Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies received from Cllrs Brian Bailey, Kim Bloxham, Violet Bonetta, Sarah Chamberlain, Iain Chubb, Marcus Hartnell, Ben Ingham, Jamie Kemp, Simon Smith, Daniel Wilson and Eileen Wragg.

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

None.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 21 February 2024 and the Extraordinary Council meeting held on 6 March 2024 were confirmed as a correct record.

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.

The Chair of Council reminded members that during discussion on any items of business that the terms of the constitution would be adhered to and any technical questions should be referred to officers in writing as it was unreasonable to expect officers to respond at the meeting as they may not have the relevant information available.

There were no announcements from the Leader of Council.

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the Press) have been excluded. Thereare no itemswhich officersrecommendshould be dealtwithin thisway, but if confidential minutes from Cabinet and/or the Council’s Committees are being discussed, Officers may recommend consideration in the private part of the meeting.

There were no confidential/urgent items of business.

There were no questions on notice.

To note the minutes from the following meetings:

27 February 2024 – Planning Committee

4 March 2024 – Asset Management Forum

5 March 2024 – Strategic Planning Committee

6 March 2024 – Licensing & Enforcement Sub-Committee

12 March 2024 – Strategic Planning Committee

13 March 2024 – Licensing & Enforcement Committee

14 March 2024 – Housing Review Board

18 March 2024 – Poverty Working Panel

21 March 2024 – Overview Committee

26 March 2024 – Planning Committee

26 March 2024 – Placemaking & Prosperity Investment Board

27 March 2024 – Cabinet

2 April 2024 – Strategic Planning Committee

The minutes from the following meetings were submitted to Council.

27 February 2024 – Planning Committee

4 March 2024 – Asset Management Forum

5 March 2024 – Strategic Planning Committee

6 March 2024 – Licensing & Enforcement Sub Committee

12 March 2024 – Strategic Planning Committee

13 March 2024 – Licensing & Enforcement Committee

14 March 2024 – Housing Review Board

18 March 2024 – Poverty Working Panel

21 March 2024 – Overview Committee

26 March 2024 – Placemaking & Prosperity Investment Board

27 March 2024 – Cabinet

2 April 2024 – Strategic Planning Committee

There was one called minute.  In respect of Strategic Planning Committee on 5 March 2024, minute no. 75, Cllr Eleanor Rylance expressed disappointment that the minute referred to site Brcl_31 – Land at Mosshayne Lane, Pinhoe and commented that this should be referred to Broadclyst.   It was noted that this matter is referred to Strategic Planning Committee to remedy this matter.

The Council received a report setting out the findings from the Corporate Peer Challenge conducted by the Local Government Association in early February 2024. 

Council noted that the review focused on five key themes:

·        local priorities and outcomes

·        organisational and place leadership

·        governance and culture

·        financial planning and management

·        capacity for improvement

The findings from the review would be used to ensure that the Council had the arrangements in place to support and maintain ongoing improvement at the Council.  The full findings were presented and included nice key recommendations:

1.     Recruitment of a Chief Executive

2.     Consideration of Cabinet working arrangements

3.     Investment in councillor and officer development

4.     streamlining the actions in the Council Plan

5.     resisting the temptation to undertake further external reviews

6.     developing a programme of external engagement and making outwardly focused work a priority for the new Chief Executive

7.     considering using councillor and officer ambassadors

8.     reviewing visibility with housing tenants

9.     providing direction for leisure and culture provision

Members noted that in order to take the nine recommendations forward an action plan, including a timetable for completing actions would need to be developed including identifying any resources required to deliver the recommendations.  The action plan would be presented to Cabinet in June 2024 and an Extraordinary Council in late June or early July 2024.

Councillor Dan Ledger moved the recommendations and was seconded by Cllr Joe Whibley having duly been put the recommendations were unanimously agreed.

RESOLVED: 

1.     That Council note the report and recommendations from the Local Government Association Corporate Peer Review.

2.     That Council request that the Corporate Directors prepare an Action Plan identifying the resources required to delver the recommendations from the Corporate Peer Challenge.

3.     That an Action Plan is presented to Cabinet and to an Extraordinary Council meeting in June/July 2024.

Recommendation from Extraordinary Meeting of Cabinet on 10 April 2024 – Council Plan 2024/2025

The Council received a recommendation from an Extraordinary Cabinet meeting on 10 April 2024 setting out details of the Council Plan for East Devon District Council.

The Council noted that the council plan would provide a strategic framework for the council to deliver projects and services.  The plan had been developed over the last six months and the draft plan had been reviewed by the Peer Challenge team and there feedback had been used in the plans development.

During consideration of the report members made the following comments:

Ambitious plan with a number of actions and measures included and it was important that the actions and measures were achievable and deliverable. 

Cllr Alasdair Bruce proposed the recommendation which was seconded by Cllr Mike Howe and having duly been put to the vote was unanimously approved.

RESOLVED:

That the Council Plan for 2024/2028 be approved.

Recommendation from Housing Review Board on 14 March 2024 – Housing Review Board Terms of Reference

The Council received a recommendation from a meeting of the Housing Review Board on 14 March 2024 seeking to amend the Terms of Reference to change the frequency of Housing Review Board meetings and to formally change the Council’s Constitution.

Members welcomed the change to the Housing Review Board’s Terms of Reference and the recommendation was proposed by Councillor Paul Hayward and seconded by Cllr Tony McCollum.  Having been duly proposed and seconded the recommendation was unanimously supported and Council RESOLVED:  That the Terms of Reference for the Housing Review Board are amended so that the number of meetings is decreased from five to four to read as follows:  Meetings:  Four times per year (or more frequently as required).

Recommendation from Overview Committee on 21 March 2024 – Public Health Strategy

Members received a recommendation from the Overview Committee on 21 March 2024 in respect of the Public Health Strategy for East Devon.

During consideration of the report the following comments were made:

·        Important that the Public Health Strategy reflected the Council Plan actions and measures.

·        Links to the Health Strategy should be reflected in activities within the housing stock.

The recommendation was proposed by Cllr Todd Olive and seconded by Cllr Mike Goodman and duly put to the vote and unanimously carried.

RESOLVED:

That the Public Health Strategy for East Devon District Council is adopted.

Members received a recommendation from the Cabinet meeting on 27 March 2024 regarding Councillor DBS Checks and the Safeguarding Protocol.

Cllr John Loudoun proposed the recommendation which was seconded by Cllr Jenny Brown and duly put to the vote and carried by a majority show of hands.

RESOLVED:  That the Councillor DBS Checks and Safeguarding Protocol is approved and forms part of the Council’s Constitution.