Agenda, decisions and minutes

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made.

A Member declared the following interest and left the meeting:-

The Chair informed the meeting that he intended to take an urgent item relating to the Estuary Community Hub. He stated that it was deemed urgent to ensure that all capital funding was secured ahead of building works, which were scheduled to take place 12 months from April 2017, and in order to secure other sources of funding that the Estuary League of Friends had acquired.

As this was a recommendation to Council there was no requirement to consult with the relevant Scrutiny Chair prior to the item being considered this evening.

To receive the minutes of the Leisure Complex and Bus Station Programme Board on 22 March 2017.

The minutes of the Leisure Complex and Bus Station Programme Board held on 22 March 2017 were submitted.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Leisure Complex and Bus Station Programme Board held on 22 March 2017 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

To receive the minutes of the Major Grants Panel on 23 March 2017.

The minutes of the Major Grants Panel meeting held on 23 March 2017 were submitted.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Major Grants Panel meeting held on 23 March 2017 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

To consider the report of the Service Manager Community Safety & Enforcement.

Place Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 9 March 2017 and its comments will be reported.

The Service Manager Community Safety & Enforcement presented the report on increasing both car park tariffs and the number of pay and display parking sites from June 2017.

The Portfolio Holder for Economy commented that this increase was in line with the approved budget. The parking charges within Exeter had fallen behind other cities but were still comparatively low. The impact of the increase would be monitored.

Members welcomed the return of the Station Road car park at Exwick to City Council control.

Place Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 9 March 2017 and its comments were reported.

RESOLVED thatthe following be approved:-

(1)       tariffs at Premium, Zone 1 and Zone 2 car parks be increased by 10% within the existing  linear pricing structure as set out in the table below but retain the existing all day tariff to encourage visitor dwell time:-

(2)       the following additional car parks be included in the Parking Places Order 2014:

            (a) Flowerpot (Appendix 1)

            (b)  Station Road (Exwick) (Appendix 2) and

            (c)  Clifton Hill (Appendix 3)

            by way of pay and display

(3)       the following car parks be designated as Zone 3 Car Parks as set out in paragraph 2.1 above table in the Parking Places Order 2014:

          (a) Flowerpot,

            (b)  Station Road (Exwick) and

            (c)  Clifton Hill

(4)       parking to a maximum 3 hour stay be restricted at the new Clifton Hill and Station Road (Exwick) car parks.

To consider the report of the Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 23 March 2017 and its comments will be reported.

The Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support presented the report setting out a response to the Notice of Motion which was passed by Council in February 2016 regarding encouraging greater public engagement in the democratic process and webcasting of Council meetings.

Members supported the proposals and welcomed the trial of the use of social media to broadcast some of the Councils meetings. Members felt that there were already mechanisms in place where residents could ask questions of the Council such as the opportunities to ask questions at Scrutiny Committees and Exeter Board.

Corporate Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 23 March 2017 and its comments were reported including it support for the recommendations.

RECOMMENDED to Council that:-

(1)       the current arrangements for the holding of all public meetings of the City Council be maintained;

(2)       a simple trial for broadcasting some of the Council meetings be undertaken with a view to assessing the levels of take up and feedback for a report to a future meeting of this Committee;

(3)       the suggestion for a period of time for public questions to the Council Leader not be supported; and

(4)       the Corporate Manager, Democratic & Civic Support, work closely with the Director of Communications & Marketing to maximise publicity of the decision making process, including items on committee agenda as and when appropriate.

To consider the report of the Assistant Director Finance.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 23 March 2017 and its comments will be reported.

The Technical Accounting Manager presented the report advising Members of the overall projected financial position of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and General Fund Revenue Budgets for the 2016/17 financial year after nine months and to seek approval for a supplementary budget.

The Technical Accounting Manager stated that the General Fund had a forecast underspend of £846,865 with a forecast working balance of £4,014,812 and the HRA had a forecast underspend of £958,178 with a forecast working balance of £7,884,723.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 23 March 2017 and its comments were reported.

RECOMMENDED that Council notes and approves:-

(1)        General Fund forecast financial position for the 2016/17 financial year;

(2)        the HRA forecast financial position for 2016/17 financial year;

(3)        the additional supplementary budget listed in Appendix C;

(4)        the outstanding Sundry Debt position as at December 2016; and

(5)        the creditors’ payments performance.

To consider the report of the Assistant Director Finance.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 23 March 2017 and its comments will be reported.

The Technical Accounting Manager presented the report on the current position in respect of the Council’s revised annual capital programme and advising Members of the anticipated level of deferred expenditure into future years. The report also sought Member approval to amend the annual capital programme in order to reflect the reported variations.

The Technical Accounting Manager advised that major schemes including the Leisure Complex and Bus Station project and the St Loyes Extra Care Scheme had not been spent in this financial year and would be included in the next financial year.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 23 March 2017 and its comments were reported.

RECOMMENDED that Council notes and approves the revision of the annual capital programme to reflect the reported variations as detailed in 8.4 and 8.5 of the circulated report.

To consider the report of the Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support.

The Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support presented the report setting out proposals to amend the Scheme of Delegation to Officers to match operational arrangements, particularly following discussion at the Council meeting on 21 February 2017.

He advised that the amendments took account of changes as a result of the Senior Management Restructure and included the identification of the officer with delegated authority to deal with any penalty charge appeals.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the changes to the Scheme of Delegation to Officers as set out in Appendix 1 to this report.

To consider the report of the Chief Executive & Growth Director.

The Chief Executive & Growth Director presented the report to agree the person from Exeter City Council who will fulfil the role of Director on the Board of the Exeter Science Park Company.

RESOLVED that the following appointments be approved:-

(1)        David Hodgson, as the named Director on the Board of the Exeter Science Park Company; and

(2)        Jon-Paul Hedge, as the named alternative Director to the Board of Exeter Science Park Company.

To receive a verbal update from the Chief Executive & Growth Director.

The Chief Executive & Growth Director advised Members on the Council’s response to the Industrial Strategy Green Paper as circulated.

The Industrial Strategy was centred around ten pillars:-

·         Investing in science, research and innovation

·         Upgrading infrastructure

·         Improving procurement

·         Delivering affordable energy and clean growth

·         Driving growth across the whole country

·         Developing skills

·         Supporting businesses to start and grow

·         Encouraging trade & inward investment

·         Cultivating world-leading sectors

·         Creating the right local institutions

The Council’s response focused on the role of ‘place’, Exeter was a quality place that could retain and attract skilled and talented people which would contribute to a successful economy. Whilst Exeter had good economic growth, its performance often went unrecognised because the data was captured at a county level. The city had the alignment of many of the key ingredients to enable the city to be a successful place, with world class assets like the Met Office and the University of Exeter. There was no one size fits all and the city was working towards a number of collaborations such as the G4 grouping of Exeter, Bristol, Bath and Cardiff Universities; the growth corridor with Plymouth-Exeter-Torbay; the Greater Exeter Growth and Development Board to from a sub-regional statutory joint committee that would be capable of overseeing a local industrial strategy; and the Heart of the South West Councils proposals to set up a joint statutory committee for productivity. Investment needed to be targeted with radical approach to new methods of financing and equity investment that would help areas like Exeter to grow and invest the alignment of ‘place’.

The Portfolio Holder for City Development welcomed the paper and supported the message being put forward by the Council to encourage investment in the City.

There was discussion regarding funding from the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), when it was recognised that whilst funding streams were complicated, it was important that the City continued to put robust funding bids forward for consideration by the LEP.

In response to Members, the Chief Executive & Growth Director commented that the city must work to align all the key stakeholders in Exeter and its wider catchment area to drive forward the ‘place’ and transformational agenda of the region.

RESOLVED that Members support the response as circulated.

To consider the report of the Chief Finance Officer.

Councillor Leadbetter advised that the Estuary League of Friends provided a service that included the whole of Exeter. He declared an interest as a Director of the Estuary League of Friends and left the meeting during consideration of this item.

The Technical Accounting Manager presented the report which sought approval to provide a loan facility of £500,000 to the Estuary League of Friends towards the development of a multi-purpose community hub.

In response to a Member, the Technical Accounting Manager clarified that the terms of the loan would be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and the Leader.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the provision of a £500,000 loan facility to the Estuary League of Friends with delegated powers to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and the Section 151 Officer to agree the terms of the loan.