Agenda and minutes

*HC11           

ApologieswerereceivedfromCllrJ BMoody.

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.

*HC12          

Memberswereinvitedto declareanyinterestsinthe itemsofbusinessto bediscussedand thefollowingweremade:

CllrR JOxboroughdeclareda disclosablepecuniaryinterestinItem6

‘BusinessDevelopment– DiscretionaryRateRelief’(MinuteHC15below refers)by virtueofbeinga businessownerhimselfandhe leftthe meeting forthe durationof thisitem.

To consider those items which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered by the Meeting as matters of urgency (if any)

*HC13          

TheChairmanadvisedthat inviewofconcernsabouttheleveland quality of service,specificallyin theCustomerContactCentreandPlanning, discussionshad takenplacewith theExecutiveDirectors.

Members  had  been  aware  that  service  levels  could  suffer  with  the transitiontonewwaysofworking,however,issueswerenowbeingraised at ParishCouncilmeetingswithBoroughCouncillors.

The ExecutiveDirector(ServiceDeliveryand CommercialDevelopment) thankedMembersfor the opportunityto setout thelatestpositionand advisedthattherehadbeen adipinservicein twokeyareas.  Shesetout the recruitmentposition for staffintothe CustomerContactCentre,and plans  to  consider  temporarily  outsourcing  ...  view the full minutes text for item *HC13

Report of Lead Specialist – Place and Strategy

HC14           

ThePortfolio  Holder  for  OurPlan  and  Strategic  Planning  presented  a reportthatupdatedMemberson the statusof Our Planandmade recommendationsfornextsteps.  Ithighlightedresponsesto theOur Plan publicconsultationthattookplaceinthe springand settheseina regional and nationalcontextof significantchangeoverthelast6 months.

He then respondedtoa numberof detailedquestionsregardingthe recommendationscontainedwithinthe report.

It wasthenRECOMMENDEDthatCouncilbeRECOMMENDEDthat:

1.  Option2 for progressionofOurPlan,as setoutatparagraph4 ofthe presentedagendareport,be pursuedrecognisingthat thiswillneedan extendedplanperiodto 2032or 2033;

2.   AdetailedDutyto Co  ...  view the full minutes text for item *HC14

HC15           BUSINESSDEVELOPMENT– DISCRETIONARYRATERELIEF

TheDeputyLeaderpresenteda reportthatrecommendedtoCouncilthat theBoroughCouncilutiliseitspowersto applydiscretionarybusinessrate relief.  Thepurposeof thesenewpowerswasto give billingauthoritiesthe ability andscopeto encourage,sustainand improvelocaleconomic performanceby temporarilyloweringthebusinessrateburdenwhilelocal businessesgrew andcreatedsignificantadditionalemploymentwithinthe Borough.

Membershada detaileddebateonthisitem,includinghow theproposed policydifferedfromtheexistingRateReliefPanel.   Duringdiscussion,it wasconfirmedthatreferenceinthe presentedreportto  ...  view the full minutes text for item *HC15

Report of COP Lead – Housing, Revenue and Benefits

HC16           

ThePortfolioHolderforHealthandWellbeingpresenteda reportthatset outhowthe Councilcoulduse its discretionarypowerstoassistpersons liablefor CouncilTaxwhoare facingextremehardshiportdistress.  The reportpresenteda newpolicywhichincorporatedthese powerswith the ExceptionalHardshipFundwhichspecificallyprovidedadditionalsupport tocustomers  inreceipt  ofCouncil  Taxreduction.  This  would  allow  all applicationsfor assistancewith CouncilTaxto be consideredunderone frameworkandwouldensureallapplicantsare treatedconsistentlyand fairly.

It  was then  RECOMMENDED  that  Council  be  RECOMMENDED  to approvethe combinedCouncilTaxDiscretionaryDiscount& Redu  ...  view the full minutes text for item *HC16

Report of COP Lead – Housing, Revenue and Benefits

HC17           

TheLead SpecialistHousing,Revenueand Benefitspresenteda report thatreviewedthe existingarrangementsfor Devon Home Choice– the Authority’scurrentmodelof allocatingaffordablehousing in the borough. Thereport includeda summaryof the experiencesofotherauthoritieswho hadmade significantchangeslocallyto theDevonHomeChoicePolicy and setout thereasonsforthe recommendationsgoingforward.

Therewassomediscussionregardingtheexamplepresentedin thereport of thepolicyadoptedby anotherCouncilto removeBandE residentsfrom thelist.  WhilstnotallMembersagreedwiththisway forward,it wasnoted thatofficersshouldlookatalternativestoDevonHomeChoiceintimefor thenextannualre  ...  view the full minutes text for item *HC17

Report of Place and Strategy Specialist

HC18           

ThePortfolio  Holder  for  OurPlan  and  Strategic  Planning  presented  a report  that  sought  to  revoke  the  interim  planning  obligations  decision agreedat fullCouncilon 17February2015.

Membersdiscussedthe reportandparticularlytheeffectivedateof the decision.

ItwasthenRECOMMENDEDthatCouncilbe RECOMMENDEDto revoke the  interim  planning  obligations  decision  agreed  at  full  Council  on  17 February2015.

Report of Environmental Health Specialist

HC19           

The ExecutiveDirector(Strategyand Commissioning)presenteda report thatsoughtacceptanceof the HealthandSafetyStatementofPolicyand recommendthatthe Statementof Policy be reviewedandsignedannually on theoccasionofthe AnnualCouncilMeeting.

During  discussion  the  Members  confirmed  that  the  policy,  whilst  not specificto WestDevonBoroughCouncil,wasacceptable,as itrelatedto staffworkingacrossbothCouncils.

The Chairmancommentedthatwhilstitwasimportantto havepoliciesin place,itwasmoreimportantthatthecultureof anorganisationreflected thecommitmentto workingina healthyandsafemanner.

ItwasthenRECOMMENDEDthatCouncilbeRECOMMENDED:

a)  thattheHealthand SafetyStatemento  ...  view the full minutes text for item *HC19

Report of COP Lead Specialist - Legal

HC20           

ThePortfolioHolderforResourcesandPerformancepresenteda report that  brought  arevised  Joint  DataProtection  Policyforapproval.    The Policyhadbeendraftedto supporttheCouncil’sT18waysofworking.

ItwasthenRECOMMENDEDthatCouncilbeRECOMMENDED:

1.  toapprovetheJointDataProtectionPolicyattachedatAppendixA to the presentedreportandsupportingCodesof Practiceand documentation;and

2.  todelegateto theMonitoringOfficerto makeminoramendments

Report of s151 Officer and Case Management Manager

*HC21          

ThePortfolioHolder  forHealthandWellbeing  introduced  areportthat informedMembersofthedebtwrittenofffor revenuestreamswithinthe Revenueand Benefitsservice.   Debtsupto thevalueof£5,000were writtenoffby thes151Officerunderdelegatedauthority.  Permissionwas soughtto writeoff individualdebtswitha valueofmorethan £5,000.

ItwasthenRESOLVEDthat:

1.  Thewriteoff bythe s151Officerof individualWestDevonBorough Councildebtstotalling£65,532.49,as detailedinTables1 and 2 of the presentedreport,be noted;and

2.  Thewriteoff ofindividualdebtsinexcessof£5,000,totalling £25,244.26as detailedin Table3 ofthe presentedreportbe approved.

At the conclusionof this item,the ExecutiveDirector(Strategyand Com  ...  view the full minutes text for item *HC21