Agenda item

(Councillor Croad attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(1) and spoke to this item at the invitation of the Committee)

(a)      Corporate Services

The Committee received a verbal update from the Chief Executive on the in-year position of budget and service delivery within Digital Transformation and Business Support; Legal, Communications and Human Resources (including Democratic Services), Coroners and Registration); and Treasurer’s Services. 

The Chief Executive reported in particular:

-    an overspend was projected this year – major factors being £1.7 millions of savings identified not being met this year; and forecast overspend in Digital Transformation and Business Support, reflecting the management action still to be delivered; and

-    that phase 1 of the new HR management system had gone ‘live’ yesterday.

(b)      Communities, Public Health, Environment and Prosperity

The Committee received the Report of the Chief Officer for Communities, Public Health, Environment and Prosperity (SC/19/3), which provided an in-year briefing on service delivery within Communities, Public Health, Planning, Transportation and Environment and Economy, Enterprise and Skills.  Significant areas of activity this year in all services included:

-     the School Place planning team had delivered several expansion projects and new schools, also a programme was emerging to provide additional Special School places, building upon current investment strategy;

-     formation of the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group, and development of new corporate policy to bring carbon neutral by 2030;

-     two new Communities funding streams - Doing What Matters and Making the Connection alongside Crowdfund Devon;

-     Active Devon’s continuing work with key funder Sport England;

-     publication of the new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy which set priorities relating to health, care and wellbeing from 2020 to 2025;

-     the Devon Emergency Planning Partnership now included all the District Councils, Torbay and Plymouth;

-     the successful transfer of the Public Health Nursing Staff to the Council in April;

-     funding of £175,000 received to expand and support the Suicide Bereavement and Support Service (Pete’s Dragon);

-     the success of Learn Devon, engaging with 6400 adults and young people over the year;

-     successfully facilitated a new University research facility at Exeter Science Park; and

-     a new procurement exercise was underway for the delivery of the new broadband services.

(c)      Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste

The Committee received the Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/19/99), which provided an in-year briefing on budget and service delivery.

Particular points of highlight in discussion with Members and Officers included:

-       that the service was forecasting an underspend of £402,000 at Month 6;

-       the rapid escalation of Ash dieback and the campaign through Devon’s Ash Dieback Resilience Forum and Devon’s Communications Team to encourage landowners to check their trees;

-       Marsh Barton station planning work still continuing with a hoped-for construction in 2021;

-       welcome data showing that waste recycling rates had increased to 56%;

-       the successful ‘Keep an eye on food waste’ roadshows held across Devon that provided helpful tips and advice on reducing food waste;

-       that due consideration should be given to diversion routes for pedestrians and cyclists when permit works were undertaken; and

-       that a summary of activity in the previous 3 months of civil parking enforcement would be added to the highways performance dashboard.