Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2018 were taken as read and signed by the Chair as correct.

Councillor Denham declared a pecuniary interest in respect of item 49.

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

The Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support presented the report which sought approval to introduce a more rigid assessment process for the consideration of any nominations made for Freedom of the City. This report was previously presented to, and deferred by the Executive on 13March 2018, pending further information relating to data protection. Members were advised that should information be requested under Freedom of Information legislation as to the names of any nominations which had been unsuccessful, it would be withheld due to it being classified as personal data.

In response to a Member, the Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support clarified that the procedure put forward was based upon the UK national honour nomination process. 

Members supported the proposed procedure.

RESOLVED that;-

(1)        A Freedom of the City Assessment Panel be established, to consider all nominations received for Freedom of the City, with its membership being as follows:-

·         The Leader of the Council (or nominee)

·         The Leader(s) of other political groups on the Council (or nominee(s))

·         The Chief Executive & Growth Director (or nominee from the Strategic Management Board)

·         The Corporate Manager, Democratic & Civic Support

·         An external representative; and

(2)       only written nominations on the council’s approved application form will be accepted for consideration by the panel.  No other method be accepted for the submission of nominations for Freedom of the City.

To consider the report for the Chief Finance Officer.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 22 March 2018 and its comments will be reported.

The Chief Finance Officer presented the report advising Members of the overall projected financial position of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and General Fund Revenue Budgets for the 2017/18 financial year after nine months.

Members were advised that the General Fund had an underspend of £345,219, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) an underspend of £3,667,716 and the Council own Build Houses an underspend of £7,000. The high underspend on the HRA was due to the delay in a number of significant projects and the General Fund which was showing overspend in the first quarter now showed an underspend.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 22 March 2018 and its comments were reported.

RECOMMENDED that Council notes and approves the;-

(1)        General Fund forecast financial position for the 2017/18 financial year;

(2­)        HRA forecast financial position for 2017/18 financial year;

(3)        outstanding Sundry Debt position as at December 2017; and

(4)        creditors’ payments performance;

To consider the report for the Chief Finance Officer.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 22 March 2018 and its comments will be reported.

The Chief Finance Officer presented the report on the current position in respect of the Council’s revised annual capital programme and to advise 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 Chief Finance Officer advised that during the first nine months of the year the Council had spent £6.597million on the programme, this was compared to £5.956 million being spent in the first nine months of 2016/17. He referred Members to the completion of the repairs and extension to Alphington Village Hall.

The Leader congratulated officers for keeping the budgets under control.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 22 March 2018 and its comments were reported.

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

To consider the report of the Programme Manager – Communities

Councillor Denham declared a pecuniary interest in respect of one of the grants. She left the meeting during consideration of the item.

The Programme Manager – Communities presented the report recommending awards to be made to six community organisations in this fourth round of the Neighbourhood Community Infra-Structure Levy (CIL) /Grass Roots Grants funding.

Members were advised that nine applications were received in this latest round and the recommendation of the panel was to support six of those applications.

The Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, Communities and Sport commented that it was important to support local community organisations.

The Portfolio Holder for Economy and Culture welcomed the recommendations to support Alphington Community Association and Parklife Heavitree being in principle subject to further funding being achieved.

RECOMMENDED that Council approves the recommendation made by the Grass Roots Grants Panel which met on the 8 March 2018, to support the following applications;-

To consider the report of the Director (JY).

The Director (JY) presented the report asking for Executive approval to add one full time Corporate Manger level post to the Councils staffing structure using existing revenue funding.

Members were advised that there was two aspects to the proposal:-

·         The creation of an additional permanent post to be funded from existing funding  - Active and Healthy People Programme Lead – to lead the Sport England Local Delivery Programme and to develop strategies to make best use of the council’s assets and facilities to deliver on the emerging Physical Activity Strategy;

·         Delegation for the creation of the Sports England Local Delivery Pilot Team providing there is agreement from Unison to do so.

The Leader supported the proposal to ensure that that would be no negative impact on the delivery of the Sport England programme. 

RESOLVED that;-

(1)     in line with section 2.1 of the Council’s Management of Change/Redundancy Policy (April 2015) the creation of this additional permanent post from existing funding be approved; and

(2)     the creation of the Sport England Local Delivery Pilot team be delegated to the Director (Jo Yelland) providing there is agreement from Unison to do so, in order to meet the Sports England timescales. The delivery team posts will be fully funded by the Sports England bid. There is no impact on existing staff in the Council. 

RESOLVED that, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of items 10 and 11 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Part I, Schedule 12A of the Act. 

RESOLVED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Act. 

To consider the report of the Director of Communications and Marketing.

The Director of Communications and Marketing presented the report providing a cost neutral business case for the review and restructure of the teams working under Communications and Marketing, Visit Exeter and Events.

Introducing a centralised marketing function had led to 316 requests in 10 months for the temporary team, from city wide marketing and consultation plans through to rebrands, whilst producing savings. Savings and extra revenue were achieved despite taking on one off ‘big ticket’ items such as identifying a brand for the city, design architecture, and licences.

This report identified the ‘resilience and capacity’ as acknowledged in the peer review, at no additional cost to the council, to build on initial successes, release further cost savings whilst growing award winning communications, events and tourism promotion.

Members welcomed the restructure and supported the way forward.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)        the business case for the structure as set out in the circulated report be approved; and

(2)        the Director of Communications and Marketing be authorised to proceed to the firstconsultation stage in accordance with Organisational Change Policy.

To consider the report of the Museums Manager & Cultural Lead.

The Museums Manager & Cultural Lead presented the report on the proposed restructuring of the RAMM staff team. The proposed changes were to improve operational efficiency and ensure staffing roles and capacity align with RAMM’s Business Plan 2018-22.  The Business Plan built on on-going work, which had seen in 2017/18, a 12.6% increase in visitor figures to 260,750.  This follow up report sought approval for the restructure following a consultation exercise. The proposed establishment changes would be in accordance with the Organisational Change Policy. Members were advised of the minor revisions and additional comments resulting from the consultation, also some further small amendments incorporated from staff feedback, received post report issue.

Members supported the way forward.

RESOLVED that following consultation in accordance with the Organisational Change Policy, the restructure of RAMM’s staff team incorporation of resulting minor revisions as described in this report be approved.