Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors: N Bradshaw (online), D Broom, L Cruwys, A Cuddy (online), J Downes (online), M Jenkins, L Knight, N Letch, A Stirling, H Tuffin (online), A White and N Woollatt.

To receive any questions and or statements relating to any items of the Council powers/ duties or which otherwise affects the District and items on the agenda from members of the public.

Paul Elstone

Question 1:

At the last full Council meeting, I asked how many Mid Devon District Council (MDDC) officers have been dismissed for gross misconduct over the last four years. The answer given was 19. I found that number shocking. I asked the other Devon District Councils the exact same question, their answers.

East Devon- three (3)

Teignbridge- one (1)

Torridge- Four (4)

West Devon and South Ham's (combined)- eight (8)

North Devon- one (1)

A two year period 21 to 23, the latest data is being obtained.

The combined total of the six other Devon districts is less than the number of firings by this Council. This suggests that either this Council has an extremely poor recruitment process, or it has draconian employee management culture.

Recent events would suggest the latter. A committee which it would not be appropriate to elaborate on in this forum or at this moment in time.

The benchmarking data proves this Council is very much out of step with the other districts and given the far reaching consequences, especially for those families affected. Members should be asking the real reasons why.

Will the Council leader implement a comprehensive external review into the extremely high number of employee dismissals at this Council?

The Chair explained that as question 1 had not been provided in writing in the required time frame in advance of the meeting that a written response would be provided in 10 working days.

Question 2:

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Assets and Property Services in answer to a previous question said there was, and I quote “a mis-mapped utility” this at the ZED PODS Beech Road development. A mismapped utility used to justify the extremely long delay in completing the development build out.

Can the Cabinet Member be very precise. What was the mis-mapped utility? was it water or something else and if a pipe what was the line size?

Response from the Cabinet Member for Housing, Assets and Property Services:

South West Water (SWW)

Question 3:

Will the Cabinet Member provide a drawing showing the exact routing and location of this mis-mapped utility, a drawing that surely must be available to allow re-routing to take place?

Response from the Cabinet Member for Housing, Assets and Property Services:

As an unmapped utility it was not shown on a map. South West Water (SWW) had now resolved this with a diverted supply and would update their mapping in due course.

Question 4:

If I read this Councils Statement of Accounts for year ending 31st March 2025 correctly. Section 50 Cash Flow shows impairment amounts have increased by over £13 million.

Can your Cabinet Member for Governance, Finance and Risk please provide a precise breakdown as to what the £13 million impairment value relates to and how much, if anything, of the impairment amount is related to 3 Rivers?

Response from the Chair of the Council:

£12.9m related to the Council’s housing stock where the District Valuer had assigned a reduced level of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

To record any interests on agenda matters.

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

None were declared under this item.

To consider whether to approve the minutes as a correct record of the meeting held on 29 October and the extraordinary meeting on the 26November 2025.

The minutes of the meetings held on 29 October and 26 November 2025 were AGREED as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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

The Chair had the following announcements to make:

• On Remembrance Sunday, 9 November, in the morning, he attended Crediton’s Remembrance Sunday service and in the afternoon, he attended Devon County Remembrance Service at Exeter Cathedral and laid a wreath on behalf of the Council.
• On the same day Cllr C Harrower, the Councils Armed Forces Champion, attended the Tiverton Remembrance Sunday service and laid a wreath on behalf of the Council.
• On Armistice Day, 11 November, at 7.45am, he passed a wreath onto the Poppy Train heading to Paddington Station in London, along with all other local authorities along the route on behalf of the Council. He also presided over the Armistice Day Ceremony in Tiverton at 11.00am.
• On the same day the Deputy Leader, Cllr D Wulff, attended a ceremony in Cullompton, and the Vice Chair of Council, Cllr S Chenore, attended a ceremony in Crediton where they both laid a wreath on behalf of the Council.
• On the 16 November, attended West Devon Borough Council Civic Service representing the Council.
• On the 1 December he attended the Army Cadet Trophy- Tiverton Army Cadets Set the Standard in ABF Cadet Revision Trophy Challenge with an unprecedented Seventh Victory.

To receive any petitions from members of the public.

None received.

To receive any notices of motions.

None received.

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

4 November 2025

(Recommendation to Full Council)

1.     2025/26 Quarter 2 Budget Monitoring Report

Cabinet RECOMMENDS to Full Council the increase to the Capital Programme of £526k in respect of additional Grant funding received (£276k – see par 5.3) and extra budget to further increase the HRA Housing Stock (£250k – see para 5.5)

2.     Treasury Management Strategy Mid-Year Review Report 2025/26

Cabinet RECOMMENDS to Full Council to APPROVE

a.     A continuation of the current policy outlined at paragraphs 4.0 – 4.5 be agreed;

b.     The changes to the Capital Financing Requirement, Operational Boundaries and Authorised Limits for the current year at paragraphs 5.4 – 5.5

2 December 2025

1.     Tax Base Calculation 2026/27

Cabinet RECOMMENDS to Full Council

1.     That the calculation of the Council’s Tax Base for 2026/27 be approved in accordance with The Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012 at 31,180.16 an increase of 447.25 Band D equivalent properties from the previous financial year.

2.     That the current collection rate of 97.5% remain the same, detailed in Section 2.

The Leader presented the reports of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 4 November 2025.

1.       2025/26 Quarter 2 Budget Monitoring Report*

The Leader MOVED and seconded by Cllr S Clist:

That the recommendation of Cabinet as set out in minute 67 be APPROVED.

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

Note: * Report previously circulated.

2.    Treasury Management Strategy Mid-Year Review Report 2025/26*

The Leader MOVED and seconded by Cllr D Wulff:

That the recommendation of Cabinet as set out in minute 68 be APPROVED.

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

Note: * Report previously circulated.

The Leader presented the reports of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 2 December 2025.

1.     Tax Base Calculation 2026/27*

The Leader MOVED and seconded by Cllr B Holdman:

That the recommendation of Cabinet as set out in minute 85 be APPROVED.

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

Note: (i)* Report previously circulated.

(ii) Cllr J Buczkowski ABSTAINED from voting.

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

20 October 2025

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee presented the report of the meeting held on 20 October 2025.

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

11 November 2025

The Chair of the Community, People and Equalities Policy Development Group presented the report of the meeting held on the 11 November 2025.

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

20 November 2025

The Chair of the Economy and Assets Policy Development Group presented the report of the meeting held on 20 November 2025.

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

18 November 2025

The Vice Chair of the Homes Policy Development Group presented the report of the meeting held on 18 November 2025.

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

25 November 2025

The Chair of the Planning, Environment and Sustainability Policy Development Group presented the report of the meeting held on 25 November 2025.

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

24 November 2025

The Chair of the Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement Policy Development Group presented the report of the meeting held on 24 November 2025.

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

12 November 2025

The Vice Chair of the Planning Committee presented the report of the meeting held on 12 November 2025.

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

15 October 2025

The Chair of the Standards Committee presented the report of the meeting held on 15 October 2025.

To receive a report on Schedule of meeting 2026/2027 from the Director of Legal, People and Governance (Monitoring Officer).

The Council had before it the proposed* Schedule of Meetings for 2026/2027.

The Chair MOVED that the Schedule of meetings 2026/2027 be approved.

Following discussion and upon a vote being taken the MOTION was declared to have been CARRIED.

Note: * Schedule of meetings for 2026/2027 previously circulated

To deal with any questions raised pursuant to Procedure Rule 11 not already dealt with during the relevant Committee reports.

To deal with any questions raised pursuant to Procedure Rule 11 not already dealt with during the relevant Committee reports.

There were no questions.

To note any decisions taken under Rule 16 (of the Constitution) Special Urgency.

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

To receive answers from the Cabinet Members to questions on their portfolios from other Members.

.

None received.

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

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

·       Cllr C Adcock highlighted to Members the rapid progress on the new Modular Council houses that was called House Bampton. The final set of Modular homes would arrive next week. He appreciated that the wide lorries, caused some traffic disruption locally and thanked all local residents for their patience. By the Spring of 2026 the site would be clean and tidy and an asset to Bampton and would provide tenants with comfortable homes with very low heating costs for decades to come, and the location in Bampton, with its excellent local amenities.

·       Cllr C Harrower thanked the young people who had attended Burma Star Gardens on Armistice day from Academies for Character and Excellence (ACE) School. One of them read a poem.

·       Cllr B Holdman thanked all officers of the Council for their hard work which had been carried out with local charities.

·       Cllr S Keable highlighted the following:

Ø  He had attended Culm Garden Village at a Sports Hub meeting. The sporting groups were positive and it had been great to see the infrastructure investment.

Ø  He had attended a Culm Garden Village Board meeting, it was highlighted that it was not going to hear anything on Junction 28 before Christmas, it was anticipated any announcement would now be in the new year.

Ø  The Devon and Somerset Metro Board had met regarding the Cullompton and Wellington Station. There would be no formal announcement about funding, the Government would be using a wide range of funding streams to enable this project to happen.

Ø  The Forward Plan of the Cabinet meeting at Devon County Council showed that there would be an item on the Boniface Trail (Crediton – Exeter) for walking and cycling route to help with commuters

·       Cllr B Fish highlighted to Members that Tiverton Town Council would be holding a public meeting on the 9 January to discuss the pharmaceutical provision in Tiverton at 6.15pm.