Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies were received from Cllr Mrs E M Andrews.  Members of the Group asked that their best wishes be sent to Cllr Mrs Andrews who was celebrating her 90^th Birthday.

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

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

There were no members of the public present.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting (attached).

The Minutes of the last Meeting of the Group were approved as a correct record and SIGNED by the Chairman.

To receive any announcements that the Chairman may wish to make.

The Chairman reminded Members that the next meeting of the Group would be held at Crediton.

The Chairman explained that an informal meeting (workshop) had been put in place for Monday 21^st August at which Members were invited to bring ideas for future agenda items.  The implementation of this workshop followed the Peer Review and a paper from the Chief Executive in which it was proposed that Members be more involved in making policy.

At its meeting on the 11 July 2017 the Environment PDG had before it a discussion paper regarding parks and open spaces. The Group RESOLVED to ask the Community PDG to discuss the paper with regard to the health and wellbeing of families using open spaces, in particular to section 8 concerning play areas. The Environment PDG will debate the matter again at its meeting on 5 September and will take the views of the Community PDG into consideration when doing so.

At its meeting on the 11 July 2017 the Environment PDG had before it a discussion paper regarding parks and open spaces. The Group resolved to ask the Community PDG to discuss the paper with regard to the health and wellbeing of families using open spaces, in particular to section 8 concerning play areas. The Environment PDG would debate the matter again at its meeting on 5 September and would take the views of the Community PDG into consideration when so doing.

The Director of Operations explained that the report * the Group had before it had been produced as a discussion paper to enable the formulation of policy for open spaces over the next 10 years.  The Environment PDG had asked the Group to give particular consideration to the built environment which included areas such as pathways, benches and play areas.  The officer stressed that the health, safety and wellbeing of children was of paramount importance and for example in the case of fencing around play areas, would always be replaced if required for those reasons. The officer also asked Members to consider whether or not the Play England document referred to within the report should be used as a reference point.

Discussion took place regarding:

·       Assurance that when necessary for health, safety and wellbeing reasons play areas would continue to be fenced;

·       Concerns regarding a specific play area which would be addressed outside of the meeting;

·       The importance of consultation prior to works being undertaken in open spaces and parks;

·       When items such as fencing or benches were removed the area must be left in a safe state;

·       The use of wild flowers and indigenous trees;

·       The fact that is was sometimes necessary to remove trees if they were in the wrong location and a request for replacement trees to be planted elsewhere when this happened;

·       Headstone runners at the cemeteries and the fact that these would prevent health and safety issues regarding headstones.

It was RESOLVED that the Environment PDG be asked to ensure that the Parks and Open Spaces 10 Year Management Plan be clear that:

a)    Play areas must be fenced when necessary for health and safety reasons, as the health, safety and wellbeing of children was of paramount importance:

b)    Play England criteria be used;

c)     When work was undertaken to remove fences or other items such as benches, the work must be undertaken safely and no hazards left:

d)    That communication and clear consultation must take place with all parties being updated.

(Proposed by Chairman)

Note: - * Report previously circulated and attached to Minutes.

To provide Members with an update on performance against the Corporate Plan and local service targets for 2017-18 as well as providing an update on the key business risks.

The Group had before it and NOTED a report * from the Director of Corporate Affairs & Business Transformation, providing Members with an update on performance against the Corporate Plan and local service targets for 2017-18 as well as providing an update on the key business risks.

The Audit Team Leader informed Members that the number of performance indicators for the area within the remit of the Group had reduced and asked that they let her know if there were any areas that they would like further information for in future.

Performance indicators for Leisure Services had been removed from the report.  The Director of Operations explained that this was due to the commercial sensitivity of the information provided.  It was AGREED that in future the performance indicators for Leisure would be provided in Part II to allow Members to review performance without risk to the Leisure business.

Discussion took place regarding:

·       The plant rooms at the Leisure Centres and the level of risk;

·       Potential car parking overcrowding at leisure centres and measures that had been put in place to prevent inappropriate parking in disabled bays, mother and baby bays and on yellow lines;

·       Whether the hoped for success of the extension at Exe Valley could result in further parking issues.

Consideration was given to the need to look at other means of promoting health and wellbeing, which was a Corporate Aim, as well as by use of the Leisure Centres.  It was AGREED that the Audit Team Leader be tasked to provide a performance indicator regarding other methods of improving health and wellbeing within the District.

Note: - * Report previously circulated and attached to the Minutes.

To receive a report from the Director of Finance, Assets & Resources presenting the revenue and capital outturn figures for the financial year 2016/17.

The Group had before it and NOTED a report * from the Director of Finance, Assets & Resources presenting the revenue and capital outturn figures for the financial year 2016/17.

The Principal Accountant informed Members that the annual accounts had been presented to the Audit Committee on 17 July, and that the authority was amongst the first in the country to do so.  The accounts team were dependant on the entire organisation providing timely information in order for this to happen.

The officer informed the Group that both the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account were under budget at year end.  He highlighted collection rates which were good and informed Members that reserves had been increased in order to provide a buffer for future uncertainty. 

Areas within the remit of the group with significant variances included Planning and Regeneration which held a favourable position of £390k.  This was mainly due to successful grant applications and those funds had been placed in earmarked reserves for future spend. Revenues and Benefits showed a favourable variance, mainly due to effective recovery of overpayments and Government subsidy.  Leisure Services showed an adverse variance, as had been indicated throughout the year by means of financial monitoring, mainly due to the management restructure and a challenging income budget.

Note: - Report * previously circulated and attached to Minutes.

To receive a verbal update from the Public Health and Professional Services Manager regarding Corporate Plan aims for Trim Trails.

The Public Health Officer provided a verbal update regarding progress with trim trails.

The officer informed Members that he had been in discussion with the Planning Service and had an agreement in principle that funding would be allocated for a Trim Trail in Tiverton.  The intention was to start with one Trim Trail to allow for assessment of usage and suitability of equipment.

Initial plans were to site a couple of pieces of equipment in each of the Tiverton parks, Westexe, Amory, Peoples and the Canal, creating a loop to the Leisure Centre. The Trail needed to be accessible and appropriate for all age and ability groups to use.

Discussion took place regarding:

·       Placing of the trail and ensuring it was accessible as well as not being so public that people would feel uncomfortable using it;

·       The possibility that the public would use the equipment rather than join the gym and the implications for the Leisure Service;

·       Trim Trails were within the Conservative Manifesto from the last election. It was intended that they would be throughout the district but Tiverton was being used as an initial trial;

·       Basic equipment would not involve expensive maintenance in the way that equipment with moving parts would;

·       Other areas that already had trim trails.

The officer would report the progress of this project to future meetings of the Group.

To receive a report from the Director of Corporate Affairs & Business Transformation and Corporate Safeguarding Lead Officer updating Members on the Joint Devon District Wide Safeguarding Policy along with MDDC guidance and procedures.

During discussion of this item it may be necessary to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Article 15 15.2(d) (a presumption in favour of openness) of the Constitution. This decision may be required because consideration of this matter in public may disclose information falling within one of the descriptions of exempt information in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The Committee will need to decide whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT – EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

RECOMMENDED that under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to an individual.

The Group had before it a report* from the Director of Corporate Affairs & Business Transformation and Corporate Safeguarding Lead Officer updating Members on the Joint Devon District Wide Safeguarding Policy along with MDDC guidance and procedures.

The Director explained that the Lead Safeguarding Officer had been working with the Devon Districts to review the adopted joint Devon Safeguarding Policy.

The Lead Safeguarding Officer informed Members that the MDDC guidance and procedures for Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk had been updated.  The policy had been amended to include new information in terms of Child Exploitation and Online Protection, Radicalisation and Prevent.

The officer explained the actions that had been taken to increase awareness of the Safeguarding Policy.

It was RECOMMENDED that Cabinet approve the Devon District Councils joint Safeguarding Policy (Appendix A) and the MDDC guidance and procedures (Appendix B).

(Proposed by the Chairman)

Note: - Report * previously circulated and attached to the Minutes.

Note: This item is limited to 10 minutes.  There should be no discussion on the items raised.

Financial Monitoring

Performance and Risk

Air Quality

Community Engagement Strategy

Gypsy and Traveller Policy

Town and Parish Charter

Customer Services and the impact of closing surgeries at Cullompton and Crediton

Financial Monitoring

Performance and Risk

Air Quality

Community Engagement Strategy

Gypsy and Traveller Policy

Town and Parish Charter