneration scheme and to award the contract to the winning tenderer where the costs are in accordance with the maximum value as set out in exempt Appendix B to the report.

Summary:

This report proposes that a new group, titled ‘Health and Wellbeing Alliance’, be established in place of the former Health Inequalities Action Group.  This report further proposes  the decision to establish a new ‘Health and Wellbeing Alliance’ alongside revised Terms of Reference.

Recommendations:

1.      That Cabinet approve the establishing of a Health & Wellbeing Alliance in place of DBC’s former Health Inequalities Action Group;

2.      That Cabinet approve the newTerms of Reference of the Health & Wellbeing Alliance set out in Appendix Ato the report;

3.      That Cabinet note the proposal within the Terms of Reference to updatethe former ‘Dartford Borough Health Inequalities Action Plan 2015-2018’

4.      That Cabinet approve the scope of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance to include tasking a Management Group to oversee the remit and work of Dartford Larder (DL), managing agreements with delivery partners, funders and stakeholders about the delivery of particular aspects of the Dartford Larder project; and

5.      That Cabinet approves the proposal within the Terms of Reference for the Health and Wellbeing Alliance to appoint Project Groups that explore, develop and report on the stated objectives of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance, specifically, but not exclusively, to include producing a Wider Determinants Action Plan which seeks to identify and respond to the wider determinants that impact health and wellbeing across the work of Alliance stakeholders and producing a Health in All Policies Action Plan that seeks to introduce Health in All Policies at DBC and the services of DBC Alliance stakeholders and an Ageing Well strategy which aligns with the Corporate Plan 2024-2027.

There are no items in this part of the agenda.

Summary:

To consider Exempt Appendix B to the main report detailing costings.

Recommendation:

That the contents of Exempt Appendix B to the main report be noted.