Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notices of appointment of substitute Members (if any).

There were no apologies: Cllr A Cuddy attended on line.

To record any interests on agenda matters.

Members were reminded of the need to make declarations of interest where appropriate.

To receive any questions from members of the public and replies thereto.

Note:   A maximum of 30 minutes is allowed for this item.

Paul Elstone

The Chair explained that as the questions related to an item that was not on the agenda, that they would not be permitted.

Malcolm Lock

Mr Lock was representing residents of the Ashley Rise Estate. He commented that on the estate there had been an increase in the intolerable smell of fishy sewage. There had been a recent increase in property development in the area that had not been supported, as far as he was aware, with increased sewage facilities. There was believed to be a system of tankers taking sewage from Moorhayes to the sewage works daily and it raised the question of whether there was sufficient capacity in the existing facility to cope with the current sewage volumes?  When new developments were begun, it was believed that the developer had to pay a sum to South West Water for each property built to cover any investment required in infrastructure as a result of the development. It was evident that the existing systems were barely adequate before the developments in and around Tiverton were started. Had South West Water invested sufficiently in the sewage schemes and if not when would this happen?

Response from South West Water

Developers do pay an infrastructure charge per property for connecting new properties to mains sewers. However, the capacity of the treatment works was funded separately through the price review process that South West Water (SWW) had with the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) every five years. In fact, the works at Tiverton had been granted funding through that process and so over the next five years SWW would make improvements to the capacity of the works.

To consider whether to approve the minutes as a correct record of the meeting held on 17 February 2025.

The minutes of the last meeting held on Monday 17 February 2025 were approved as a correct record and SIGNED by the Chair.

To consider any decisions made by the Cabinet at its last meeting on 4 March 2025 that have been called-in.

The Committee NOTED that none of the decisions made by the Cabinet on 4 March 2025 had been called in.

To receive any announcements that the Chair of Scrutiny Committee may wish to make.

The Chair gave directions as to how the business of the meeting would be conducted and that questioners would be allowed one supplemental question only. The Chair also explained that South West Water would not be able to answer any question related to; individual casework; anything subject to a legal review or proceedings; anything that was subject to commercial confidentiality and anything relating to shares or dividends.

To receive a presentation from Mr Alan Burrows – Head of Local Government Liaison at South West Water to be followed by a question and answer session.

Attending from South West Water (SWW) were:

Mr Alan Burrows, Head of Local Government Liaison,

Mr Mark Worsfold, Director of Asset Management,

Mr Ian Lake, Head of Solution Development and Technical Performance.

SWW overview of current position:

SWW’s priorities for 2025-2030 were:

·         Water Quality and Resilience – was there enough water in the region?

·         Storm overflows and pollutions,

·         Net zero and environmental gains,

·         Delivering for customers and addressing affordability.

Pollutions

·         There were 6 minor water quality pollutions in the Council’s area in 2024.

Storm Overflows

·         SWW had 100% monitoring of all 1,379 storm overflows, which was ahead of the Government target.

·         The Environment Agency (EA) published the storm overflow annual review in March each year after they had validated SWW’s data.

·         The public could see where and in what 5 year period, investments were being made by looking at SWW’s Storm Overflow Action Plan: https://www.water.org.uk/overflows-plan

·         The National Storm Overflow Action Plan provided an overview of their investment to 2040.

·         SWW’s investment would focus on bathing waters and shellfish water in the first instance as well as highly sensitive areas such as nationally designated nature sites.

·         SWW would deliver their overall programme by 2040 (10 years ahead of the Government target of 2050).

Sewage Treatment Works

·         There were 655 wastewater treatment works in SWW’s region.

·         All wastewater treatment works in the Council’s area were compliant with their permit conditions. Those were continuous discharges and were separate from storm overflows.

·         All leakage targets that had been set for the periods 2021/2022, 2022/23 and 2023/24 had been met.  2024/25 had yet to be closed and verified.

Performance

Public Information:

·         WaterFit Live provided information on the operation of their storm overflows in near real time.

·         The National Storm Overflow Action Plan (SOAP) showed where and when SWW planned to improve each storm overflow.

River Quality

·         South West Region River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) provided the detailed analysis on causes and was ‘owned’ by the EA.

·         Overall SWW operations contributed circa 12% towards the Reasons for Not Achieving Good (RNAG) ecological status, the remaining 88% could come from agriculture, industry, urban run-off, private septic tanks or quarries etc.

·         Main catchments in mid Devon included: River Exe, River Culm and River Creedy.

·         Reasons for not achieving good ecological status formed the basis of SWW’s Environmental Programme.

Bathing Water Quality

·         Achieved 100% compliance with bathing water standards across bathing beaches in Devon in 2024.

Environmental programme

·         Peatland restoration, fish migration, catchment management.  SWW had a number of programmes that were to do with bio-diversity and natural improvement. Those programmes looked at how they could use nature and bio-diversity to improve water quality within the South West.

Leakage

·         Achieved target for 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Reservoirs

·         A new reservoir was planned to be built at Cheddar and would be called Cheddar II. Water could be moved from there over to the River Exe and then abstracted at Bolham and at Pynes.

·         Water could be released from Wimbleball Reservoir when SWW needed to supplement abstraction from the River Exe.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 96.

To review the existing Work Plan and consider items for the committee’s future consideration, taking account of:

a)    Any items within the Forward Plan for discussion at the next meeting;

b)    Suggestions of other work for the committee in 2025/26 including four work proposal forms.

The Committee had before it and NOTED the *Forward Plan and the *Scrutiny Committee Work Programme.

The following was highlighted:

(i)         The only item on the agenda for the next meeting was the Scrutiny Chair’s Annual Report. The Committee did not ask to add anything to that agenda having taken into account the Cabinet’s Forward Plan.

(ii)        There would be an item on Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution which would likely be scheduled for 9 June and failing that 14 Julydependent upon what information was available.

(iii)       The work item on Progress to Junction 28 and inviting the DCC Cabinet Member for Highways Management had been postponed due to the Pre-election Period. Once it was confirmed who the new Cabinet Member for Highways Management would be, an invitation would be sent to them.

(iv)       To be added to the Work Plan for 9 June, a report from the Leader of the Council on the State of the District, the Cabinet’s priorities for the coming year and its performance in the previous year.

(v)        The report on house maintenance, general and emergency repairs, pollution monitoring and resident safety would be included in the Work Plan for 9 June.

The following work proposals were received:

-       Cllr R Roberts – Modular Buildings (Zed Pods)

As a report covering the work proposed was already being prepared for the Homes PDG it was agreed that that report also came to the Scrutiny Committee.

-       Cllr G Czapiewski – Land use for planning.

After discussion it was agreed that this proposal was amended by the proposer and then sent to (Planning Policy Advisory Group) PPAG for them to review and consider in the new local plan.

-       Cllr G Czapiewski – Ambulance Response Times

After discussion regarding whether the Council was the right body to look at this matter and it was agreed that DCC was the most appropriate body and that the Chair and Clerk together with the Cabinet Member for Parish and Community Engagement would encourage Town and Parish Councils to offer CPR/defibrillator and First Aid training in their locality.

-       Cllr G Czapiewski – Social Housing Review

As a report covering the work proposed was already being prepared for the Homes PDG it was agreed that that report also came to the Scrutiny Committee.

-       Cllr G Czapiewski – S106 Review – did current and future awards meet relevant infrastructure and social needs?

It was agreed that a report be produced explaining the procedure and processes that the Council went through and append the December 2024 Infrastructure Funding List to that with the report to come before the Scrutiny Committee over the summer.

Note: the *Forward Plan and the *Scrutiny Committee Work Programme were previously circulated.