Council overspend budget on transitioning to committee system by £22,000, so far

It had a budget of £100,000. However, at the first full council of the year, held on the 29 January 2025, Cllr David Godfrey (Con) made it clear the budget for moving to a committee system of governance for Folkestone & Hythe District Council, had already overspent its budget by £20,000, when taking into account officer time. Cllr David Godfrey (Con) went as far as saying the change was a “complete waste of time and money”.

 

The journey to a committee system of governance, rather than cabinet system of governance, began on a wave of optimisim on a warm barmy evening in June 2023.  It was Cllr Tim Prater who put forward the motion the committee system model of governance be adopted by Folkestone and Hythe District Council, with effect from the Annual Council meeting in May 2024. See agenda item 23,

The June 2023 motion was proposed by Councillor Prater, and seconded by Councillor McConville; and then went to a recorded vote, Cllrs voted as follows:

FOR: Councillors Akuffo-Kelly (Lab), M Blakemore (Green), P Blakemore (Green), Butcher (Green), Chapman (Lab), Cooper (Lab), Davison (Lab), Fuller (Lib Dem), Godfrey (Con), Grant (Con), Holgate (Green), Jones (Green), Keen (Lab), Lockwood (Lab), A Martin, E Martin (Green), J Martin (Green), McConville (Lab), McShane (Lab), Meade (Lab), Prater (Lib Dem), Shoob (Green), Speakman (Green), Thomas (Ind), Walker (Lab) and Wing (Green) (26).

AGAINST: Councillors Goddard (Con) and Mrs Hollingsbee (Con) (2).

A budget of £100,000 was set aside to make the necessary changes to the constitution of the Council.

The first meeting of the Constitution Working Group took place on 12 July 2023, by the end of the year a total of six meetings had taken place. Then in 2024, a further eight meetings took place. However, on 24 Jan 2024, the decision to move to a Committee system was delayed until May 2025. But then came another twist in the story.

On the 16 Dec 2024, The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government published the English Devolution White Paper

On Jan 9 2025, Kent and Medway requested they be included in the Devolution Priority Programme All Councils in Kent & Medway are now set on a course for their own extinction by May 2027.

Then at the first full council meeting held on 29 January 2025, came another twist in the tale, when Cllr Jenny Hollingsbee (Con)  tabled a motion calling for Folkestone & Hythe District Council to retain its existing cabinet structure, rather than moving to a Committee system as agreed in June 2023. Cllr Hollingsbee’s motion succeeded 16 votes to 13. Cllr Hollingsbee also clarified the budget had gone over budget by £22,000, when officer time was included.

“Folkestone & Hythe District Council will now send a letter to the Secretary of State, Angela Rayner MP, formally requesting the move to a committee system is reversed.

If accepted, a further vote will be taken by full council to ratify the decision. If declined, Folkestone & Hythe District will adopt a committee system either this year or in 2026 – depending on when such a response is received.” says the Council’s press release.

A budget set at £100,000, and overspent by £22,000 to date – there could be more spent if the SoS The Rt Hon Angela Rayner decides the council continue with the committee system.

Do you as residents of the Folkestone & Hythe District wish our Council to carry on spending money on a committee system, when in May 2027, our Council will become extinct?  

Cllr Prater (Lib Dem – pictured), the Cabinet member for the finance, has allowed an overspend on the budget for transitioning to a committee system of governance. Should the Council call time on this project, not only to prevent further wasteful overspending, but because the Council will not exist after May 2027?   

As always we’ll leave you to decide that.

The Shepway Vox Team

The Velvet Voices of Voxatiousness