Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Chief Executive.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the service of a notice of withdrawal on the constituent authorities and the Heart of the South West Joint Committee effective from 31 December 2023.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report on the steer from Leaders and Senior Members of several Devon Constituent Authorities to consider the withdrawal and dissolution of the Heart of the South West (HotSW) Joint Committee, which the Council was a member of. The report was focussed on the joint committee's governance rather than the Heart of the Southwest Local Enterprise Partnership or the associated Heart of the Southwest Joint Scrutiny Committee.

Members noted that the integration of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) into local authorities and their relationship with devolution deals, meant that the purpose of the joint committee had been superseded and delivery could be achieved through other existing partnership arrangements. It was agreed by the Leaders and Senior Members of the constituent authorities that the proposal to withdraw be brought forward officially to the appropriate bodies of the constituent authorities.

Reference was made to, Plymouth withdrawing from the devolution deal, leaving only Devon and Torbay, which had occurred following the publication of the report.

Councillor Moore, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item and in thanking the Chief Executive for the report enquired whether the cost for withdrawal could be outlined?

Councillor M. Mitchell, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item and highlighted that the withdrawal was a joint exercise with the other authorities.

In response to a Members question, the Director Finance advised that the Councils contribution was £2,800 and based on the size of an authority. There would be a small amount returned to the unallocated balance.

The Leader advised that the LEP was ending in April 2024 and all assets were held by Somerset Council and would be distributed amongst the top tier authorities

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the service of a notice of withdrawal on the constituent authorities and the Heart of the South West Joint Committee effective from 31 December 2023.