Agenda and minutes

Venue: Online via the Zoom app.

Contact: Amanda Coombes, Democratic Services Officer  01395 517543 or email  acoombes@eastdevon.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

267.

Public speaking

Minutes:

There were no members of the public registered to speak.

268.

Declarations of interest

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

Minutes:

None

269.

Matters of urgency

Information on matters of urgency is available online

Minutes:

None

270.

Confidential/exempt item(s)

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the Press) have been excluded. Thereare no itemswhich officersrecommendshould be dealtwithin thisway.

Minutes:

None

271.

Statement of Intent pdf icon PDF 188 KB

This report contains the Council’s Statement of Intent and a timetable for the preparation of a new Council Plan.

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council Cllr Paul Arnott made the following statement:

 

 

‘This administration has now been in office for six of the most turbulent months in the history of local government. Our officers have risen to the occasion splendidly and may yet have to do so for some time to come. I would like to thank both them and members of all allegiances who have gone above and beyond this year.

 

Despite this challenge, the administration has already executed significant moves both to build on its legacy and to re-direct the approach of the council. In order to take back control of our planning processes, we have withdrawn from the GESP and replaced that with a full engagement with other district and county partners in a non-statutory joint infrastructure plan.

 

In Exmouth, where the history of the seafront development has been troubled, we are encouraging a more public, participatory approach to the extraordinary natural resource of the town’s coast. We are also determined to help the people and members from Cranbrook to get their community moving forward to completion, and together with Exmouth and drafting the new Local Plan this will be a central plank of our work.

 

Throughout these and other priorities we will seek to improve our environmental standards and the transparency of democratic involvement as core priorities.

 

Economic regeneration to a green and local agenda will be critical with widespread unemployment on the horizon, and towns such as Axminster will also become the focus of efforts to build growth fit for the 2020s. As we move out of this first extraordinary six months, we will be able to work more closely with members outside of our partnership group and all ideas will be heard. I am especially interested in how we might boost our tourism offer and economy here in the Jurassic Coast hinterland, and how we roll out truly attainable homes, both drawing down on resources from the government’s promised green growth funds.

 

All this said, it is important to remember just how much of the council’s work for the people of East Devon ticks over via the daily hard graft of its employees. Above all we wish the council to be a good-humoured and empathetic environment for both the staff and elected members, all of whom give so much of their lives to the common good.

 

As we bridge between the past and the future, we are now issuing this interim Statement of Intent, which will inform the next six months of developing a full Council Plan 2021-23, and we look forward to many discussions in the coming months.

 

One bit of housekeeping; with the next phase of COVID-19 restrictions now upon us, it is important to ensure that EDDC continues to provide the very best services to its residents and that our staff are protected and supported. We also need to ensure that members of this Council are able to offer assurances of future support and an economic recovery response as well as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 271.