Agenda, decisions and minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2021 (previously circulated).

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2021 be signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2021 be signed as a correct record.

Items which in the opinion of the Chair should be considered at the meeting as matters of urgency.

There was no item raised as a matter of urgency.

There was no announcement by the Chair at this meeting.

The Leader was presented with a petition organised by local residents containing 301 signatures seeking the Torridgeside Link Centre to remain open as a community centre for all mental health service users.

The petitioner could not be present but the Chair indicated that the Cabinet Member or Head of Service would be asked to respond direct to the petitioners on the issues raised, within 15 days.

There was no question from a Member of the Council.

Report of the Director of Finance (DF/22/4) on the Budget Monitoring Position in the current financial year at Month 8 and giving an updated position on the Target Budget and Service Targets for 2022/2023, attached.

RESOLVED

(a) that the Month 8 budget monitoring forecast position be noted;

(b) that progress on the delivery of the Dedicated Schools Grant Management Plan be noted; and

(c) that the Provisional Settlement for 2022/23 also be noted.

(Councillors Biederman, Connett and Hannaford attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of Finance (DF/22/4) on the Budget Monitoring Position in the current financial year at Month 8 and an updated position on the Target Budget and Service Targets for 2022/2023, 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.

At month 8 it was estimated that budgets would overspend by just over £8.3 million, an increase of £1.3 million from month 6. The Dedicated Schools Grant projected deficit, relating to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), was forecast to be £39.0 million. In line with Department of Education guidance this deficit would not be dealt with this financial year but carried forward to future years.

Adult Care and Health Services were forecast to overspend by just over £5.1 million, a reduction of £71,000 from month 6 and the position included £3.2 million of budgeted savings.

Children’s Services were forecasting an overspend of £9.1 million, an increase of £1.8 million from month 6 (not including the projected deficit of £39.1 million on Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND)).

Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste was forecasting an underspend of £290,000 an improvement of £76,000 from month 6, the result of additional overheads being funded from the highways permitting scheme.

Communities, Public Health, Environment and Prosperity (COPHEP) were forecasting an underspend of £1.5 million and Corporate Services were forecasting an underspend of £671,000, and small reduction of £13,000 from month 6. Non-service items, which included capital financing charges and business rates pooling gain, were forecast to underspend by £3.5 million.

The approved capital programme was £216.7 million, including amounts brought forward from 2020/21, and other prior year approvals, of £46.2 million, and in year additions of £23.1 million. The year-end forecast at Month 8 was £184.4 million with slippage forecast at £32.3 million. The main areas of net slippage could be attributed to scheme variations and programme delays in Planning, Transportation and Environment, which reflected the complexity of the major schemes within this service area.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak the Government had continued to put in place a number of grant funding streams to help support Local Authorities in responding to the pandemic and the Council was in direct receipt of pandemic related grants with a confirmed value of £50.7 million. In addition to the funds received this year the Authority was able to carry forward £25.6 million of funding received last year, mainly related to Contain Outbreak Management Funding, Test and Trace Funding and the Covid Support Grant.

The Report outlined that on the 16 December 2021, the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP, released a written statement to Parliament on the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2022/23 which was for one year only and based on the Spending  ...  view the full minutes text for item 101.

Report of the Head of Economy, Enterprise and Skills (EES/22/1), on Clean Growth Opportunities and Vision for Development, attached.

An Impact Assessment is also attached for the attention of Members at this meeting.

RESOLVED

(a) that the West of East Devon Clean Growth Vision and a supporting Clean Growth Strategy Report be endorsed for submission to the East Devon District Council local plan consultation;

(b) that Cabinet note this is a pilot study that can be replicated elsewhere in Devon to fit in with local planning cycles and support sustainable development and the Devon Carbon Plan; and

(c) that amendments to the Clean Growth Vision be delegated to the Head of Economy, Enterprise and Skills in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery and Skills and the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport.

(Councillors Biederman, Brazil, Connett and Hannaford attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Economy, Enterprise and Skills (EES/22/1), 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 sought Cabinet endorsement of the Clean Growth Vision for the West of East Devon and the Strategy, and that be submitted as part of the Council’s evidence into the East Devon District Council local plan consultation.

The vision document and supporting strategy focused on low carbon economic growth in the West of East Devon (WoED) and the Report outlined a vision for the area, recommended a series of actions that reflected priorities for growth and contained an Annexe of implementation projects that fitted with the vision and could be used as a framework for funding bids. The study was being submitted to East Devon District Council’s Strategic Planning Committee for their endorsement as evidence for the production of the local plan.

The Clean Growth Vision for the WoED was in three parts – a Vision document, a supporting technical report and an Annexe of anchor opportunities, set out in the appendices of the Report.

The proposals were in line with a number of objectives including the Governments Net Zero Strategy, the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership’s Blueprint for Clean Growth and this Council’s climate emergency. The study considered the West of the District, including Cranbrook, nearby employment sites, including Exeter Science Park and Skypark, and the Clyst Valley regional park and other potential areas for growth. The vision also considered opportunities from the move to home working and covered other climate change aspects, such as transport, energy generation, skills requirements and building standards.

Following a procurement process, City Science had been appointed to undertake the work, which outlined the vision and made a series of 11 delivery recommendations and provided an Annexe of 8 catalytic example projects that could deliver clean growth objectives and net zero outcomes.

The WoED was a place of exceptional assets - a special combination of natural capital, skilled innovators, ambitious local partnerships, energy resources, and ample space for business growth. The vision was based on the idea that long-term job growth would be focused on knowledge-based assets and increased innovation. 

Key themes identified were:

·      Redefining how we work and live well;

·      A Thriving Innovation Ecosystem;

·      World-Class Demonstrators in Core Technologies;

·      Zero-Carbon Place-making;

·      Restoring Nature Connections;

·      Powered by Nature; and

·      A Place for Creative Minds

The Report included 11 recommendations for delivery and provided some relevant case study examples from other locations.

The Annexe of Anchor Opportunities provided 8 catalytic projects that could be a focus for future funding bids or private investment, with an idea of costs, jobs, skills and GVA increases they would support and provided some examples from other areas where appropriate:

An Impact Assessment was also attached to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.

The following Notices of Motion submitted to the County Council by the following Councillors have been referred to the Cabinet in accordance with Standing Order 8(2) for consideration, to refer it to another Committee or make a recommendation back to the Council:

(a) Restoring Railway Resilience (Councillor Hannaford)

(b) After COP 26 (Councillor Atkinson)

(c) Behaviour Change and Phasing Out Fossil Fuels (Councillor Hodgson)

(d) Community Composting Initiatives (Councillor Hodgson)

(a) Restoring Railway Resilience (Councillor Hannaford)

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to:

(a) continue to work collaboratively with the Peninsula Transport Sub National Transport Body authorities to develop a Peninsula Rail Strategy to inform future rail investment priorities; and

(b) through the Peninsula Transport Sub National Transport Body, work closely with rail partners and key stakeholders to make the case for future funding in line with the industry’s Delivery Plan process.

(b) After COP 26 (Councillor Atkinson)

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to endorse the Notice of Motion and continues to work with national government to provide the resources necessary to meet the Paris Agreement commitments.

(c) Behaviour Change and Phasing Out Fossil Fuels (Councillor Hodgson)

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to endorse the spirit of the Notice of Motion, continues to help residents and businesses reduce their environmental impact, and continues to take opportunities to invest in low-carbon infrastructure for the people of Devon.

(d) Community Composting Initiatives (Councillor Hodgson)

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to note the current position and the planned work on community composting and no further action be taken on the Notice of Motion.

(a) Restoring Railway Resilience (Councillor Hannaford)

(Councillor Hannaford attended in accordance with Standing Order 8 and spoke to this item). The wording of the Motion is outlined below:

Council warmly welcomes and celebrates the restoration of the Okehampton to Exeter daily rail services after an absence of fortynine years. 

After many years of strong cross party support at Devon County Council, we are especially pleased and proud that the first reopening under the governments “Restoring Your Railway Programme” has taken place at the heart of Devon. 

Hopefully heralding a national railway service revival across the whole country, that will see a transformational change in commuter movements, and a substantial reduction in harmful emissions. 

Council also welcomes the £50,000 to develop a business case to reinstate passenger rail links between Tavistock and Plymouth, and the new additional funding to reopen Cullompton Railway Station. 

However, council is greatly concerned, that there is still an estimated huge gap in regional railway service investment of 4.5 billion for the South West Region, based on its ONS projected population over the period to 2045.

Therefore, in order to continue to build upon the restoring your railway programme, increase the far South West’s general connectivity, secure our railway resilience, and crucially assist with the climate emergency, council commits its active support, working with others to lobby, help facilitate, and advocate for the following projects;

·         The completion of the Great Western electrification programme.

·         The development of the North of Dartmoor line, connecting Plymouth, via Okehampton and Tavistock. 

·         Additional passing loops, and an increase in line speeds, between Exeter and Salisbury to improve journey times between Exeter and Waterloo Station. 

·         Encouraging and working with the logistics sector to commit to a serious switch to rail freight for the distribution of consumer goods, food, and industrial products.

Furthermore, Council resolves to make formal representations to the Government, national and regional transport bodies, the business sector, and our local Devon Members of Parliament, to secure the necessary funding and investment to progress these much needed and long awaited improvements.

Members considered the Officer’s factual Briefing Note on the matter (CSO/22/01) which referred to the partnership with Peninsula local authorities to make the case for investment in rail, including the publication of a 20-year plan for rail in 2016. Since that Report, over £300m investment had been secured to improve the railway (listing the specific projects). The Briefing Note also referred to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and how that affected rail priorities (fewer commuters for example) and other impacts on the industry such as the decarbonisation of transport and tackling climate change as well as the Levelling Up agenda. Against this backdrop, the Peninsula Transport Sub National Transport Body would refresh its Rail Strategy. The Note also covered the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund monies secured by the Council (Tavistock to Plymouth rail line, Cullompton Railway Station, Dartmoor Line reopening).

The Council had previously made the case for passing loops west of Honiton and the infrastructure had been identified  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103.

There was no question from a Member of the public.

Minutes of the bodies shown below are circulated herewith for information or endorsement as indicated therein (i.e. any unstarred minutes):

[NB: Minutes of County Council Committees are published on the Council’s Website:

Minutes of the Devon Education (Schools) Forum:  

Minutes of the South West Waste Partnership

Minutes of the Devon & Cornwall Police & Crime Panel

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the following be endorsed and any recommendations to Cabinet therein be approved:

Farms Estate Interviewing Committee - 13th December 2021

Farms Estate Interviewing Committee - 14th December 2021

Farms Estate Interviewing Committee - 15th December 2021

It was MOVED by Councillor Hart, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes, and

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the following be endorsed and any recommendations to Cabinet therein be approved:

Farms Estate Interviewing Committee - 13th December 2021

Farms Estate Interviewing Committee - 14th December 2021

Farms Estate Interviewing Committee - 15th December 2021

The Register of Decisions taken by Members under the urgency provisions or delegated powers is available on the website in line with the Council’s Constitution and Regulation 13 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.  The decisions taken and associated information can be found here.

The Registers of Decisions taken by Members under the urgency provisions or delegated powers were available for inspection, in line with the Council’s Constitution and Regulation 13 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. Decisions taken by Officers under any express authorisation of the Cabinet or other Committee or under any general authorisation within the Council’s Scheme of Delegation set out in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the Cabinet is requested to review the list of forthcoming business (previously circulated) and to determine which items are to be defined as key and/or framework decisions and included in the Plan from the date of this meeting.

The Forward Plan is available on the Council's website.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the Cabinet reviewed the Forward Plan and determined those items of business to be defined as key and framework decisions and included in the Plan from the date of this meeting onwards reflecting the requirements of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the Cabinet reviewed the Forward Plan and determined those items of business to be defined as key and framework decisions and included in the Plan from the date of this meeting onwards reflecting the requirements of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.