Agenda and draft minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting of Cabinet held on 10 July 2024 were agreed.

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

Min 54. Home Safeguard Digital Platform Procurement.

Councillor Nick Hookway, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Family member uses this service.

Min 54. Home Safeguard Digital Platform Procurement.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Family member uses this service.

Min 55. Beer Community Land Trust.

Councillor John Heath, Other Registerable Interest, Is a member of the Beer CLT.

Information on public speaking is available online

Cllr Mike Goodman had a question on the Government’s proposal to do away with the Winter Fuel Allowance (WFA) which could affect many of the pensioners in East Devon. He asked that Cabinet requests the Chief Executive to write to the Chancellor for this policy to be paused and introduce a new threshold to determine eligibility for WFA.

The Chair suggested this be brought as a motion to the next meeting of full Council.

Information on matters of urgency is available online

There were none.

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the Press) have been excluded. There are four items which officers recommend should be dealt with in this way.

There were four items dealt with in this way which are recorded at Minutes 52-55.

Members agreed to note the Minutes and recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee held on 11 July 2024.

Minute 17 S.106 & CIL processes and resources update

1. Ward members be copied into correspondence with town and parish councils

on S.106 and CIL matters.

2. Training be provided for town and parish councils on S.106 and CIL

processes.

3. The Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee considers regular reporting on

the recovery and spend of S.106 and CIL monies.

4. Communications with town and parish councils be improved so that local

councils are better informed as to the S.106 and CIL monies available to

them.

5. The link to the information on Exacom be sent to all members.

Members agreed to note the Minutes of the Recycling and Waste Partnership Board held on 24 July 2024.

Members agreed to note the Minutes and recommendations of the Housing Review Board held on 1 August 2024.

Minute 10 Housing Allocations Policy update

that Cabinet approve the updated housing allocations policy.

Minute 11 Housing Revenue Account and Housing Capital Finance 2023/24

year end outturn

that the Housing Revenue Account and Housing Capital Finance 2023/24 year end

outturn report is noted and the reserve recommendations are approved by Cabinet.

Minute 15 Tenant recruitment to the Housing Review Board

that the Housing Review Board note the content of the report and recommend

Cabinet approval of the proposed new tenant representative job description and

application form.

Members agreed to note the Minutes and recommendations of the Strategic Planning Committee held on 6 August 2024.

Minute 124: Devon Housing Commission Report

That Strategic Planning Committee recommend to Cabinet that they ask the

Government to consider making legislative changes to incentivise developers to

bring forward sites with planning permission.

Cabinet agreed that Cllr Todd Olive would draft this letter to the Government on the council’s behalf.

Minute 125: Infrastructure Funding Statement

That Strategic Planning Committee recommend to Cabinet to examine the case for

ring fencing all future interest receipts from CIL and S106 monies to be spent on

infrastructure within East Devon.

Members agreed to note the Minutes and recommendations of the Placemaking in Exmouth Town and Seafront Group.

Minute 27 Exmouth Placemaking Plan - Next Steps

1.     To note that further work is required to refine the draft Exmouth Placemaking Plan prior to being adopted alongside an Implementation Plan.

2.     Support the appointment of WSP to complete the work necessary for adopting the Placemaking Plan. This will include some workshops in a similar format as we used previously; a revised Placemaking Plan and an Implementation Plan.

3.     Activate the PETS Sub-Group previously agreed by Cabinet in February of 2024 which is to be ‘politically led’ supported by Senior Officers to look initially at the ‘common ground’ matters and opportunities that all three Councils have which have been identified in the Draft EPP.

4.     Support the introduction and formalising of programme management arrangements consistent with that already in place for other EDDC place based projects.

5.     Seek endorsement across EDDC Service areas, DCC and ETC before a Placemaking Plan is adopted alongside an Implementation Plan.

6.     Invite Stakeholders to join relevant future PETS meetings where it is relevant to do so (also agreed by Cabinet in February via the revised ToR for PETS).

7.     Agree that the currently approved UKSPF budget be used to develop feasibility options for Queen’s Drive and Beach Gardens – the total budget being ~£45k (initial design briefs are shown at Appendix A). This is already provided for within an approved budget.

8.     Form a working group to oversee the recommendation in respect of UKSPF.

RECOMMENDED to Council:

That a budget of £40,000 be made available to appoint WSP to complete the work necessary for adopting the Placemaking Plan. This will include some workshops in a similar format as we used previously; a revised Placemaking Plan and an Implementation Plan and will be taken from a General Fund Supplementary Budget.

The report detailed the overall position and performance of the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy during 2023/24. During discussions it was highlighted that member training was being arranged before the next review due to the technical aspects of Treasury Management. The Portfolio Holder Finance requested that an opening page be included listing the key issues contained within future reports.

RECOMMENDED to Council;

1. Approve the actual 2023/24 prudential and treasury indicators in the report.

2. Note the annual treasury management report for 2023/24.

REASON:

The Council was required by regulations issued under the Local Government Act 2003 and the Code of Practice on Treasury Management in Public Services published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accounting (CIPFA) to produce an annual review of its treasury management activities and performance.

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 on the agenda, is likely to be disclosed and on balance the

public interest is in discussing this item in private session (Part B)”.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

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 on the agenda, is likely to be disclosed and on balance the public interest is in discussing this item in private session (Part B).

The report provided details of the marketing and selection process to identify a preferred developer to acquire the Moridunum site on Seaton Esplanade and set out a range of options for Members to consider in respect of next steps.

RESOLVED:

1.     That Cabinet considers the Options Assessment as set out at Section 3 of the report.

2.     That Cabinet endorse Option A and agrees that delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director of Place, Assets and Commercialisation, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Assets, the Director of Place and Director of Governance, to enter into Heads of Terms and then into detailed legal agreements to grant the 200-year lease to the successful bidder.

REASON:

To enable a decision to be taken on the future of the Moridunum site in Seaton.

Following last year’s approval of the contract extension EDDC had now moved into the final 3 years of its current contract with Suez, with a new cost plus 5% payment mechanism. As part of the contract extension process, the council proposed a review of contract replacement options post 30 June 2026 (end of current contract).

RESOLVED that Cabinet;

Agrees the four recommendations as outlined in the report.

RECOMMENDED to Council;

To agree the recommendation as outlined in the report.

REASON:

To enable the contract replacement work to be completed before the end of the current contract in June 2026, a review of options and variables has been undertaken.

The chosen option was felt to give the best balance of risk and control given the industry and market conditions and was recommended as the way to take forward this high-quality service and put it in the best position to rise to the challenges seen ahead. This decision would allow the council to start work on more detailed documents and service specifications and take the next steps in the project.

In October 2023 Cabinet approved the procurement of a new digital platform for the Home Safeguard service, to enable the modernisation of the service and improve the service to the council’s telecare customers. The report sought approval for the necessary budget, along with approval to award the contract to the preferred provider.

RESOLVED that Cabinet;

Agrees that the contract for the new digital platform is awarded to the proposed provider

RECOMMENDED to Council;

That the budget for the 4-year period is approved from the Transformation Fund.

REASON:

As the country moved to digital telephone services from analogue, it was necessary to implement a new digital platform to enable digital alarm equipment to be installed in customers’ homes. This would enable EDDC to ensure that its customers could continue to be effectively supported with an effective quality service. Additionally, the switch to digital technologies would provide the foundation required to expand the business and generate further future revenue income.

Home Safeguard was a development opportunity for EDDC that had the potential to generate significant additional income if it digitalised the service and plan to further extend the service beyond District Authority Boundaries.

Council had previously approved development finance to Beer Community Land Trust to support the provision of local affordable housing under the condition that appropriate collateral was legally secured to protect the Council and all costs were recovered to give a cost neutral or better position to the Council. A request had been received by the Trust to amend current financing arrangements, to enter a longer-term arrangement to enable them to amend their plans.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

Agree to Beer CLT’s request to extend the existing loan period on agreed loans for up to 26 year, with flexibility to reduce this period on all or part of the sum if requested.

REASON:

Council had agreed to provide development finance to Beer CLT to provide local housing at no cost to the Council. The request for refinancing from the Trust was in line with that decision and sum approved, Cabinet were asked to consider a revision to the repayment details.