Present

Devon County Council

Councillors Bowden, Channon, Diviani, Hone, B Hughes, S Hughes, Knight, Moulding and Wragg

East Devon District Council

Councillors Drew and Halse

Apologies

Councillor Randall Johnson (DCC)

*1 Election of Chairman

RESOLVED that Councillor B Hughes be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

*2 Election of Vice-Chairman

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

*3 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the former Committee held on 26 March 2012 be signed as a correct record.

*4 East Mid Devon Community Safety Partnership

The Committee received the minutes of the meeting held on 5 June 2013.

Members discussed the importance of attending local Clinical Commissioning Group Board meetings as a way of furthering their understanding and engagement with the local community in relation to health and social care issues. Members also acknowledged that the Locality Committee provided a platform for members to report and share information relating to health and social care, as well as other key issues such as the Armed Forces Covenant.

*5 East Devon and Blackdown Hills Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan Review

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning, Transportation Environment (PTE/13/49 - text only | pdf PTE/13/49) seeking approval to the process for the review of the Management Plans for the East Devon and Blackdown Hills AONBs and received a presentation on the matter from Mr Woodruff, East Devon AONB Partnership Manager.

The Head of Service s Report indicated that, in line with statutory requirements, a further 5 year review of the Management Plans for each of Devon s five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty adopted in 2009 was being undertaken to ensure that the Plans remained relevant to key partners in light of changing circumstances and resources, new knowledge and lessons learnt from implementing previous plans. The County Council had set out its expectations and requirements for the reviewed Plans which reflected national guidance. AONB Partnerships were following a consistent approach to Plan development and a similar timetable; they were preparing Consultation Drafts of the reviewed Plans for approval by local authorities in the Autumn of 2013. The review process would be completed by the Spring of 2014 and when adopted final Plans would be submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

A working group of the AONB Partnership had identified the key issues which included; the Natural Environment White Paper (The natural choice, 2012), the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and development of local plans, Common Agricultural Policy Reform, ecosystem services approach, A303 corridor improvement programme, renewable energy targets, climate change and mitigation, economic situation and public sector cuts.

It was MOVED by Councillor Moulding and SECONDED by Councillor Diviani and

RESOLVED

(a) that the process and timetable for undertaking the AONB Management Plan Review be noted;

(b) that the principles set out in the Report for the 2014-19 Management Plan for the East Devon and Blackdown Hills AONB be endorsed;

(c) that the final agreement of any outstanding detailed issues for the Consultation Drafts be delegated to the Head of Planning, Transportation Environment;

(d) that the Committee note that approval to the final version of the new Management Plan would be sought from the Cabinet Member in line with the Council s Constitution in the normal way, in the Spring of 2014.

*6 Future Arrangements and County Council Cabinet Forward Plan and Scrutiny Work Programme

The Head of Services for Communities commented on the possible exploration of future arrangements for the conduct of business by and behalf of this Committee including, for example, the formation of a local forum with wider representation involving the County, District and Parish/Town Councils and other stakeholders. The Head of Service referred particularly to more informal ways of working with towns and parishes, and that these had proved very effective in other parts of the county. The Head of Service also advised the Committee on the success of the Town and Parish Fund, which in East Devon has enabled Towns and Parishes to work better together. Members accepted the merits of this way of working but were clear that the Locality Committee should remain in being and that meetings would continue to take place as and when there were items for discussion.

The Committee noted the Cabinet s Forward Plan and the Scrutiny Work Programme which were also available at:

http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/councildemocracy/decision_making/cabinet_committee/forward_plan.htm

http://www.devon.gov.uk/scrutiny-work-programme-2013.pdf

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 12.15pm and finished at 1.15pm

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