Present:-

Councillors Radford (Chairman), Berry, Colthorpe, Lee and Radford

Mid Devon District Council

Councillors Squires

Apologies

Councillor Hannon

*11 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings held on 21 September 2009 be signed as a correct record.

*12 Externalisation of Services

Mr Gary Patch, ACS Cluster Manager, Health and Social Care Lead Crediton and Cullompton, made a presentation on the Externalisation of Care Homes report that would be going to Cabinet on 13 January 2010. He reminded Members of the original project to externalise residential care services that began in 2004 and ended when the chosen bidder withdrew early in 2009. Subsequently, following consultation with the Heath and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee, a proposed new tender for nursing home care and residential care involving the transfer of residential care homes as a going concern and the sale of block contracts would be submitted to Cabinet for approval. The new tender would be advertised after consultation with care home staff in the middle to late February with the award of contracts expected in August 2010.

Members asked questions in relation to the fate of what might be perceived as residual services that no contractor would bid for, an explanation of block contracts, concerns regarding day care and respite care, the cost to DCC per bed, specialisation of bidding contractors, the projected overspend on the Adult Services budget and Fair Access to Care.

It was MOVED by Councillor Radford, SECONDED by Councillor Lee and

RESOLVED that Mr Patch provide a further update at the next meeting of this Committee in March 2010.

*13 Building Schools for the Future

Mr Vic Ebdon, Building Schools for the Future Programme Director, updated Members on the latest developments of the programme and set out the timeline meeting with schools, commitment of funding by the County Council and Central Government, building a business case over the following year with a start on site in 2012 and new schools on line by 2014. New buildings would be built on the same site as existing schools which means close working with Development Control and with District Council colleagues to reflect growth in housing. There may be a change of emphasis if there was a change of Government as a result of the forthcoming election. The total BSF investment being made in Devon would amount to over 700m and the total County Council capital contribution to the programme would be in the region of 50m.

Members received a written briefing note from Mr Ebdon and asked the questions in relation to Queen Elizabeth College Crediton, the certainty of Government funding, Chulmleigh Community College, Tiverton High and Marland School, lack of public engagement in the listening event at Dartmouth and the fact that new school do not appear to be more energy efficient than the old schools.

*14 Mid Devon County Committee Locality Budget for 2009/10 - Confirmation of Spending Proposals and Spend To Date

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Executive (CX/09/108 - text only | pdf CX/09/108) on the current budget position.

It was MOVED by Councillor Radford, SECONDED by Councillor Lee and

RESOLVED

(a) that the spending approvals set out in the report, including those agreed by the Chairman/Vice-Chairman since the previous meeting, be confirmed;

(b) that the Committee note that the following payments were approved by the Chairman at the meeting:

Tiverton and West Devon Bowling Club: 1,000 Councillor Colthorpe

St Andrews Primary, Cullompton, Bench Tables: 250 Councillor Berry

Cullompton Community College, Hovercraft Project: 270 Councillor Berry

Crediton History and Museum Society: 1,000 Councillor Way

Shobrook Park Cricket Club: 500 Councillor Lee

(c) that the current budget position for 2009/10 be noted.

*15 Devon County Council Strategic Plan

The Community and Strategy Officer, outlined the implications of the Council s new Strategic Plan for 2009/13 and Members referred to the coloured leaflet enclosed with the agenda.

*16 Member Development Steering Group

The Committee received the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2009 for information.

*17 Mid Devon Local Strategic Partnership

The Community and Strategy Officer advised Members that as she was no longer involved with the LSP she was unable to update Members on progress in respect of the Review of the Mid Devon Sustainable Community Strategy.

It was MOVED by Councillor Radford, SECONDED by Councillor Lee and

RESOLVED that this item be deferred to the next meeting of this Committee.

*18 Carbon Trading and Schools

The Committee received the Environment, Economy and Culture Scrutiny Task Group report to Cabinet, for information and discussion which was enclosed separately with the agenda.

Members made comments in relation to the fact that although the Council was building state of the art schools to higher energy efficiency specifications there was not a corresponding reduction in energy bills and that attention must still be paid to simple but effective actions such as turning out the lights in unoccupied rooms.

*19 Scrutiny Committees Current Activities

The Committee received the report by the Chief Executive (CX/09/100 - text only | pdf CX/09/100).

The Chief Executive suggested that Members may wish to provide evidence to specific Task Groups or otherwise comment upon specific areas of activity to the appropriate Scrutiny Committee. Members suggested that work could be done by Scrutiny Committees on efficient lighting in schools and the effect of vandalism in schools.

*20 Next Meeting

The Committee noted that the next meeting was due to be held on 15 March 2010.

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 2.00pm and finished at 3.50pm.

The Minutes of the Mid Devon County Committee are published on the County Council s Website at:-