Agenda item

Report of the Head of Economy, Enterprise and Skills (EES/23/1) seeking approval to the Devon County Civic University Agreement, attached.

An Impact Assessment has also been prepared and is available on the website at Civic University Agreement - Impact Assessment (devon.gov.uk) and is also attached.

RESOLVED that Devon County Civic University Agreement be approved.

(Councillors Brazil and Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Economy, Enterprise and Skills (EES/23/1) which sought approval of the Devon County Civic University Agreement 2023-2026, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Report highlighted the ongoing work over the past year with the University of Exeter to deepen day-to-day engagement, seeking to improve linkages between departments, academic peers and across shared agendas.

As part of this, the Authority and the University had been in discussion around the formation of a shared Civic Agreement. Civic University Agreements were pledges from university leaders to work with anchor local institutions to maximise the impact of a university in its local environment, for example co-designed civic strategies, informed by evidence and analysis of local priorities.

The Devon County Civic University Agreement (Agreement) (Annexe 1 to the Report) recognised the fundamental role the Council and the University of Exeter shared in shaping Devon’s civic landscape. The Agreement built on already strong partnership foundations, and a history of mutual

Engagement, but was an opportunity to advance and amplify the impact of activities, strengths, and assets through joint civic strategy. The Agreement would formalise activity and establish a governance and monitoring approach.

The Agreement would align with similar Agreements established between the University, Exeter City Council, Exeter College, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and initial conversations were underway with the University of Plymouth to consider a similar approach.

The Agreement would combine the Universities research and resources with the Council’s place-based services, data, and resources to generate benefits for communities, businesses, and environment, introducing a cycle of annual

planning to facilitate collaborative strategic activity.

Annexe 2 set out the Devon County Council Civic Agreement Project on a one-page canvas to summarise the proposal. The over-arching mission was to support Devon to be a thriving, sustainable and prosperous place to live and work and to achieve this, the Agreement recognised that health,

education, culture, environment, and economy were intertwined.

The immediate time horizon would focus on three clear priorities to deliver the overarching mission:

·       Developing our civil society to be ambitious for each Young Person to thrive through quality education, health, and social care;

·       To provide ample access to affordable, carbon considered housing; and

·       Stimulate innovation and growth within the region’s three key growth sectors (environment, advanced engineering and manufacturing, health, care, and life sciences).

Following approvals, the two organisations would finalise a number of outputs and objectives, inter-alia, increased social mobility (measured through educational attainment, health and wellbeing and careers), a Devon Teaching Alliance, widened participation of young people progressing to Higher Education, greater engagement amongst Devon employers with placements and graduates, improved access to Mental Health support, responsive and inclusive education and skills systems that addressed regional priorities, creation of a county-wide Housing Commission, stimulate innovation and growth within the region’s three key growth sectors and proposals to secure greater levelling-up funding.

A Partnership Board would be established with designated lead representatives to finalise and drive forward an annual Action Plan to deliver the Agreement. Key areas had been discussed for the first Action Plan and were illustrated in table 1 of the Report.

A proposed timeline for the Agreement was also set out in the Report, with key tasks including establishing Task and Finish Groups (TFGs) to support delivery.

The Agreement would have no direct finial implication on the Council, but would need limited administrative support, associated process, and provisioning that the partners would provide as part of day-to-day activities.

An Impact Assessment had been prepared and was available on the website at Civic University Agreement - Impact Assessment). This highlighted that whilst the Agreement sought to positively impact everyone in Devon, the annual action plan and resulting deliverables would target priority groups, for example, the first priority group focus was on supporting care experienced individuals, pupils of lower attainment, SEND pupils, individuals and households requiring housing support, and individuals seeking to increase their skills and educational attainment.

The Cabinet noted that the Agreement would deliver socio-economic benefits for businesses and people, and environmental benefits for the region as well as mitigate risk for the Organisation by pursuing innovative solutions that reduced the cost of delivering Local Authority statutory services, generated income, increased economic benefit for the region and developed sustainable solutions to environmental challenges.

The matter having been debated and the options and alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability and carbon impact), risk management, equality and legal considerations and alignment with the Council’s Strategic Plan) set out in the Head of Service’s Report having been considered:

it was MOVED by Councillor Gilbert, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED that Devon County Civic University Agreement be approved.