Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr J Moody.

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.

            If Councillors have any questions relating to predetermination, bias or interests in items on this Agenda, then please contact the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

Members were invited to declare any interests in the items of business to be discussed but none were made.

To approve and adopt as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Hub Committee held 5 November 2019

The Minutes of the Hub Committee meeting held on 5 November 2019 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Members were presented with the Hub Committee Forward Plan setting out items on the agenda for Hub Committee meetings for the next four months. 

The contents of the Forward Plan were agreed.

Members were presented with a report that enabled them to monitor income and expenditure variations against the approved budget for 2019/20, and provided a forecast for the year end position.

The Lead Member for Performance and Resources introduced the report.  Members agreed that the report indicated that the Council had operated responsibly throughout the year.

It was then RESOLVED that the forecast income and expenditure variations for the 2019/20 financial year and the overall projected underspend of £54,000 be noted.

Members were presented with a report that advised them of the financial position as at 30 September 2019 for the purposes of budget monitoring.  All capital projects were within the individual capital budgets approved by Members.  The total capital budget for 2019/20 was £7,532,193 of which £312,047 had been spent to date (as set out in Appendix A).

The Lead Member for Performance and Resources introduced the report. 

It was then RESOLVED that the contents of the report be endorsed.

Members were presented with a report that set out the latest budget position for the Revenue Budget for 2020/21 and formally sought the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the presented budget proposals.

The Leader introduced the report and highlighted specific points for consideration.  The Leader and s151 Officer responded to a number of questions of clarity.  Members raised further points for consideration and asked for details on the use of the Member Locality Fund, whether the proposed new Economy Officer post could have performance targets, and the merits of the premium planning service.

It was then RESOLVED:

(i)   that the forecast budget gap for 2020/21 of £16,284 (a near balanced budget) and the position for future years (a projected £0.367 million budget gap in 2021/22) be noted,

(ii)   that the current options identified and timescales for closing the budget gap in 2020/21 and future years, to achieve long term financial sustainability be noted; and

(iii) to request the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Revenue Budget Proposals set out within this report for 2020/21.

(iv)   that the Hub Committee requests the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Fees and Charges below which form part of the Revenue Budget Proposals for 2020/21:

(a)     To approve the proposed Environmental Health charges in Appendix D.

(b)     To approve the proposed unchanged fees and charges set out for Development Management in Appendix C.

(c)     To approve that charges be introduced for the use of the existing electric charging points at Kilworthy Park.

(d)     To approve the introduction of Proof of Life charges with immediate effect, once approval from Members has been received as set out in paragraph 5.13.

(e)     To approve the changes to S257 Footpath Diversion Orders charges with immediate effect, once approval from Members has been received as set out in paragraph 5.14.

(f)      To approve the proposals to increase charges to Parish and Town Councils for the emptying of dog waste and litter bins as set out in paragraph 5.15

(g)     To delegate authority to the Section 151 Officer and the Portfolio Holder to set the Local Land Charges as appropriate for cost recovery.

Members were presented with a report that set out the Capital Programme proposals for 2020/21 and formally sought the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to the proposals.

The Leader introduced the report, and congratulated officers on the clarity of the report writing. 

It was then RESOLVED that:

1)    the following be noted

a)   The Capital Programme Proposals for 2020/21, which total £910,000 (Appendix A)

b)   The Capital Programme Proposals for 2020/21, which total £140,000 (Exempt Appendix C)

c)   The proposed funding of the 2020/21 Capital Programme of £1,050,000 from the funding sources set out in Section 4.

2)    the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Capital Programme proposals for 2020/21 of £1,050,000 set out in this report and the proposals for the financing of the Capital Programme be requested.

Members were presented with a report that informed them of the debt written off for revenue streams within the Revenue and Benefits service.  Debts up to the value of £5,000 were written off by the s151 officer under delegated authority.  Permission was sought to write off individual debts with a value of more than £5,000.

It was then RESOLVED that:

1.     It be noted that, in accordance with Financial Regulations, the s151 Officer has authorised the write off of individual West Devon Borough Council debts totaling £40,006.71 as detailed in the appendices to the presented agenda report at tables 1 and 2; and

2.     The write off of individual debts in excess of £5,000 (totalling £5,242.92) be approved.

(NOTE: THESE DECISIONS, WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM

WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER 2019 UNLESS CALLED IN, IN ACCORDANCE

 WITH SCRUTINY PROCEDURE RULE 18).