Agenda and draft minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 January 2026 were agreed as a true and accurate record.

Guidance is available online to Councillors and co-opted members on making declarations of interest.

Minute 66. Public Toilets programme review options appraisal.

Cllr Aurora Bailey, Affects Non-Registerable Interest, Member of Exmouth Town Council.

Minute 66. Public Toilets programme review options appraisal.

Cllr Brian Bailey, Affects Non-Registerable Interest, Member of Exmouth Town Council.

Minute 66. Public Toilets programme review options appraisal.

Cllr Ian Barlow, Affects Non-Registerable Interest, Member of Sidmouth Town Council.

Minute 66. Public Toilets programme review options appraisal.

Cllr Tim Dumper, Affects Non-Registerable Interest, Member of Exmouth Town Council.

Minute 66. Public Toilets programme review options appraisal.

Cllr Matt Hall, Affects Non-Registerable Interest, Member of Exmouth Town Council.

Minute 66. Public Toilets programme review options appraisal.

Cllr John Heath, Affects Non-Registerable Interest, Member of Beer Parish Council.

Minute 66. Public Toilets programme review options appraisal.

Cllr Dan Wilson, Affects Non-Registerable Interest, Member of Exmouth Town Council.

Information on public speaking is available online.

No members of the public had registered to speak at the meeting.

Information on matters of urgency is available online.

There were no matters of urgency.

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including press) have been excluded. There is one item that officers recommend should be dealt with in this way.

There was one confidential/exempt item (minute 66 refers).

i)                 To receive the Overview Committee Work Programme 2025 – 2026

ii)                To consider the Cabinet Forward Plan; would the Committee wish to receive a report on key decisions prior to Cabinet?

iii)              To consider a proposal form submitted by Cllr Anne Hall and Cllr Matt Hall: Preventative maintenance of trees in high amenity use area and another policy for tree maintenance of trees in EDDC controlled social housing

iv)              To consider a proposal form submitted by Cllr Paula Fernley: Community Action Groups Devon update

The Overview Committee’s Work Programme 2025-2026 was received and noted.

Following review of proposal forms received, Members agreed to add the following items to the Work Programme:

·         Community Action Groups Devon update; and

·         Preventative maintenance of trees in high amenity use area and another policy for tree maintenance of trees in EDDC controlled social housing.

Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 – Exclusion of Press and Public

The Vice-Chair to move the following:

That under Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public (including the press) be excluded from the meeting as exempt information, of the description set out in the agenda is likely to be disclosed and on balance the public interest is in discussing these items in private session (Part B).

Part B

Options Appraisal March 2026

The Assistant Director Place, Assets & Leisure presented this report concerning the Public Toilets Programme Review, together with a confidential options appraisal.

The report followed a Member briefing to the Overview and Scrutiny committees in July 2025, a report to Overview Committee on 30 September 2025, and recommendations from Cabinet on 4 February 2026 which included the following:

·         The principle, and community benefit, of transferring council-owned public conveniences to town and parish councils with the possibility of the concurrent release of proportional amounts of residual capital funding, subject to the timely review of the existing refurbishment arrangements, and potential transfer protocols, by the Overview Committee to ensure best value for both EDDC and the lower tier authorities.

The Committee was asked to consider the options appraisal and make recommendations to Cabinet in order to inform next steps.

The Vice-Chair moved that under Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public (including the press) be excluded from the meeting as exempt information, of the description set out in the agenda is likely to be disclosed and on balance the public interest is in discussing these items in private session (Part B). The motion was carried by a majority show of hands.

Members discussed the options appraisal and relevant considerations in detail and at length, including the following points:

·         Views were expressed that transferring public toilets to Town and Parish Councils was the only option to protect them going into Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), given that they are a discretionary service.

·         There was no indication that LGR would not go ahead; however, should it halt, the Finance Director explained that the spending review received recently had hit district councils hard and there were significant savings to be made. It would therefore be necessary to look at areas of discretionary spend.

·         It was possible, subject to budget, to complete the Public Toilets programme and, prior to vesting day, enter into conditional contracts with Town and Parish Councils to transfer the toilets on completion of the programme.  This would involve this Council needing to find millions of pounds of additional budget, and would be a Member decision.

·         In the event that this Council completed the Public Toilets programme and retained the assets, the successor authority could nevertheless take the decision to close them or sell the sites for commercial development.

·         If public toilets were transferred to Town and Parish Councils with a dowry then it was suggested that the Town and Parish Councils should be free to decide how the money was spent, without restriction.

·         The Assistant Director explained there was an intention to include contiguous assets such as parks and open spaces in the package offered to Towns and Parish Councils, to make the proposal more attractive and with a view to protecting community assets.

·         One Member suggested that adding contiguous assets would make the proposals more complicated and expensive and could scare Towns and Parish Councils who would not want the cost of maintaining parks and gardens.

·         Another Member expressed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.