Present:-

Devon County Council

Councillors Younger-Ross (Chairman), Barker, Brook, Clarance, Clatworthy, Connett, Dempster, Dewhirst, Gribble and Hook

Teignbridge District Council

Councillor Haines

Devon Association Local Councils

Councillor Meathrel

Apologies

Councillor Barisic (Devon County Council)

Councillor Swain (Devon Association Local Councils)

*10 Election of Chairman

RESOLVED that Councillor Younger-Ross be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

*11 Election of Vice-Chairman

RESOLVED that Councillor Clarance be elected Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

*12 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2014 be signed as

a correct record.

*13 Community Involvement

The Head of Services for Communities reported on the County Council s Better Together vision for 2014-2020 and beyond and on it could support local communities to run flexible local services, through new partnerships, collaborative, enterprising and innovative ways of working. There were changing expectations from Devon s citizens and communities in the light of the changing way in which the County Council would look to provide facilities and services. A number of responses/expressions of interest had come from Town and Parish Councils, communities and the private sector in the Teignbridge area to take up the provision of youth services, the arts and enterprise.

A community involvement seminar would be held on 17 July 2014 for all County Councillors, followed, on 18 July 2014, by a community involvement drop in day for sharing information open to all County Councillors and other organisation representatives considering involvement in running local services, when it was also hoped to explore linking up multiple proposals within a particular service/local area. A timetable was also being set and arrangements made separately for local services with complex regulation eg Day Centres, where more specialist information and consideration was needed - these would not be included within the 18 July 2014 event.

General discussion, issues for consideration and advice for communities for 17/18 July 2014 also included:-

- Separation of legal constraints from myths for locally providing services and relaxing the process (e.g. highways)

- Easily accessible information/briefing sheets and training

- Various funding pots for local services

- Effects of neighbourhood plans, CIL (community infrastructure levy) on infrastructure funding

- Insurance liability/proportionate mitigation of risk

- Localism Act

RESOLVED that further guidance be forwarded to members on highways briefings for members and insurance.

For further information see:

https://new.devon.gov.uk/bettertogether/

https://new.devon.gov.uk/democracy/councillors-nav/briefings-for-members/highways

http://www.devon.gov.uk/extremefactsheetroads.pdf

*14 School Places and Effect of Local Plan on County Council Services

The Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment gave an overview on the local planning process, local planning policies and allocations and the way in which the planning process was supported by County Council infrastructure, particularly education and transport. Ongoing work with District Councils and other partners would aim to secure Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding and developer contributions from S106 agreements.

Following national changes, Town and Parish Councils were eligible to receive 15% of community infrastructure levy receipts for local amenities, increasing to 25% of receipts for development in an area where there was a neighbourhood plan in place, thus passing new responsibility and burden to local Town and Parish Councils. With potentially significant funds now passing to local Councils, this had implications for the County Council securing infrastructure funding from new development. It would be increasingly challenging to ensure that infrastructure comes forward in phase with development and Local Authorities will have more responsibility to deliver infrastructure as required. As the County Council was not the charging authority for community infrastructure levy, and because developer contributions will be aggregated when provided for by Community Infrastructure Levy, the County Council, District and local Councils would need to work together to link priorities.

This whole topic of infrastructure funding and delivery was increasingly complex and it was important to understand the processes to ensure that school and transport provision and other important infrastructure was not potentially compromised. Specific examples discussed were education provision at South West Exeter and Bovey Tracey.

Members raised further issues about infrastructure within Newton Abbot, Kingsteignton and Kingskerswell, local pinch point funding in relation to Decoy but with possible pinch points remaining in the road network in the area, alternative transport infrastructure to ease road congestion, the potential for using the Heathfield rail line, as well as better use of public buildings/potential for multi-functional facilities for County Council services (and the Passmore Edwards building, Newton Abbot, an example of a Devon Centre).

RESOLVED that the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment respond to local member concerns for highway and education provision in Bovey Tracey and highway pinch points around Decoy, Newton Abbot.

*15 Members Development Steering Group

The Committee received the minutes of the meetings held on 19 May 2014.

*16 Stover Canal Trust

The County Council member representative, together with Devon Association of Local Councils member updated members on progress with developing the Wray Valley Trail.

*17 Future Meetings

(a) All meetings to commence at 10am (unless otherwise specified) at Forde House, Newton Abbot.

Thursday 27 November 2014

Thursday 26 March 2015

(b) Work Plan/Items for future discussion

Travel/bus services

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 12 noon and finished at 1.25pm