Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members of the Council will declare any interests they may have in any item to be considered at this meeting, prior to any discussion taking place on that item.

The other registrable interests of Councillors of Devon County Council, arising from membership of City, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes.

For details of District and or Town and Parish Twin Hatters – please see here - County councillors who are also district, borough, city, parish or town councillors

The Chair reminded Members they should declare any interests they may have in any item to be considered, prior to any discussion taking place on that item. The details of District and or Town and Parish Twin Hatters was on the attached list - County councillors who are also district, borough, city, parish or town councillors.

Councillor Bullivant advised he would declare an interest in item 16, later on the agenda and leave the meeting for the item.

Minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2025 (previously circulated).

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2025 be signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2025 be signed as a correct record.

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

RESOLVED that the East Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee be thanked for its debate and resolution and officers be asked to explore the implications to report back to the new Cabinet in due course.

(An item taken under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972).

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

The Chair had decided that the Cabinet should consider this item as a matter of urgency, in order that the reference from the East Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee could be dealt with in the current administration.

In considering the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/25/42), on the Local Waiting Restriction Programme, the East Devon Highways and Traffic Orders had RESOLVED (b) that Cabinet be asked to explore options to make School Keep Clear restrictions mandatory outside all Devon schools, by default, in line with the Council’s strategic priority of being ambitious for its young people.

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

RESOLVED that the East Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee be thanked for its debate and resolution and officers be asked to explore the implications to report back to the new Cabinet in due course.

The Chair then also advised the Cabinet there would be an urgent item to be taken later in the meeting, under Part 2.

There was no announcement by the Chair at this meeting.

There was no petition received from a Member of the Public or the Council.

There was no question from a Member of the Council.

There was no question from a Member of the public.

Report of the Director of Performance and Partnerships (PP/25/03) seeking various approvals for the Connect to Work Programme in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, attached.

An Impact Assessment has been completed for the attention of members at the meeting, is attached and available at Connect to Work - Impact Assessment

RESOLVED

(a) that a contract be agreed for the Council to act as the accountable body with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for funding up to the value of £30 million for the delivery of the Connect to Work Programme;

(b) that employment support services be commissioned across the area by a competitive procurement process in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 up to the value of £20 million through to 2030;

(c) that contracts be agreed with Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council for delivery of elements of the Connect to Work Programme through to 2030;

(d) that delegated authority be given to the Director of Performance and Partnerships and the Director of Finance and Public Value, in consultation with relevant Portfolio Holders to finalise the funding agreement with DWP, the procurement processes, value and contracts with suppliers, and agree contractual arrangements with Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council;

(e) that delegated authority be given to the Director of Performance and Partnerships in consultation with the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to agree the transition arrangements to the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority; and

(f) that the Chief Executive be asked to write formally to Government outlining the importance of timely transitions and working with individuals at an appropriate time, noting that in some cases of SEND, health or care pathways, an earlier or targeted intervention would be beneficial.

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

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of Performance and Partnerships (PP/25/03) which sought various approvals for the Connect to Work Programme in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay. The Report had been 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 Connect to Work (‘CtW’) was a voluntary supported employment programme devolved to local areas by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The programme had been designed and set nationally and aimed to assist individuals who faced significant barriers to employment. It was focused on those aged 18 and above with a disability, health condition, or other complex personal challenges, with an emphasis on both supporting individuals to access work and supporting those in the workplace to retain work.

The programme represented the first time any element of the national health and work programme had been devolved to local areas, under the Government’s emerging ‘Get Britain Working’ approach. The Programme’s underlying delivery model had been designed nationally, but with the ability to flex to meet local needs around two different types of provision which was Individual Placement and Support (‘IPS’) and Supported Employment Quality Framework (‘SEQF’)

DWP had designated Devon County Council as the lead accountable and contracting body for the CtW programme in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay. The annual programme would see an average of £6 million of funding provided to Devon County Council each year, with a requirement to support 1,900 individuals per annum, accepting that there would be a mobilisation phase this year.

As the delivery lead, the Council was required to submit a five-year delivery plan to DWP by the end of this summer. Partners had recognised the need for a flexible approach to delivery across the three local authority areas, reflecting differences in their scale, institutional capacity and current delivery arrangements around supported employment. This approach would be set out fully in the plan, and was summarised in section 3.2 of the Report.

It was expected that the responsibility for the CtW programme would transfer to the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (CCA) in the future, as part of the CCA’s responsibilities for producing a Local Get Britain Working Plan and delivering the Adult Skills Fund from the academic year 2026/27.

The Cabinet noted that the Connect to Work (CtW) programme directly aligned with the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2024-2025 and supported several key organisational priorities. In terms of the financial considerations, table 1 in section 5.1 of the Report provided an overview of the expected funding profile for the project based on initial discussions with DWP.

An Impact Assessment had been completed and was available at https://www.devon.gov.uk/impact/published/. This highlighted that the CtW programme was designed to foster inclusivity and ensure equal and fair opportunities for all eligible participants. It specifically targeted individuals facing complex barriers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 739.

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)  Lowering of the Voting age to 16 and 17 (Cllr Atkinson)

(b)  WASPI Women (Cllr Leaver)

(a) Lowering of the Voting age to 16 and 17 (Cllr Atkinson)

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to

(a) note the Government's intention to introduce legislation to lower the voting age before the next General election;

(b) welcome the spirit of the notice of motion in terms of supporting young people to engage with democracy and democratic processes and ask Members to support the commitment of the Council in promoting and raising awareness of the upcoming County Council election, including working with the Devon Youth Council to develop targeted communications to first time voters and young people interested in voting; and

(c) continue to build on this engagement with the Devon Youth Council to support their aim to get the voice of young people heard and make a positive change.

(b) WASPI Women (Cllr Leaver)

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to

(a) express its deep disappointment with the injustice caused by the Government decision not to financially compensate women affected by the failure to communicate about State Pension age changes and its refusal to comply with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s recommendations; and

(b) write to Devon MPs urging them to support the Women’s State Pension Age (Ombudsman Report and Compensation Scheme) Bill.

(a) Lowering of the Voting age to 16 and 17 (Cllr Atkinson) 

(Councillors Hodgson and Whitton attended in accordance with 25(2) and spoke to this item).

This Council notes that it is the Government’s intention to introduce legislation to lower the voting age before the next General election. 

This Council supports the commitment of the Government to give 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote in elections and requests that legislation is?brought forward as soon as possible. 

Members considered the Officer’s factual briefing note on the matter (LDS/25/8) which highlighted that the voting age for an election in the UK depended on whether responsibility for making the rules was reserved to the UK parliament or had been devolved to the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru.??It further referred to the arguments for and against extending the votes to 16 and 17-year-olds and the Electoral Commission’s ‘Curriculum and Assessment Review’ which recognised the UK Government’s commitment to extending the vote to 16 and 17 year olds and set out their work with partners to ensure young people had access to democratic education.

The Cabinet considered the recommendation now before them and the actions now proposed.

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

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to

(a) note the Government's intention to introduce legislation to lower the voting age before the next General election;

(b) welcome the spirit of the notice of motion in terms of supporting young people to engage with democracy and democratic processes and ask Members to support the commitment of the Council in promoting and raising awareness of the upcoming County Council election, including working with the Devon Youth Council to develop targeted communications to first time voters and young people interested in voting; and

(c) continue to build on this engagement with the Devon Youth Council to support their aim to get the voice of young people heard and make a positive change.

(b) WASPI Women (Cllr Leaver) 

(Councillors Hodgson and Whitton attended in accordance with 25(2) and spoke to this item).

Council notes: 

The 1995 and 2011 Pension Act saw the State Pension age for women rise from 60 to 66 but the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to adequately communicate these changes.? Tens of thousands of women were plunged into poverty.? One-in-four struggled to buy food and one third fell into debt. 

A landmark Ombudsman report in March 2024 told the Government to pay compensation and apologise to 3.6 million, women born in the 1950’s who were affected by the lack of communication in relation to their State Pension age.? The report concluded ministers failed to properly notify those impacted by the changes.  

The government recently announced that there will be no financial compensation for WASPI women, despite the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) report which recommended between £1,000 and £2,950 compensation foreach woman affected.? Urgent action is imperative as more than 290,000 WASPI women have tragically died since the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 740.

Report of the Director of People and Culture (PC/25/4) which presented a 6 month update on the People Strategy - Action Plan, attached.

RESOLVED

(a) that the progress contained within the 6 month update be endorsed;

(b) that the decision to pause the actions identified in the presentation (Appendix 2) due to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) considerations, be approved, noting the position would be reviewed on a six monthly basis as the LGR context progresses; and

(c) that delegated authority be given to the Director of People & Culture in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Organisational Development, Workforce & Digital Transformation for minor amendments to the Strategy and Action Plan.

(Councillor Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of People and Culture (PC/25/4) which presented a 6 month update on the People Strategy - Action Plan, 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.

Cabinet had approved the new People Strategy for the Authority in June 2023 and the associated Action Plan in September 2023. A key priority for the People Strategy was to outline how the Council ensured it had the appropriately skilled and talented people needed to deliver services to communities and ensure that the Council was fit for the future, in a highly competitive market. It also provided a framework to help staff to embed a positive culture across the workforce, with a key focus on the quality of relationships, along with a responsibility to strive for better outcomes and best value. The Action Plan outlined how the Council would deliver this over the next 3 years.

The Report provided a summary of the progress achieved to date, focussing on the 6 key themes of staff experience within the Council (Voice, Recruitment, Reward, Wellbeing, Belonging and Learning). It was supported by a more detailed summary of the progress by theme against the actions with indicative due dates before 1 April 2025 (Appendix 1) and a presentation (Appendix 2).  There were some actions that had originally been marked for completion within the second year, that were proposed to be paused. This was shown in the accompanying presentation (Appendix 2).

In addition to the work detailed in Appendix 1, the People Strategy also contained specific actions that target improvement in the experience of Care Leavers within Devon.

There were clear links between the deliverables within the People Strategy and Action Plan with the Corporate Performance Framework, by measuring the organisation climate using key metrics such as those listed in the Report, alongside national benchmarks where available.

The People Strategy had been in place for 18 months and the alignment of corporate and directorate activity to the six themes was helping employees to understand the approach being taken to address workforce related issues. There had been many significant areas of work completed, with some having ongoing programmes of work that would become ‘business as usual’. There was further work to progress in line with the Action Plan, all of which was triangulated with the employee voice to ensure this perspective was considered.

The matter having been debated and the 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 Saywell, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the progress contained within the 6 month update be endorsed;

(b) that the decision to pause the actions identified in the presentation (Appendix 2) due to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 741.

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:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Devon Education Forum of 19 March 2025 be endorsed, in particular minute 166, and notes the views of the Devon education Forum and asks the new Council to support putting forward a renewed case to seek support from Devon’s MPs for fairer funding for all pupils in Devon schools, particularly recognising the challenging funding position exacerbated by the statutory SEND process, to take place during the summer term 2025.

Councillor Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

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

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Devon Education Forum of 19 March 2025 be endorsed, in particular minute 166, and notes the views of the Devon education Forum and asks the new Council to support putting forward a renewed case to seek support from Devon’s MPs for fairer funding for all pupils in Devon schools, particularly recognising the challenging funding position exacerbated by the statutory SEND process, to take place during the summer term 2025.

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.

Recommendation: that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of the Act namely, the financial or business affairs of bidders or tenderers for the provision or supply of council goods or services and in accordance with Section 36 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, by virtue of the fact that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of the Act namely, the financial or business affairs of bidders or tenderers for the provision or supply of council goods or services, and in accordance with Section 36 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, by virtue of the fact that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

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

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of the Act namely, the financial or business affairs of bidders or tenderers for the provision or supply of council goods or services, and in accordance with Section 36 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, by virtue of the fact that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Repport of the Director of Integrated Adult Social Care.

(Councillor Bullivant declared an interest in this matter by virtue of being a Trustee of an organisation who have delivered these services, noting there had been no involvement in the tender process, but withdrew from the meeting during its consideration).

RESOLVED that the recommendations as outlined in the Report at (a), (b), (c) and (d) which gave relevant delegations to progress the matter and formal authority to officers for contract awards, contractual arrangements and due diligence processes, be approved.

(Councillor Bullivant declared an interest in this matter by virtue of being a Trustee of an organisation who have delivered these services, noting there had been no involvement in the tender process, but withdrew from the meeting during its consideration).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of Integrated Adult Social Care which presented revised contract award arrangements for Joint Community Equipment Services. This followed the matter being discussed at Cabinet on 9 October 2024 (Tender and Contract Award of the Community Equipment Service (previously DILIS) and on the 8^th January 2025 (8th January 2025 - Democracy in Devon).

The matter having been debated and the 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 Davis, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes, and

RESOLVED that the recommendations as outlined in the Report at (a), (b), (c) and (d) which gave relevant delegations to progress the matter and formal authority to officers for contract awards, contractual arrangements and due diligence processes, be approved.