Agenda item

To consider reports from Cabinet Members.

The Council received reports from the relevant Cabinet Members on matters upon which they had been asked to comment, as set out below. All reports were written and can be found with the agenda papers for the meeting.

 

(a)       Policy, Corporate and Asset Management

           

Councillor Hart circulated a Report, as requested by Councillor Hannaford, on the work and outcomes of the Devon Housing Task Force, including the matter of premium and second homes Council Tax, which had been the subject of debate at the last Council meeting.

 

He also commented verbally on the current position with the Devon Devolution Deal, advising the Council that he has seen the Minister in the previous week. He commented on the position in other Authorities, the tiers being considered and the position with elected mayors as part of these deals.

 

He responded to questions on affordable and social housing.

 

 

(b)       Highway Management

 

Councillor Hughes circulated a Report, as requested by Councillor Biederman, on planning for road works and utility works and the authorisation and process of obtaining permits and minimisation of congestion.

 

He also responded in the Report to Councillor Connett on road re-surfacing schemes in Kenton and Starcross and timescales to be undertaken.

 

The Report covered Police enforcement of 20mph and 30mph speed zones in Devon, with or without traffic calming measures, and Exeter City Council bylaws, as requested by Councillor Hannaford. He gave a further update on recent Police activity for speed detection in both Exeter and Kenton and the further recruitment of speed detection officers.

 

The Cabinet Members Report also responded to Councillor Wrigley regarding the recent cold and wet weather and its impact on potholes in the roads, including issues such as emergency fixes, claims, repeated pothole fixes, economics of pothole repairs and economic impact of increased potholes and flooding and budgets for Gully clearance and Gully cleaning cycles. He undertook to provide further information on repeated pothole reinstatements.

 

He responded to questions on community speedwatch schemes and their operation in 20mph areas.

 

 

(c)       Climate Change, Environment and Transport

 

Councillor Davis circulated a Report, as requested by Councillor Hannaford on the year-long trial in Kehelland Village School which had been using vegetable oil to heat its premises. It was asked if similar trials were being considered in Devon schools.

 

The Report also covered action taken by the Council to ensure developers and other operators regularly and properly cleaned the roads of mud in the area around development works at South West Exeter/Exminster, as requested by Councillor Connett.

 

She had been further asked to Report on the Traffic Commissioner's sanctions and actions with Stagecoach, the current work being done to look at a potential bus franchising scheme in Devon, delays to Marsh Barton Railway Station and Stagecoach reductions on services to St Peters school in Exeter; all matters requested by Councillor Hannaford.

 

She also responded to questions on the cost of fuel and park homes, HVO fuel systems and entitlement to support, complaints on bus services and capacity on the transport system.

 

 

(d)       Public Health, Communities and Equality

 

Councillor Croad circulated a Report, as requested by Councillor Hannaford, on the current state of Covid and Flu infections in Devon, the latest rates of Strep A and Scarlett Fever in children across Devon, including in local schools, the access and availability of antibiotics for children in Devon and the medium and long term viability of local Pharmacies in Devon.

 

His Report also responded to Councillor Atkinson on the Environment Act 2021, legally binding targets for environmental improvement, including waste reduction targets (including per person reductions in municipal wastes), and how the Council’s Waste Reduction Strategy will address these matters and how close the Council was to meeting the targets currently. He updated the Council on the statistics with regard to waste food and how much unopened food was thrown away.

 

He also responded to questions on how the ‘Don’t let Devon go to Waste’ campaign could help with the food waste issue and the impact of ‘use by’ dates on this.

 

He undertook to respond further to Councillor Hannaford on liquid antibiotics.

 

 

(e)       Children’s Services and Schools

 

Councillor Leadbetter circulated a Report, as requested by Councillor Letch, on Devon children and Bradford Children’s Home (or Centres with a poor Ofsted), numbers and locations of out of County children, financial help for families to visit out of County children and promotion of any financial help programme.

 

His Report also covered what actions the County Council was taking to welcome new foster parents, as requested by Councillor Connett.

 

He was further asked to report on the recently published MacAlistair Review of Children's Social Care and comment on the Council’s response and any implementation of the actions plan as well as giving an update on the Council’s Child Friendly Devon initiative and the recently received Ofsted letter including positive areas of progress, by Councillor Hannaford.

 

The Report covered spend on consultants for Children’s services, for what purpose they were engaged as well as spend on agency staff and permanent staff, as requested by Councillor Aves.

 

A further report request from Councillor Aves related to how parent/carers received the information needed on any changes to Disabled Children and Young People services and that any communication needed to be accessible. Also, work being done to ensure short breaks and respite were suitable.

 

He was asked to report on Children in Care and Disabled Services as highlighted in the Ofsted report 30/1/23, including assurances, permanence for children in care, parental involvement discussions about options for their children, documentation handover, record keeping, leadership and staffing including agency staff by Councillor Adams.

 

Councillor Whitton requested a Report on school transport including numbers of seats, income to the Authority and consultations on future prices of such transport.

 

Councillor Bailey had also asked the Cabinet Member to report on the LADO (local authority designated officer) service and Reports that had been brought forward to Cabinet or Children’s Scrutiny on the resourcing, function and performance of this service.

 

 

(f)        Adult Social Care and Health Services

 

Councillor McInnes circulated a Report, as requested by Councillor Hannaford, on the Adult Social Care Discharge Fund, including monies received, how and where it will be used, and expected KPI outcomes.

 

His Report also highlighted Day Care Centres and respite in Adult Social Services, responding to Councillor Adams in relation to her questions on service provision in centres in Exeter, Totnes and Tavistock as well as New Treetops in Exeter, and Pine Park in Honiton.

 

He was also asked to report on any live consultations relating to day care and respite facilities in Devon by Councillor Bailey, adding that details will shortly be circulated.

 

 

(g)       Economic Recovery and Skills

 

Councillor Gilbert circulated a Report, as requested by Councillor Hannaford, on key future projects in Devon to access more levelling up funding, and other economic development opportunities to promote skills, jobs and prosperity in Devon and Coastal Communities Funding.

 

 

(h)       Organisational Development, Workforce & Digital Transformation

 

Councillor Saywell circulated a Report, as requested by Councillor Atkinson, on the difficulties with recruiting key staff, salary levels in public and private sector and how these have compared and fared since 2010 and steps the Council could take to retain and recruit staff across the board, including whether increased pay settlements would have an impact.