Agenda item

(i)           Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Meeting held on 22 June 2021                                                     

(ii)          Audit Committee

Meeting held on 29 June 2021                                                     

Meeting held on 7 September 2021                                            

(iii)        Hub Committee

Meeting held on 21 September 2021                               To follow

CM 39/21         

a.       Overview & Scrutiny Committee – 22 June 2021

It was moved by Cllr M Ewings, seconded by Cllr P Kimber and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the Minutes of the 22 June 2021 meeting be received and noted”.

b.      Audit Committee – 29 June 2021 and 7 September 2021

It was moved by Cllr M Davies, seconded by Cllr K Ball and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the Minutes of the 29 June 2021 and 7 September 2021 meetings be received and noted”.

c.       Hub Committee – 21 September 2021

It was moved by Cllr N Jory, seconded by Cllr C Edmonds and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the Minutes of the 21 September 2021 meeting be received and noted, with the exception of Recommendations HC 24/21, HC 25/21, HC 27/21, HC 28/21, HC 29/21 and HC 30/21.”

In respect of the Recommendations:

It was noted that Recommendation HC 24/21 (A Plan for West Devon) was to be considered as a standalone agenda item later in the Meeting (Minute CM 40/21 below refers).

HC 25/21: ORCS Funding – Electric Charging Points

It was moved by Cllr N Jory, seconded by Cllr C Edmonds and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that:

1.      a Collaboration Agreement be entered into with the Devon and Torbay Residential Chargepoint Scheme for the installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Points;

2.      the potential sites (as listed in paragraph 1.3 of the presented agenda report to the Hub Committee Meeting) be approved as the location(s) for the installation of Electric Charging Points; and

3.      a lease be entered into with the appointed supplier for a ten year period.”

HC 27/21: Medium Term Financial Strategy 2022/23 to 2024/25

It was moved by Cllr N Jory, seconded by Cllr C Edmonds and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that:

1.     the strategic intention be set to raise Council Tax by the maximum allowed in any given year, without triggering a Council Tax Referendum, to endeavour to continue to deliver services. (NB the actual council tax for any given year will be decided by Council in the preceding February);

2.     the principle of using funding in the Business Rates Retention Reserve, to smooth out the anticipated volatility in business rates income over the next three years be adopted (as set out in section 3.19 of the published agenda report). (NB. the volatility is due to the business rates baseline reset anticipated in 2023/24 (this will mean that the Council will have negative revenue support grant) and the predicted loss of business rates pooling gains at the same time);

3.     the Council continue to respond to Government consultations on Business Rates Reform;

4.     the Council continue to actively lobby and engage with the Government, Devon MPs, South West Councils and other sector bodies such as the District Councils’ Network and the Rural Services Network, for a realistic business rates baseline to be set for the Council for 2023 onwards, when the business rates reset happens;

5.     the Council continue to lobby in support of the Government eliminating Negative Revenue Support Grant in 2022/23 (and thereafter) and continues to lobby for Rural Services Delivery Grant allocations which adequately reflect the cost of rural service provision; and

6.     the forecast budget gap for 2022/23 of £78,731 (1% of the current Net Budget of £7.3million) and the position for future years be noted.”

HC 28/21: Month 4 Revenue Budget Monitoring 2021/22

It was moved by Cllr N Jory, seconded by Cllr C Edmonds and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that funding of £190,000 be utilised from the COVID-19 Losses Earmarked Reserve in 2021/22 to fund COVID-19 expenditure in 2021/22 and the projected net losses on car parking income in 2021/22.”

HC 29/21: Capital Budget Monitoring 2021/22

It was moved by Cllr N Jory, seconded by Cllr C Edmonds and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the 2021/22 budget for Community Project Grants be increased from £15,000 to £30,000, with the additional £15,000 being funded from the New Homes Bonus Reserve.”

HC 30/21: Planning Improvement Plan

It was moved by Cllr N Jory, seconded by Cllr C Edmonds and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the cost of temporary planning staffing resources of £60,400 (the Borough Council share of the cost) be funded from the additional planning income generated in 2021/22 (as set out in Section 2.6 of the published agenda report presented to the Hub Committee meeting).”