Items
No. |
Item |
E.52/20 |
Minutes PDF 109 KB
to approve as a correct record the minutes of
the meeting of the Executive held on 17 December 2020;
Minutes:
E.52/20
The minutes of the Executive
meeting held on 17 December 2020 were confirmed as a true and
correct record.
|
E.53/20 |
Urgent Business
brought forward at the discretion of the
Chairman;
Minutes:
E.53/20
The Chairman advised that there
were no urgent items of business to be raised at this Committee meeting.
|
E.54/20 |
Declarations of Interest
Members are invited to declare any personal or
disclosable pecuniary interests, including the nature and extent of
such interests they may have in any items to be considered at this
meeting;
Minutes:
E.54/20
Members and officers were invited to declare any
interests in the items of business to be considered during the
course of this meeting but none were made.
|
E.55/20 |
Public Question Time PDF 41 KB
a period of up to
15 minutes is available to deal with questions submitted to the
Council in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules;
Minutes:
E.55/20
It was noted that one public
question had been received in accordance with the Executive
Procedure Rules for consideration at this meeting.
This was as follows:
1. From Nicola
Varney:
During the current lockdown
could the Council please suspend charges in council car parks (as
was done in the first lockdown and is the current policy of
Cornwall Council) to:
1. Make it as easy as possible for
essential workers to get to and from work; and;
2. Help residents working from home who
have no off-street parking?
Response
‘Having
considered national guidance, at the current time we will be
continuing as normal with enforcement and parking charges and are
unable to allow any special dispensation for residents. This
approach is consistent with national advice and guidance from the
British Parking Association (BPA). We have also spoken
with colleagues across other Devon authorities who have confirmed
they are continuing their normal parking regimes during this
period. Can I just add, please note that the concession for
care and health workers still applies, who will be able to use our
car parks free of charge provided they are displaying an NHS
permit.’
Supplementary Question via Cllr
O’Callaghan:
Could this Council show
understanding and make temporary concessions for hard pressed
residents and issue temporary permits until the lockdown is over so
if people can provide reasonable evidence they are working from
home or in an essential job and need to park easily?
Response:
‘No, we
cannot do that. It would be a totally
subjective assessment and I cannot work out how we would define
someone who is a hard pressed resident.
So I regret we will not be lifting the charges for residents or
anyone else in our town car parks.’
|
E.56/20 |
Executive Forward Plan PDF 64 KB
Minutes:
E.56/20
Members were presented with the
Executive Forward Plan setting out items on the agenda for
Executive meetings for the next four months and noted its
content.
|
E.57/20 |
Future Localities Service PDF 101 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
E.57/20
Members were presented with the Future Localities
Service Report setting out the recommendations for the proposed new
Localities Service. The new structure
of the Localities Service had been devised following
recommendations from the Task and Finish Group.
During the discussion, thanks was given to the
Localities Team for what was seen as a successful service developed
out of the Transformation 18 Programme.
The Leader thanked the officers, the Task and Finish Group, and the
Lead Member for the report. Many Members agreed that this was a
very useful service, particularly during the summer months of 2020,
with one Executive Member outlining that these changes would
improve the service still further.
It was
then:
resolved
1)
That four additional seasonal posts be
approved to operate from 1 April until 30 September (inclusive)
each year;
2)
That an additional £25,000 be built
into the establishment base budget each year to meet the additional
costs; and
3)
That the new structure and approach (as set out in the presented
agenda report) be noted with the new service being implemented from
1 April 2021.
|
E.58/20 |
Reports of Bodies PDF 106 KB
a) Overview &
Scrutiny Panel – 19 November 2020; and
b) Joint Overview
& Scrutiny Panel and Development Management Committee –
14 January 2021
Additional documents:
Minutes:
E.58/20
That
the following be received and that any recommendations contained
therein be approved:
A)
Overview and Scrutiny Panel –
19th November 2020;
Minute O&S.24/20:SAFEGUARDING POLICY: ANNUAL
REVIEW
RESOLVED
That the revised Safeguarding Policy (as set out at
Appendix A of the presented agenda report to the Panel meeting) be
noted and that a safeguarding related training package for all
staff and Members be mandatory to complete.
B)
Joint Overview & Scrutiny Panel and
Development Management Committee – 14th January
2021
i) OSDM.15/20:
DRAFT REVENUE BUDGET PROPOSALS FOR
2021-22
RESOLVED
That the Recommendations made by the Joint Overview
& Scrutiny Panel and Development Management Committee be noted
and considered as part of agenda item 9 of this meeting. (Minute
E.59/20 below refers).
ii) OSDM.16/20: REVIEW OF FEES AND CHARGES FOR
2021-22
It was then:
RECOMMENDED
That the
Executive RECOMMEND to Council that:-
1. the level of
fees and charges for Parks, Open Spaces and Outdoor Sports for 2021/22 be maintained at the current
levels with no proposed increases (as set out in Appendix A of the
presented agenda report to the Joint Meeting);
2. the Environmental Health charges for 2021/22 be
maintained at the current levels with no proposed increases (as set
out at Appendix B of the presented agenda report to the Joint
Meeting);
3. the level of
Fees and Charges for Planning Applications and Enforcement for
2021/22 be maintained at the current levels with no proposed
increases (as set out at Appendix C of the presented agenda report
to the Joint Meeting);
4. the proposed fees and charges for Street Naming for
2021/22 be approved as set out at Appendix C of the presented
agenda report to the Joint Meeting;
5. the proposed Section 106 Monitoring fees for 2021/22
(as set out at Appendix C of the report presented to the Joint
Meeting) be approved;
6. delegated
authority be given to the Director of Place and Enterprise, in
consultation with the lead Executive Member, to set the Dartmouth
Lower Ferry Fees in order to take account of market conditions,
including competitor charges;
7. the proposed changes to Boat Storage Charges (as set
out in paragraph 3.10 of the presented agenda report to the Joint
Meeting) be approved;
8. delegated
authority be given to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with
the lead Executive Member, to set the Local Land Charges as
appropriate to ensure cost recovery; and
9. delegated authority be given to the relevant Head of
Practice, in consultation with the relevant lead Executive Member,
to adjust Fees and Charges within their service area by inflation
at suitable periodic intervals, with reports being presented to the
Executive as appropriate.
|
E.59/20 |
Revenue Budget Proposals 2021-22 PDF 420 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
E.59/20
The Executive was presented
with a report that outlined the draft revenue budget proposals for
2021/22. The Leader highlighted the
differences made to the report subsequent to the Joint Overview
& Scrutiny Panel/ Development Management Committee meeting held
on the 14th January 2021.
The Chair of the Overview
& Scrutiny Panel then spoke to Recommendation vi) options a) and b).
Since the Joint Meeting, he had discussed both options with the
Section 151 Officer and had decided that he was in favour of option b).
This retained the remainder of the unallocated New Homes Bonus
monies for 2021/22, £122,274
to be held in Reserve against the potential of a shortfall when the
replacement to the New Homes Bonus was finally announced for
2022/23. The £122,274 unallocated New Homes Bonus from
2021/22 and the £235,016 unallocated New Homes Bonus from
2020/21 could then be retained to fund the £546,000 of New
Homes Bonus funding needed to fund the revenue base budget in
2022/23.
The Executive then voted on
option b) of recommendation vi, and this
was carried unanimously.
It was noted that there had
been good collaborative work on this budget across the political
spectrum. The Leader outlined that the
proposed £200,000 to be allocated to fund the Climate Change
Action Plan should be used for projects which not only impacted on
climate change but also helped ensure a green recovery, and help
the Council achieve its aim of a zero carbon future.
Following a question from a
Non-Executive Member, the Leader confirmed that specific projects
would be determined by the Action Plan and The COVID-19 Recovery
Plan. The Leader confirmed she has
already asked officers to look at Climate Change and Biodiversity
Regeneration projects that would help to support green
recovery. It was noted that officers were currently fully engaged in
responding to the pandemic, but it was hoped that within a month or
so officers would be able to develop these projects.
It was
then:
rECOMMENDED
That the
Executive RECOMMEND to Council:-
i)
to increase Council Tax for 2021/22 by
£5 (Band D of 175.42 for 2021/22 – an increase of 10
pence per week or £5 per year – equates to a 2.93%
increase);
ii) to approve the financial pressures shown in Appendix
A of the presented agenda report (amounting to
£696,761);
iii) to approve the net contributions
to/(from) Earmarked Reserves of £414,600 as shown in Appendix
D of the presented agenda report, including the proposed use of
£746,000 of New Homes Bonus funding to fund the 2021/22
Revenue Budget as set out in section 4.24 of the report;
iv) to approve the savings of £122,191 (as shown
in Appendix A of the presented agenda report);
v) to approve the Partnership funding levels (as set
out in Section 5 of the presented agenda report), including a
£10,000 contribution to the CVS in 2021/22 and
2022/23
vi) the
allocation of £500,000* for funding for the Recovery and
Renewal Plan and a further £200,000* funding for the
...
view the full minutes text for item E.59/20
|
E.60/20 |
Capital Budget Proposals 2021-22 PDF 151 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
E.60/20
The Executive was presented with a report
that outlined the draft Capital Budget proposals for
2021-22.
An Executive Member outlined that he
would not be supporting any proposed capital spend on Follaton
House until such time as the future of the Council Offices was
determined.
The Section 151 Officer clarified that
recommendation 2 and the note were no longer applicable following
the decision made at E.59/20, and therefore these were
removed.
It was
then:
rECOMMENDED
That the Executive RECOMMEND to
Council:-
a)
That the Capital Programme
for 2021/22, which totals £2,380,000 (Appendix A of the
presented agenda report refers) be approved; and
b) That the 2021/22 Capital
Programme of £2,380,000 be financed from the funding sources
set out in Section 4 of the presented agenda report.
|
E.61/20 |
Capital Programme Monitoring PDF 105 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
E.61/20
The Executive was presented with a
monitoring report that outlined the Capital Programme.
This report covered the period from 1st April 2020 to
30th November 2020.
The Lead Member advised that there would
be a separate report for an All Member briefing on the Community
Housing Projects in the near future, with the Report being added to
the Executive Forward Plan.
The
Lead outlined that the report advised Members of the progress on
individual schemes within the approved Capital Programme, including
an assessment of the financial position and that all of the capital
projects were within the existing capital budgets approved by
Members (as outlined at exempt Appendix A of the presented agenda
report). It was clarified that this
exemption was due to the awarding of contracts being subject to the
Council’s procurement rules on competitive tendering, and
therefore commercially sensitive.
Appendix C of the attendant report outlined an overview of the
total remaining Section 106 deposits with some details around the
purpose and conditions of these deposits.
It was highlighted that the Community
Housing Fund Earmarked Reserve, in Appendix D of the presented
agenda report, provided a revolving and recyclable fund if these projects ultimately went
ahead. Further to a question from a
Non-Executive Member, the Leader clarified that monies for the
Community Housing Projects had been received from Central
Government and not from local Council Taxpayers. Other monies to progress any scheme would be as a
loan from the Public Works Loans Board and would be requested only
when any project reached the stage of taking forward.
It was then:
RESOLVED
1. That the
content of the Monitoring Report be noted; and
2. That a
separate report be produced for an All Member Briefing on Community
Housing Projects and a future report to the Executive be added to
the Executive Forward Plan.
|
E.62/20 |
Ivybridge Regeneration Project - Update PDF 411 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
E.62/20
The Lead Member for Enterprise presented
the Executive with a report that updated on the Ivybridge
Regeneration Project. It was
highlighted that £65,000 for commissioning work had been
previously agreed at the 17th September 2020 Executive
Meeting. This money had been
utilised by the project team to
ascertain advice on planning, ecology, buildability, car parking
regime, lease arrangements, and Treasury Management
advice. An economic assessment of
Ivybridge Centre was also commissioned.
The outcome of this work had shown the
project to be technically and economically viable, with the
regeneration project offering significant benefits to local economy
and public realm. The Lead Member noted
the scheme had strong support from residents, the business
community, the local Town Council, Ward Members, and local
stakeholders. The Member expressed his thanks to officers for the
work involved in both project development and the resultant
report.
One Non-Executive Member registered his
views that the scheme had been a missed opportunity in imaginative
regeneration but several Members of the Executive stated that
building a supermarket was a recognised
means to help regeneration. There was
disagreement over how much this particular supermarket brand
utilised local providers.
There was also a discussion regarding the
options of retaining ownership of the land and building as opposed
to selling the land to the supermarket chain, or getting the
supermarket to build the store and just charging ground
rent. The Director for Place outlined
the reasons for maintaining control over the project, namely it
allowed funding of significant improvements i.e. to the car
parking, new cycle routes, the skate
park, and allowed for a long lease to secure tenants.
A Member of the Executive commented that
questions raised by Members in informal briefing sessions were not
in the public domain and therefore the ability to raise questions
again in this forum was important for transparency. He also outlined that although he would be
supporting this item, it was reluctantly, as he felt this scheme
was not a true regeneration project and offered to take Members on
a tour of other regeneration schemes, once covid restrictions were lifted.
Another Member of the Executive
highlighted the amount of money which had been allocated to
Ivybridge in recent years to help with regeneration and outlined
several projects, including the upgrade to the leisure
facility.
It was
then:
rECOMMENDED
That the Executive RECOMMEND to Council to:
1)
approve the Ivybridge Regeneration project through
to planning, tender, construction and lease (subject but not
limited to the regulatory statutory planning process and the total
scheme cost being within the £9 million financial
envelope),
2)
approve the financial case as
set out within this report and the borrowing of £9 million
from the Public Works Loans Board (PWLB) to finance the
regeneration project,
3)
approve the spend of up to
£450,000, funded from the Business Rates Retention Earmarked
Reserve, recognizing these will be abortive costs if the project
does not proceed at any given stage pre-construction,
4)
approve the procurement strategy
and any associated contract awards, ...
view the full minutes text for item E.62/20
|
E.63/20 |
South Brent Community Housing PDF 86 KB
Minutes:
E.63/20
The Leader presented the Executive with a
report that outlined the request to modify the term of the
previously approved loan to South Brent Community Land
Trust. The modification was to alter
the repayment term from two years to seven years. This modification was in response to terms
outlined by the Ecology Building Society and the support of Homes
England, and to cover the rental portion of the shared ownership
properties. The Leader outlined a
resultant benefit from the change to seven years, in that the
Council now moved from second charge to first equal charge with the
Building Society, but acknowledged that this now tied up the monies
involved for longer therefore the sums would now be recyclable in
seven years rather than two.
It was
then:
rESOLVED
That the term of a previously approved, secured
loan to South Brent Community Land Trust of up to £360,000 be
modified from two years to seven years.
|
E.64/20 |
Devon Districts Procurement Strategy PDF 102 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
E.64/20
The Leader presented the Executive with a
report that outlined the Devon Districts’ Procurement
Strategy and highlighted that this was the third iteration of the
Strategy, involving a collaboration with several local authorities
in the South West. This strategy had
been developed using the Sustainable Procurement Policy and
procedure which had been approved by the relevant Councils in
November 2019. The delay in getting
this to the Executive had been due to a full agenda in November
2019, then the impact of the Covid pandemic, although it was noted
that the Council had been working to this Strategy since November
2019.
It was noted that the Council already had
one of the best local procurement records within Devon.
One Executive Member outlined the
importance of procuring goods and services as locally as possible,
which not only helped to keep money in the local area but also
reduced the carbon footprint.
It was
then:
RESOLVED
That the Executive:
1.
Note the progress made in
delivery of the previous Devon Districts Procurement Strategy
2014-2018;
2.
Consider inclusion of South Hams
specific objectives for inclusion within the delivery plan as set
out in Section 5.3 of the presented agenda report; and
3.
RECOMMEND to
Council to adopt the Devon Districts Procurement Strategy 2019-2022
(including the objectives set out in recommendation 2).
(NOTE: THESE DECISIONS, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF E.58/20 PART B ii), E.59/20, E.60/20, E.62/20, AND
E.64/20 PART 3 WHICH WERE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL MEETING TO
BE HELD ON 11 FEBRUARY 2021, WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM 5.00PM ON
MONDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 2021 UNLESS CALLED IN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SCRUTINY PROCEDURE RULE 18).
|