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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Caddsdown Business Support Centre, Caddsdown Industrial Park, Clovelly Rd, Bideford EX39 3DX

Contact: Gerry Rufolo. 01392 382299  Email: gerry.rufolo@devon.gov.uk

Items
Note No. Item

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11.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 80 KB

Minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2017, attached

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2017 be signed as a correct record.

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12.

Items Requiring Urgent Attention

Items which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency

Minutes:

There was no item raised as a matter of urgency.

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13.

Terms of Reference for County (Locality) Committees and Appointments

(a) Terms of Refence for County (Locality) Committees

 

     To receive briefings from and discuss with the relevant Locality Development Officer (who will act as Lead Officer to the Committee) and with other officers as necessary specific service and community issues and projects within the district and to make recommendations to the Cabinet on appropriate action

     To improve information and communication with the public about its access to County Council services in the area and to monitor its performance in the delivery of these services.

     To develop and ensure effective partnership working with the City, District or Borough Council (as the case may be) and other partners in the discharge of local functions.

     To undertake any additional responsibilities and allocate budgets which may be delegated by the Cabinet from time to time.

     To consider, if required, any grant or award proposed by individual members from locality budget funds allocated by the Cabinet in line with the Locality Budget Operating Principles set out at Section Four hereunder.

     To express a vision for the areas reflecting cohesion principles and community views, demonstrate understanding of the make-up of the community and champion the participation of under-represented groups and promote integration of different groups.

     To administer those educational trusts in the Committee’s area for which the County Council is Trustee.

 

(b) Appointments to County (Locality) meetings)

 

All committees (including any Statutory Committee) will be appointed by the Council. The Council will decide on the size of each committee and how many voting or non-voting members it will have.

 

The District Council will appoint who it chooses as their representatives and also that the DALC member attends in an observing role. There is no opportunity for others to speak at the meeting unless in line with public participation rules.

 

Minutes:

The Committee notes its Terms of Reference as detailed in the County Council’s Constitution available at:

 

http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=416&MId=2487&Ver=4&info=1

 

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14.

The Role of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Economic Development Opportunities in Torridge

The Head of Economy, Enterprise and Skills; and Mr Chris Garcia, LEP Chief Executive to report.

Minutes:

(Mr C Garcia, LEP Chief Executive attended and spoke to this item at the request of the Committee)

 

The Committee received the Heart of the South West (LEP) Annual Report 2017. 

 

The Head of Economy, Enterprise and Skills (Devon County Council) with the LEP Chief Executive explained the role of the LEP known as the Heart of the South West (incorporated as a Community Interest Company (CIC)). In discussion with Members the following points and comments were made:

 

·         the LEP was a partnership across the public and private sectors, with a small core team and supported by local authority officers; and the LEP Board comprised Devon and Somerset County Councils, Torbay and Plymouth Councils, District Councils, private sector representatives, Universities and an FE College representative;

·         to achieve mutual economic aims, it had: identified common priorities, attracted resources and investment all to make a difference to prosperity;

·         the Productivity Strategy covered three elements: Leadership and Ideas; Housing Connectivity and Infrastructure; and Employment, Skills and Learning;

·         Devon County Council was taking the lead on Employment, Skills and Learning, promoting skills and employment and social inclusion, and engaging with all FE providers including PETROC, the DfE, Job Centre Plus for example, and driving technical skills and qualifications across the LEP area; 

·         the local Member for Bideford East referred to the skills shortage in East of the Water, Bideford in meeting the demands of a local company (which wanted to employ local labour) and enquired how could PETROC provide the appropriate vocational training; Mr Garcia undertook to assist the local member in this regard with the LEP’s connections with the College;

·         the current capital programme with Growth Deal packages including, treasury, European and public and private sector funding was worth £735 million up to 2020;

·         the latest packages were for ten strategic projects detailed in the Annual Report, including Rural Productivity with other LEPs through the South West Rural Productivity Commission to explore the challenges and opportunities around rural productivity and growth; and Connecting Devon and Somerset - providing superfast broadband to premises with the final 5% not served via the private sector with the aim to increase superfast coverage in the HotSW to 100% by 2020;

·         the funding streams were due to finish in 2020 and key strategies and themes were being developed in accordance with the Productivity Strategy and would include a delivery plan and investment framework;

·         the Government’s criteria for funding was normally on a ‘per capita’ basis with all LEPs, (including the large metropolitan areas from the ‘Midlands Engine’ and the ‘Northern Powerhouse’) in competition with each other for the capital resources available. This presented difficulties for the LEPs in more rural areas in putting forward portfolios which would attract funding, and with limited revenue funding available there was little capacity to undertake larger scale feasibility studies;

·         Government also appeared to favour unitary or combined authorities in attracting additional funding for the LEPs (rather than bids from LEPs comprising two tier authorities, such as in Devon and Somerset);

·         there was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

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15.

Local Member Updates

An opportunity for Members to update the Committee on community initiatives and responses to service changes in their own division.

Minutes:

(a) Holsworthy Community Hospital

 

Councillor Parsons reported that he was pleased to inform Members that the NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group had requested North Devon Hospital Trust to implement a programme to re-open the in-patient-beds at the Hospital on a temporary basis. Running parallel there would be a CCG-led engagement process with local people to consider the long-term future of services in the area.

 

(b) Pynes Community Infant & Nursery and West Croft Junior Schools

 

The Chair reported on the amalgamation to form a large 600 place Primary School and the Headteacher’s work to establish a Youth Council for primary Schools in Bideford. Members suggested that the Headteacher should liaise with the Devon Youth Council. 

 

(c)  Devon District Council Forum

 

Councillor Whittaker reported that Torridge District Council would be Chairing the Forum during the next municipal year.

 

(d) Cable Car Project: Torrington

 

The Chair reported that he was seeking contributions for a feasibility study for this proposal from local interested parties such as the Town, District and County Councils and local businesses.

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16.

Council/Cabinet Forward Plan and Scrutiny Work Programme

The Council/Cabinet Forward Plan and the Scrutiny Work Programme are available for

inspection by using the links below, in the event that the Committee may wish to provide

evidence to specific Task Groups or otherwise comment upon specific areas of activity to

the appropriate Scrutiny Committee or the Cabinet.

http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgPlansHome.aspx?bcr=1

 

 

Minutes:

The Committee noted that Council’s Cabinet Forward Plan and the Scrutiny Work Programme was available at: http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/ieDocHome.aspx?bcr=1

 

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17.

Dates of Future Meetings

19 June 2018, 16 October 2018 and 26 February 2019

 

Please use link below for County Council Calendar of Meetings:  http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1

 

 

Minutes:

24 July (in Holsworthy),16 October 2018 and 26 February 2019

 

The County Council Calendar of meetings available on the website:

 

http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1

 


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