Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies.

To note the protocol for remote meetings.

The protocol for remote meetings was NOTED.

To acknowledge that Emma Kingstone (Swimming Teacher) has achieved 25 years service to the District Council

The Chairman spoke of Emma Kingston’s 25 years service to the Council and on behalf of all the Members and Officers he thanked her for her dedication and hard work.

To acknowledge that Bev Saull-Hunt (Revenues and Benefits Team Leader)) has achieved 25 years service to the District Council

The Chairman spoke of Bev Saull-Hunt’s 25 years service to the Council and on behalf of all the Members and Officers he thanked her for her dedication and hard work.

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

Cllr Enright, referring to the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan, stated that he was the Chairman for Newton St Cyres Parish Council and he was dismayed that the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) showed 1200 new dwellings in his small village. The village was already plagued by ever increasing traffic along the A377 linking Crediton to Exeter and vice versa. They want them built in an area which is very difficult to access and is prone to flooding. MDDC please protect the beautiful historic towns and villages and not let them become suburbs of Exeter. GESP is clearly intended to satisfy Exeter’s building requirements by pushing development out to the neighbouring councils whilst keeping the jobs in Exeter. The recently adopted Mid Devon Local Plan provides the required Mid Devon housing and it will create jobs within Mid Devon. Surely this is better for Mid Devon, please keep local control, after all that is one of the prime reasons why councillors are elected. Why do we need GESP, please stay with the Mid Devon Plan and work more loosely with adjoining councils.

Mr Perris, referring to the General Fund Revenue Account outturn summary for 2019-2020, stated that he had noted that the corporate management costs were budgeted in 2019 for £1,681,157 and the actual was £2,533,656, a variance of £852,500. Whilst I appreciate that some of the issues, shall we say, around 3 Rivers have gone into this fund, I consider that quite a high management cost and I would like to know what the breakdown of those costs are in that budget line. I think that is probably best sent to me via a reply.

Ms Pole again referring to the 3 Rivers, Grant Thornton accounts audit stated that there was a reference to a £600k audit adjustment and she wanted to know if that was part of the £790k impairment that was referred to in the accounts as having been  accounted to by the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). The £600k appeared to have been relating to a settlement of a dispute whereas the £790k appears to have been relating to adjustments to loans and I don’t have much clarity of those two line items why either of them would have been adjusted to the HRA which is ring fenced for council stock matters

The Group Manager of Financial Services responded to add some clarity and stated that the £790k related to the impairment charges against the loans that MDDC made to its subsidiary 3 Rivers and that the impairment charge was put through the financial statements for the year ending 31st March 2020.  The £790k actually accounted for part of the £852k variance which the previous member of the public referred to in respect of corporate management. All of the items had gone through corporate management and had been accounted for in the General Fund. The £600k was a completely different item that appeared in Grant Thornton’s audit findings report for the year ending 31st March 2020 as an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

Councillors are reminded of the requirement to declare any interest, including the type of interest, and the reason for that interest, either at this stage of the meeting or as soon as they become aware of that interest.

Members were reminded of the need to declare any interests when appropriate.

Members to consider whether to approve the minutes as a correct record of the meeting held on 1 July 2020.

Members to consider whether to approve the minutes as a correct record of the extraordinary meeting held on 29 July 2020.

The Council is reminded that only those Members present at the previous meeting should vote and, in doing so, should be influenced only by seeking to ensure that the minutes are an accurate record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2020 were agreed as a correct record.

Subject to the addition of the word ‘extraordinary’ within the heading of the minutes, the minutes of the extraordinary meeting held on 29 July 2020 were agreed as a correct record.

To receive any announcements which the Chairman of the Council may wish to make.

The Chairman had no announcements to make.

To receive any petitions from members of the public.

No petitions had been presented.

There have been no Motions to Council received.

It was reported that no Motions had been received.

To receive and consider the reports, minutes and recommendations of the recent meetings as follows:

(1)          Cabinet

-          9 July 2020

-              6 August 2020

2)        Scrutiny Committee

-                 20 July 2020

-                 17 August 2020 (to follow)

(3)       Audit Committee

-         11 August 2020

(4)       Environment Policy Development Group

-                14 July 2020

(5)       Homes Policy Development Group

-                21 July 2020

(6)       Economy Policy Development Group

-                 16 July 2020

(7)       Community Policy Development Group

-                     28 July 2020

(8)       Planning Committee

-                15 July 2020

-                     12 August 2020

The Leader presented the report of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 July 2020.

1.    Annual Treasury Management Report (Minute 201)

The Leader MOVED seconded by Councillor R L Stanley:

THAT the recommendations of the Cabinet as set out in Minute 201 be ADOPTED.

Upon a vote being taken the MOTION was declared to have been CARRIED.

The Leader presented the report of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 6 August 2020.

1.    Statement of Community Involvement Review (Minute 213)

The Leader MOVED seconded by Councillor L D Taylor:

THAT the recommendations of the Cabinet as set out in Minute 213 be ADOPTED.

Upon a vote being taken the MOTION was declared to have been CARRIED.

2.    Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (Minute 215)

Councillor L D Taylor MOVED seconded by Councillor G Barnell

THAT the recommendations of the Cabinet as set out in Minute 215 be ADOPTED.

Councillor D F Pugsley MOVED seconded by Councillor B G J Warren; that in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.1(e) the item be referred back to the Cabinet for further consideration.

Following consideration and upon a vote being taken, the MOTION was declared to have FAILED.

The Leader MOVED AN AMENDMENT seconded by Councillor D J Knowles  that:

That Council resolve to:

1.   Commit to prepare a revised joint strategic statutory plan;

2.    Should Officers subsequently advise that 1. proves not to be the most appropriate option in planning terms, consider a review of other options for further strategic and cross-boundary planning matters with willing participatory authorities in the Housing Market Area;?

3.    Instruct officers to review and incorporate relevant elements of the GESP Draft Policies and Site Options consultation document and other supporting documentation and evidence that remain valid;

4.    Jointly prepare necessary technical studies and evidence for the new strategic plan, including conducting a further call for sites process, align monitoring and share resources where there are planning and cost benefits for doing so;

5.    Reaffirm the Council’s commitment to the delivery of high quality development at Culm Garden Village as part of the Garden Communities Programme and continue to work collaboratively as a group of Councils in the garden communities programme with Homes England; and

6.    Task Officers to prepare a further report on staff resources to prepare a revised joint strategic plan with resources to be provided equitably to the team through equalisation arrangements.

7.    Task Officers to bring forward the preparation of the next Local Plan Review?

Consideration was given to:

·         The decision of East Devon District Council to withdraw from the GESP and the fact that the plan could no longer continue in its current form

·         Committing to a joint strategic statutory plan would provide a platform for local people to shape a plan for the future

·         The Local Planning Authority and the County Council had a duty to cooperate on strategic matters and the GESP provided the opportunity for all to work together

·         There was a need for economic activities and growth areas to be considered strategically

·         The significant amount of work that had already taken place

·         The Government had show a willingness to engage with one voice from the area and therefore a joint vision and a joint strategic plan was required

·         Whether to withdraw from the GESP whilst continuing to engage with GESP partners

·         Whether the creation of a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee presented the report of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 July 2020.

The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee presented the report of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 August 2020.

The Chairman of the Audit Committee presented the report of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 August 2020.

The Chairman of the Environment Policy Development Group presented the report of the meeting of the Group held on 14 July 2020.

The Chairman of the Homes Policy Development Group presented the report of the meeting held on 21 July 2020.

The Chairman of the Economy Policy Development Group presented the report of the meeting of the Group held on 16 July 2020.

The Chairman of the Community Policy Development Group presented the report of the meeting of the Group held on 28 July 2020.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee presented the report of the meeting of the Committee held on 15 July 2020.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee presented the report of the meeting of the Committee held on 12 August 2020.

To deal with any questions raised pursuant to Procedure Rule 13 not already dealt with during the relevant Committee reports.

There were no questions submitted under Procedure Rule 13.2.

Decisions taken under Rule 16 (of the Constitution) Special Urgency – since the previous meeting.

There have been no such decisions in this period.

With regard to any decisions taken under Rule 16 (of the Constitution) Special Urgency taken since the last meeting. The Chairman informed the meeting that no such decisions had been taken in this period.

Cabinet Members will answer questions from Members on their Portfolios.

Cllr Warren addressing the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration asked that: we now have an up to date Local Plan which we are advised removes all the problems which we have been experiencing over recent years of having out of date policies and at one point failing to have a 5 year housing land supply. During the process of a current appeal, the appellant raised the issue of a 5 year land supply and challenged the council’s claim that it had a 7.43 year supply, this was later reduced to 5.78 and then conceded that 60 houses were necessary on a particular site to support the 5 year land supply figures. We appear to be working from 2018 figures which were refreshed in 2019 but we did not have firm 2020 figures. Can you please assure members that we can defend a position of having a 5 year land supply with the appropriate buffer and that we are working from up to date 2020 figures?

The Cabinet Member stated that: we have met to discuss issues in relation to the 5 year land supply in the context of a planning appeal, you will remember that I explained that the Local Plan Inspector confirmed to his satisfaction that the housing land supply in the Local Plan Review is robust. In coming to that conclusion, the inspector had regard to the supply requirements and an appropriate buffer. Council will recall adopting the plan at a recent meeting. In the words of the inspector, the plan is well capable of achieving a rolling 5 year supply of deliverable housing sites. Officers are seeking to update the deliverability of the information, housing deliverability will inform us of land supply and that he was keeping a close eye on that.

Councillor Wilce addressing the Leader stated:  you will be aware that part of the recording of the cabinet meeting held on the 9^th July, which  was open to the public, was edited by Officers, without any precedent, policy, or regulation, to remove reference to the potential liability to the Council of its loans to 3 Rivers. Members of the public were present, as was a member of the press. Since it is not possible to erase the memories of those persons present and given that the purpose of the recording is to provide a true and accurate record of the meeting, do you agree with me that this action is undemocratic and that the full recording of the meeting should be made public?

And, that having recently acknowledged that the loans made to 3 Rivers were ‘substantially without security’ can you update members on the current level of potential indebtedness of the Council and the security of those loans, given that the build at St George’s Court has not resumed?

The Leader stated that you are aware that Cabinet has been seriously looking into the situation of 3 Rivers and Cabinet is on the point of having discussions as to the future  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

To receive any statements made and notice of future questions by Members.

Note:  the time allowed for this item is limited to 15 minutes.

There was no business to be discussed.