Decision details

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

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of Public Health and Communities (COM/25/1), which sought approval of the Civic Agreement between the Devon Association of Local Councils (DALC) and Devon County Council (DCC), 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 outlined the current multi-tiered elected local government structures, with County, District and Town and Parish (TAPs) Councils in place. Positive, open and informed relationships and timely collaboration were key to daily activity as well as achieving joint strategic outcomes. In time of both crisis and celebration, local government bodies and their communities had worked closely together to support and connect and to facilitate and develop community resilience.

Devon Association of Local Councils (DALC) supported vibrant local governance in the county and aimed to strengthen the capacity, capability, and impact of local councils, whilst promoting the principles of democracy, transparency, inclusivity, and continuous improvement.

This proposed agreement was in line with the Government’s emerging Civil Society Covenant, which was subject to consultation in December 2024. This sought to better align Government departments with the community, voluntary sector, faith, and social enterprise sectors.

The Council and the DALC wished to reaffirm and galvanise further their historical but often ad-hoc working relationship through a shared Civic Agreement.

The agreement formalises previously ad-hoc collaborative activity, introducing a framework to inform, plan, facilitate, and implement joint strategic activities to achieve jointly agreed outcomes.

It further set out an ongoing commitment to work in partnership to better understand and collectively respond to key challenges and opportunities for Devon in the years ahead.

The agreement set out how shared strategic priorities, principles and ways of working would be developed and would be underpinned by an annual and mutually agreed plan of activity around specific areas of focus and priority, which would include key priorities for the Council.

The proposal aligned with the vision and priorities in the Council’s Strategic Plan 2021 – 2025 and the Corporate Plan (2024-25) and had the potential to enable delivery of aspects of the Council’s principles around good governance, decision making and partnership.

The Agreement would have no specific financial implication on the organisation and was a non-legally binding Memorandum of Understanding.

An Impact Assessment had been prepared for Members at the meeting, attached and was available at Proposed Civic Agreement between Devon Association of Local Councils and Devon County Council. This highlighted that the signing of the agreement could lead to significant positive impacts for all citizens through better sharing of information and insight and joint working to tackle specific issues, particularly those impacting people from groups with protected characteristics.

In summary, the proposal would help to deliver the Council’s Strategic and Corporate Plan priorities in developing its work with a key partner in Devon; would provide value for money in developing innovative solutions and learning to increase efficiency, effectiveness of services and to mitigate risks; and develop capacity, capability, and connections between the Council and DALC town and parish councils in Devon.

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 Director’s Report having been considered:

it was MOVED by Councillor Croad, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes, and

RESOLVED that the proposed Civic Agreement between the Council and Devon Association of Local Councils be approved.