Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Cllrs N V Davey and Mrs M E Squires.

To receive any questions relating to items on the Agenda from members of the public and replies thereto.

There were no members of the public present.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of 27 August 2015.

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive a report of the Head of Customer Services regarding a revised policy

The Cabinet had before it a *report of the Head of Customer Services regarding a review of the corporate complaints policy.

The Head of Customer Services outlined the contents of the report stating that a review of the policy took place every 3 years, during 2014/15 a review of the complaints recording and monitoring system had taken place resulting in improvements to internal working practices and customer service.  The review also considered the guidance issued by the Local Government Ombudsman.  The policy had been updated to include these new working practices.

Consideration was given to:

·         Complaints received by email being recorded on specific issues for example planning and environmental health and whether the complaints were being fed into the corporate complaints system.  It was suggested that such emails should be marked as an official complaint;

·         The mechanism for dealing with vexatious complaints;

·         Whether Members complaints were registered;

·         Whether there was a ‘lessons learnt’ procedure following a complaint which may amend a procedure if an issue was highlighted.

RESOLVED that the updated corporate complaints policy be approved.

(Proposed by the Chairman)

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.

To receive a report of the Head of Finance requesting the Cabinet to note the financial monitoring information for the income and expenditure so far for the 2015/16 financial year.      

The Cabinet had before it and NOTED a *report of the Head of Finance presenting financial monitoring information for the income and expenditure of the 2015/16 financial year.

The Cabinet Member for Finance outlined the contents of the report stating that the forecasted general fund deficit for the current year was £68k, however it was hoped that this could be reduced significantly by the end of the financial year.  Income was down at the Exe Valley Leisure Centre but this was being addressed, the Housing Revenue Account was ahead of budget as were the rents and there was a low level of arrears.  The Capital Programme showed no overspend but some slippage.

The Cabinet Member for Housing stated that the Government’s intention to reduce housing rents by 1% per annum over the next 4 years would have a significant impact on the housing service and would have a knock on effect on negotiations with developers regarding affordable housing.  He stated that along with other authorities he continued to lobby local MP’s.

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.

To inform the Cabinet that the following decisions that have been made by Cabinet Members under delegated powers:

a)     Cabinet Member for the Environment: Trade Waste and Recycling.

(i)    To increase charges to our Trade waste and recycling customers by 3% to accommodate the increased costs of labour, fuel and consumables and landfill gate fees. The charges will be rounded up to the nearest appropriate amount.

(ii)  To increase the sales price of the 330L Garden King Composter from £18 to £20

(iii) To reduce the sales price of the black wheeled bins from £39 to £35

(iv) To offer a 23L litre caddy liner for sale to line the kerbside food caddy – price to be confirmed.      

(v)  To charge £5 delivery charge for all purchased containers delivered.

b)     Cabinet Member for the Planning and Economic Regeneration: Building Control Charges

1. To revise the Scheme for the Recovery of Building Control Charges and Associated Matters.
2. To change the method of publishing the schedule of Building Control charges to restrict easy access to commercially sensitive information by competitors.

c)     Cabinet Member for the Environment: Christmas Car Parking

To give free car parking for the three Saturday’s in December (5^th, 12^th and 19^th) plus a 4^th day (to be decided at the discretion of the town) for the long stay car parks of:

Multi-storey car park, Tiverton

Station Road, Cullompton

St Saviours Way, Crediton

And to provide for the opening of the Multi-storey car park on the 4 Sundays prior to Christmas.

d)     Cabinet Member for the Environment: Composters

To increase the sales price of the 220l Garden King Composter to £20 (inclusive of VAT) and to increase the sales price of the 330l Garden King Composter to £25 (inclusive of VAT)

The Cabinet NOTED that the following decisions had been made by Cabinet Members under delegated authority:

a)     Cabinet Member for the Environment: Trade Waste and Recycling.

(i)    To increase charges to our Trade waste and recycling customers by 3% to accommodate the increased costs of labour, fuel and consumables and landfill gate fees. The charges will be rounded up to the nearest appropriate amount.

(ii)  To increase the sales price of the 330L Garden King Composter from £18 to £20

(iii) To reduce the sales price of the black wheeled bins from £39 to £35

(iv) To offer a 23L litre caddy liner for sale to line the kerbside food caddy – price to be confirmed.      

(v)  To charge £5 delivery charge for all purchased containers delivered.

b)     Cabinet Member for the Planning and Economic Regeneration: Building Control Charges

(i)    To revise the Scheme for the Recovery of Building Control Charges and Associated Matters.

(ii)  To change the method of publishing the schedule of Building Control charges to restrict easy access to commercially sensitive information by competitors.

c)     Cabinet Member for the Environment: Christmas Car Parking

To give free car parking for the three Saturday’s in December (5^th, 12^th and 19^th) plus a 4^th day (to be decided at the discretion of the town) for the long stay car parks of:

Multi-storey car park, Tiverton

Station Road, Cullompton

St Saviours Way, Crediton

And to provide for the opening of the Multi-storey car park on the 4 Sundays prior to Christmas.

d)     Cabinet Member for the Environment: Composters

To increase the sales price of the 220l Garden King Composter to £20 (inclusive of VAT) and to increase the sales price of the 330l Garden King Composter to £25 (inclusive of VAT)

Consideration was given to the sale of garden composters and whether the scheme should cease.  It was felt that due to the current changes in the waste service, the option of providing composters could be helpful to local residents.

To note the rolling plan containing key decisions.

The Cabinet had before it, and NOTED, its rolling plan for October containing future key decisions.

Members were informed of the following movements since the publication of the document:

·         Play Areas in Mid Devon would move to the November meeting

·         Landscape Implications of Wind and Solar Energy Proposals SPD would be discussed in November

·         Masterplan – Area B – Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension would not be discussed  before November at the earliest

·         Housing Strategy would move to March 2016

·         Void Policy would move to December

·         Economic Development Strategy would move to November

·         Supply and Demand Policy would move to December

·         An additional proposed decision regarding the acquisition of land for affordable housing had been added to the published plan

Note: * Plan previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.