The Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee met to discuss a range of issues, including highway maintenance, active travel, waste management, and the county's environmental strategy. Key decisions included approving funding for a new waste transfer station in Folkestone and endorsing the Kent and Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

• Environment and Transport Performance Dashboard
• Winter Service Policy
• Active Travel Funding
• National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme Courses
• Internal Drainage Board Expansion
• Procurement of Paper and Card Waste Contract
• Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership
• Folkestone Hive Waste Transfer Station
• Kent and Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy
• Extension of DPS Frameworks for Transport
• Transport for the South East Endorsement
• Work Programme

Environment and Transport Performance Dashboard

The committee reviewed the ETCC Performance Dashboard Sept 25 - Appendix 1, which presented data up to June 2025. Of the 14 key performance indicators (KPIs), 11 were rated green, two amber, and one red. The red KPI, relating to the completion of public-reported faults within 28 days, was attributed to a backlog caused by adverse weather in May and June. Councillor Brady asked about more up-to-date figures for July and August, and also requested data on the longevity of pothole repairs. It was agreed that a data analysis tool would be developed to allow members to access real-time performance data. Andrew Bray, a service manager, explained that contractors guarantee pothole repairs for 12 months, and that permanent repairs are prioritised during the summer months. Councillor Hood raised concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and questioned the financial implications of changes to government policy on collecting building waste. He also challenged the use of adverse weather as a reason for not meeting highways targets, a claim that Councillor Jones disputed, citing significant storm activity and drainage inquiries. Councillor Prater suggested that insufficient drain management may be contributing to the failure to meet targets for completing public-reported faults. The committee noted the performance dashboard.

Winter Service Policy

The committee reviewed the 2025 Winter Service Policy ETCC Report, which outlined the previous winter season's performance and the budget for the upcoming year. Andrew Loosemore, Head of Highways, reported that 99% of gritting runs were completed on time, and that there were no proposed changes to the winter service policy. The council holds 23,000 tonnes of salt, exceeding the minimum requirement of 16,800 tonnes. Councillor Peter asked for a comparison of the allocated budget with the previous year's figure. Councillor Thomas requested better labelling of salt bins to indicate ownership and responsibility for refilling, and also asked about monitoring of salt bin security. Councillor Brady inquired about the agility of the service in responding to burst water mains and the possibility of charging water companies for related costs.

Active Travel Funding

The committee discussed two items relating to active travel funding: the ATF5 Cap Rev Grant fund Report (Active Travel Fund Grant - Tranche 5) and the CATF Cap Rev Grant fund final Report (Consolidated Active Travel Funding Grant - Tranche 6). These grants aim to enhance walking, wheeling, and cycling infrastructure across the county. The committee endorsed the proposed decisions to accept the grants and delegate authority to relevant directors to progress scheme development and construction. Several members raised concerns about member scrutiny of the proposed schemes and the lack of visibility regarding the prioritisation process. Councillor Hood noted that the Tunbridge High Street scheme was primarily a maintenance project and that political support was essential for successful active travel schemes. Councillor Prater expressed concern that members had not seen the full list of proposed schemes and that the JTB[^2] had not discussed the prioritisation. Jamie Watson, Senior Programme Manager, offered to brief members on the history of the decisions and the reasons for prioritisation. Councillor Thomas asked about plans to improve proposal ratings and whether the council could push schemes back to borough councils. Councillor Baker criticised the active travel scheme in Folkestone, citing increased congestion and safety concerns. Councillor Brady suggested a presentation on the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) and the Kent Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (KCWIP). Councillor Chamberlain called for greater transparency on the schemes being put forward.

National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme Courses

The committee reviewed the NDORS continuation Report, seeking approval to continue operating the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme Courses in partnership with Kent Police until 31 March 2030. Mark Bunting, from the Kent Driver Education Team, explained that the scheme is self-funding and aims to rectify driver behaviour and reduce road casualties. The committee endorsed the proposed decision.

Internal Drainage Board Expansion

The committee considered the Internal Drainage Board Expansion Report, regarding the proposed expansion of the River Stour Internal Drainage Board and the trial expansion of the Upper Medway Internal Drainage Board. The committee endorsed the proposed expansion and the joint working arrangement between the Upper Medway Internal Drainage Board and Kent County Council as Lead Local Flood Authority. Councillor Hood questioned the need for another water organisation, referencing a recent water summit that members were not aware of. Councillor Thomas clarified that the summit was an exploratory meeting to set out a pathway for the whole of Kent and that a cross-party meeting would be scheduled for November. Councillor Peter expressed concern about the potential cost impact of the expansion on district councils. Louise Smith, Flood and Water Manager, offered to seek clarification from the internal drainage boards and report back to the committee.

Procurement of Paper and Card Waste Contract

The committee discussed the Paper and Card Report, outlining the key considerations for procuring a new countywide contract for the receipt and processing of paper and card waste. The contract, set to begin on 1 December 2026, will be income-generating and include social value commitments. The committee endorsed the proposed decision to proceed with the procurement. Councillor Fryer inquired about the social value commitments, and Sue Riddick, Head of Resource Management and Circular Economy, explained that they would focus on local employment, apprenticeships, and environmental initiatives. Councillor Hood asked about the difference in value between dry and wet card waste, and Sue Riddick confirmed that dry paper is worth more and that it would be advantageous if collection councils used lidded bins. Councillor Brady asked about the cost of the previous contract and the estimated cost of the new contract. Councillor Thomas suggested incentivising partner organisations to improve the quality of waste collection.

Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership

The committee received an overview of the Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership. Chief Inspector Alland explained that the partnership aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the roads through education, publicity, and targeted enforcement. He noted that there has been a 48% average reduction in the most severe injury crashes at camera-monitored locations over the past 20 years. Councillor Hudson raised concerns about boy racers on Seven Mile Lane and the lack of action despite police support for installing average speed cameras. Councillor Prater criticised the lack of transparency in the partnership's data release and requested annual reports with offence data by camera. Chief Inspector Alland stated that the website is being updated to include offence data and that he was happy to share police-related information. Councillor Brady questioned the criteria for installing cameras and the level of lobbying for additional funding.

Folkestone Hive Waste Transfer Station

The committee discussed the Final FH WTS Delivery Options Decision Report, regarding delivery options for the Folkestone Hive Waste Transfer Station. The committee endorsed the proposed decision to proceed with option 3, which involves utilising waste reserve funds to close the budget gap and extending the developer contribution collection period to 2040. This will allow the building of a new waste transfer station at Junction 11 of the M20. Councillor Hood asked if the £6 million of borrowing was additional or already budgeted, and it was confirmed that it was already budgeted.

Kent and Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy

The committee reviewed the LNRS draft paper Report, outlining the development of the Kent and Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy. The committee approved and adopted the strategy, subject to endorsement by supporting authorities, and delegated authority to the Director for Environment and Circular Economy to publish the strategy and support its implementation. Elizabeth Milne, from the Environment and Circular Economy department, explained that the strategy aims to end nature decline and work towards published targets. It identifies priorities for nature recovery, potential measures, and areas for targeted delivery. Councillor Bridget Porter asked about the focused species to be introduced, and Elizabeth Milne clarified that the strategy includes 141 priority native species and addresses invasive species. Councillor Hood expressed concern about the council's willingness to implement the strategy and questioned the status of Plan B and Plan Tree. He also raised concerns about the criteria used to select sites and the lack of focus on areas with the least tree cover. Councillor Schoenck criticised overdevelopment and the destruction of green spaces. Councillor Fryer asked about ensuring nature recovery in urban areas. Councillor Thomas cautioned against developers taking advantage of the policy and expressed concern about the impact of the A28 Sea Link project.

Extension of DPS Frameworks for Transport

The committee considered two reports regarding the extension of Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) frameworks for transport: the PSV DPS Report (Supported Local Bus & Home to School Transport) and the Home to School Transport taxi DPS Report (Home to School Transport (taxi)). The committee endorsed the proposed decisions to extend the current DPS frameworks until 23 February 2029 and enable the development of an appropriate commercial strategy. These frameworks are used for procuring transport services, including local bus routes and home-to-school transport. Mr Osborne explained that the extension was necessary because the new Procurement Act 2023 does not have a comparable replacement for DPS frameworks. Councillor Thomas clarified that the extension was simply to ensure a light touch at pace scheme that you can procure quickly. Councillor Brady raised concerns about rising costs and asked how the council would address inflated costs. Mr Osborne explained that the DPS frameworks provide a procurement compliant way of tendering requirements and that work on costs was ongoing separately.

Transport for the South East Endorsement

The committee discussed the TfSE New Transport Strategy Report, regarding the Kent County Council's endorsement of the Transport Strategy for the South East. The committee endorsed the proposed decision to endorse the strategy and support TfSE with its implementation. Mr Osborne explained that TfSE is a sub-national transport body and that KCC has been a member since 2017. He noted that the strategy had been updated following a public consultation and that KCC's comments had been addressed. Councillor Fryer sought clarity on KCC's support for the strategy's vision of achieving sustainable net-zero carbon growth. Mr Osborne confirmed that KCC supports the strategy but noted that it is a voluntary partnership and that KCC is just one of 16 local transport authorities. He also highlighted the benefits of being part of the partnership, including access to research, information sharing, and a voice in discussions with the Department for Transport. Councillor Chamberlain asked if there were other partnerships that KCC could be part of and questioned whether everyone was comfortable with everything in the strategy. Councillor Schoenck asked how the policy would affect people in East Kent. Councillor Hood expressed support for the work and the need for a proper rail link between Gatwick Airport and Kent.

Work Programme

The committee noted the work programme for 2025-2026.