Present:

Councillors B Hughes (Chairman), Bowden, Diviani, S Hughes, Giles, Knight, Moulding, Randall-Johnson, Wragg and Taylor

*9 Minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2009 be signed as a correct record.

*10 Membership

The Committee noted that the County Council had extended the membership of its County Committees for a trial period of 12 months, to help District Councils to be better briefed on both local and strategic issues and the further strengthening of relations between all organisations. Two (non-voting) places have been offered to District Councillors and a place to a representative of the Devon Association of Parish Councils.

In response to Members concerns that there had been no consultation about extending the Membership, the County Community Strategy Officer advised that it was the Leader s wish to improve and encourage communication between the three tiers of local government and that the decision to increase membership had been decided by Procedures Committee at its meeting on 29 September 2009.

*11 Feedback/Representations

The County Community Strategy Officer reported on the Listening Events organised and attended by the Leader of the County Council and Members raised the issue of the Leader s meeting with Exmouth Town Council on 18 January 2010 and Councillor Wragg advised the meeting that she had emailed the Leader about the need to discuss a broad range of topics at that meeting and that local organisations should be represented.

It was MOVED by Councillor B Hughes, SECONDED by Councillor Knight and

RESOLVED that the Exmouth Town Clerk be urged to open up the meeting to representatives of local organisations.

*12 East Devon Local Children s Trust

(Councillor Knight declared a personal interest in this item by virtue of being a Member of the Children s Trust)

Ms Lisa Rutter, East Devon Area Co-ordinator, responded to questions on the briefing note about the Trust and how it functions. The note also covered areas of Trust work such as needs assessment, commissioning and AXS pathway development.

*13 East Devon Local Strategic Partnership

(Councillor Diviani declared a personal interest in this item by virtue of being a Member of the Rural Enterprise Development Programme)

The Committee noted the minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2009 which were attached to the agenda for information.

*14 Locality Budgets 2009/10 - Confirmation of Spending Proposals Spend to Date

The Committee considered the report from County Community Strategy Officer (CX/09/103 - text only | pdf CX/09/103) setting out the current budget position as at 13 November 2009. Some Members were concerned about the delay in some making payments from the Locality Budget and the County Community Strategy Officer advised the Committee that this was due to temporary staff problems and the process should be speedier in the future.

It was MOVED by Councillor B Hughes, SECONDED by Councillor Knight 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 noted that the following payments were approved by the Chairman at the meeting:

Parking Restrictions Harepath Road Seaton - 200 Councillor Knight

Help for Heroes Awards - 200 Councillor B Hughes

Broadhembury Notice Boards - 600 Councillor Diviani

Sidbury After School Club Equipment - 160 Councillor S Hughes

Manor Rooms Uppottery Fencing - 500 Councillor Diviani

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

*15 Devon County Council Strategic Plan

Members noted the implications of the Council s new Strategic Plan for 2009/13 and the County Community Strategy Officer advised that the full Plan would be available for all Members at the County Council meeting on 10 December 2009.

16 Devon Youth Service - East Devon Team

(Councillors Knight and Moulding declared a personal interest in this item)

Ms Lisa Rutter, East Devon Area Co-ordinator, presented a briefing paper on the Youth Service that covered staffing, centre based youth provision, mobile and street based provision, the voluntary sector and key partnerships. Ms Rutter responded to questions raised by Members arising from the briefing report which were mainly directed toward the staffing resource, current and future vacancies, the embargo on reappointing vacancies and the consequent possible closure of facilities.

It was MOVED by Councillor B Hughes, SECONDED by Councillor Knight and

RESOLVED

(a) that Cabinet be requested to make the reappointment of Youth Workers an exception to the employment strategy (as is the case with social workers) based on evidence of need;

(b) that because this Committee is concerned about the possible closure of youth clubs due to the inability to fill youth service vacancies it requests the CYPS Scrutiny Committee to take this into account during the budgetary process;

(c) that East Devon Councillors be consulted before any closure of East Devon youth facilities is undertaken.

*17 Member Development Steering Group

The Committee noted the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2009 which were placed on the agenda for information. and it was agreed that these would be circulated by email in the future.

*18 Devon County Council Overview and Scrutiny Committees: Work Plan

The Committee noted the County Council s Overview and Scrutiny Work Plan (CX/09/100 - text only | pdf CX/09/100) placed on the agenda for information.

The County Community Strategy Officer suggested that Members may wish to provide evidence to specific Task Groups or otherwise comment upon specific areas of activity to the appropriate Overview or Scrutiny Committee.

*19 Dates for Future Meetings

The Committee noted that meetings were scheduled to take place at 2.15pm as follows at the East Devon District Council Offices, Knowle, Sidmouth:-

Monday 29 March 2010

Monday 5 July 2010

Monday 1 November 2010

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 2pm and finished at 3.30pm

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