Agenda and minutes

Council - Tuesday 17th December 2019 6.00 pm

Venue: Guildhall, High Street, Exeter

Contact: John Street, Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support  Telephone 01392 265106 or email  john.street@exeter.gov.uk

Note: The deadline for questions to be submitted to Council is 10am on Thursday 12 December 2019 

Items
No. Item

68.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 233 KB

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2019.

 

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 15 October 2019 were moved by the Leader, seconded by Councillor Sutton, the Deputy Leader, taken as read, approved and signed as correct.

 

 

69.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence was received from Councillors Leadbetter and I. Quance.

 

 

70.

Official Communications

Minutes:

The Lord Mayor passed on his condolences, and those of Council Members, to Councillor Morse, who’se Uncle (Alderman Norman Long) had passed away on Friday 13 December. He was Mayor of the City in 1978. Members stood in a minutes’ silence as a mark of respect.

 

The Lord Mayor and Members also passed on their condolences to the family and friends of two former members of staff – Brenda Steer and Mike Coombes – who had recently passed away.

 

The Lord Mayor welcomed Councillor Keith Sparkes, the newly elected Councillor for the Topsham ward, to his first Full Council meeting and wished him well for his term of office.

 

The Lord Mayor congratulated the following on their respective achievements:-

 

·         Ben Bradshaw MP and Simon Jupp MP who were re-elected and elected as Members of Parliament for the Exeter and Devon East constituencies respectively at the recent General Election;

·         all those involved in the process which brought about UNESCO’s decision to designate Exeter, as a City of Literature;

·         Exeter College, which has not only been shortlisted for the City and Guilds award for college engagement with employees; but also recognised as being one of the top five colleges in the country; and

·         the Maynard School, which had recently won the Southwest Independent Secondary School of the Year award, meaning it was the only school in the country to hold three major titles at the same time, the other two being One of the Telegraph’s “Top Ten Best Value Schools”, as well as the Wellbeing Award for Schools.

 

The Lord Mayor advised on the following:-

 

·         the lighting up of the underside of the portico outside the Guildhall in support of the NSPCC’s Christmas campaign “Light for every childhood”;

·         the receipt of letters of congratulations from both Terracina and the President of Krakow on Exeter becoming an UNESCO City of Literature;

·         recent engagements he had attended including those arranged for delegations from Exeter’s Twin cities, school engagements, highlighting Bowhill Primary School which would be hosting a Citizenship event in the Spring and a RIFLES Award evening at the Guildhall London.

 

 

 

71.

Public Questions

Details of questions should be notified to the Corporate Manager Democratic and Civic Support at least three working days prior to the meeting - by 10am on Thursday 12 December 2019. Further information and a copy of the procedure are available from Democratic Services (Committees) (Tel: 01392 265115) with details about speaking at Council to be found here: Speaking at a Committee

 

Minutes:

There was one question from Ginny Russell to Councillor Bialyk, Leader.

 

Concerning Clifton Hill, will an accompanying plan be released that clearly delineates the area guaranteed as Green Space in public ownership, confirming it includes the whole area from the back of the sports centre to the Ski Slope, Golf range and allotments, and covering all existing Tree Preservation Orders?

 

Response

 

The Leader explained thatan opportunity paper would come forward to include a plan which shows the area for development and the existing uses for the site.  We have no plans to change anything else on the site.  We will then at the right time sit down with the local community and discuss the future of the area and how the community can be involved with its management.

 

Supplementary Question

 

Ginny Russell, on putting a supplementary question, thanked the Leader for the Council’s change of heart and, on behalf of the wider community network, asked for a legal guide and plan showing the area to be preserved and kept in public ownership.

 

Supplementary Response by Leader

 

The opportunity paper will be presented to the meeting of the Executive on 14 January 2020 and at a Special meeting of Council on 21 January 2020 showing the area of land intended for development. There was no plan to build on either the Golf Driving Range or the Ski Slope and that the tenant-landlord management agreement would remain in place.

 

 

72.

Planning Committee - 28 October 2019 pdf icon PDF 218 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Planning Committee of 28 October 2019 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Lyons, and taken as read.

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 28 October 2019 be received.

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73.

Licensing Committee - 29 October 2019 pdf icon PDF 79 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Licensing Committee of 29 October 2019 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Owen and taken as read.

 

In respect of Minute No. 23 (Proposal to Amend the Sex Establishment Licensing Policy), the Chair moved and Councillor Vizard seconded the recommendation which was carried.

 

In respect of Minute No. 24 (Proposal to introduce an updated Statement of Licensing Policy), the Chair moved and Councillor Vizard seconded the recommendation which was carried.

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 29 October 2019 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

 

 

 

74.

Strategic Scrutiny Committee - 21 November 2019 pdf icon PDF 80 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Strategic Scrutiny Committee of 21 November 2019 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Sills and taken as read.

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of Strategic Scrutiny Committee held on 21 November 2019 be received.

 

 

75.

Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee - 5 December 2019 pdf icon PDF 108 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee of 5 December 2019 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Vizard and taken as read.

 

In respect of Minute No. 108 (Move More Physical Activity Strategy: Built Facilities Outline Business Case Wonford Health and Wellbeing Centre), the following responses were provided by the Portfolio Holder for Climate and Culture:-

 

·         With regard to the Climate Emergency, Exeter City Futures was working on a Road Map to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and was one of the bodies inputting into the design of the Citizens Assembly;

·         Two companies had been recruited to develop the public engagement process for both the Liveable Exeter Garden City project and initiatives around the response to climate change; and

·         Further details on the above would be available in the New Year.

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee held on 5 December 2019 be received.

 

 

 

 

76.

Audit and Governance Committee - 4 December 2019 pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee of 4 December 2019 were presented by the Councillor Wardle, and taken as read.

 

In respect of Minute No. 32 (Audit Findings Report (ISA 260), the Leader stated that he had been assured by the Section 151 Officer that the Council and the budget were acceptable and that everything was in order, but the audits had been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. He would continue to liaise with the Section 151 Officer on progress.

 

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 4 December 2019 be received.

 

 

77.

Executive - 10 December 2019 pdf icon PDF 144 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Executive of the 10 December 2019 were presented by the Leader, Councillor Bialyk, and taken as read.

 

In respect of Minute No. 108 (Move More Physical Activity Strategy: Built Facilities Outline Business Case Wonford Health and Wellbeing Centre), the following responses to Members’ queries were given by the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Physical Activity and the Leader respectively:-

 

·         decisions on the ownership and management of the Health and Wellbeing Centre will become clearer following a comprehensive consultation process across the Wonford community as it is important to give local people a voice from the onset. This process will be in respect of the whole centre including the community aspect; and

·         with regard to the growing popularity of women’s netball across Exeter, ideas for this sport, as well as for other sports, will be included in the wider consultation process for Wonford.

 

In respect of Minute No. 109 (Exeter Grants Programme Changes to the Scheme of Delegation), the following responses to Members’ queries were given by the Portfolio Holder for Equalities, Diversity and Communities and the Leader respectively:-

 

·         the operation and criteria for the new Grants Programme are set out on the City Council’s grants website which was launched on 27 November; and

·         it is the intention for Executive to review the operation of the programme at the end of the pilot year at which point Members can put forward any changes to the terms of reference and delegation arrangements they may wish to see.

 

The Leader moved and the Deputy Leader seconded the recommendations and they were carried.

 

In respect of Minute No. 110 (Council Tax Long Term Empty Premium 2020/21 and 2021/22), the Leader moved and the Deputy Leader seconded the recommendation which was carried.

 

In respect of Minute No. 111 (Council Tax Support Scheme 2020-21), it was noted that Member input would be sought through a Member Working Group on options for moving to a simpler banded scheme.

 

The Leader moved and the Deputy Leader seconded the recommendations and they were carried.

 

In respect of Minute No. 112 (Approval of Procurement Strategy) it was noted that:-

 

·         although the Strategy had been developed jointly with other Devon Authorities, the City Council could develop specific priorities for incorporation into the Strategy either jointly or individually; and

·         in response to a series of questions raised by a Member, the Champion for Support Services could meet with her to discuss the issues raised.

 

the Leader moved and the Deputy Leader seconded the recommendations and they were carried unanimously.

 

In respect of Minute No. 113 (General Fund Capital Monitoring 2019/20 Quarter 2), the Leader moved and the Deputy Leader seconded the recommendations and they were carried.

 

In respect of Minute No. 114 (Overview of the General Fund Revenue Budget 2019/20 – Quarter 2), the Leader moved and the Deputy Leader seconded the recommendations and they were carried.

 

In respect of Minute No. 115 (HRA Budget Monitoring Report 2019/20 – Quarter 2),  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.

78.

Notice of Motion by Councillor Bialyk under Standing Order No. 6.

That this Council supports the Leader of the Council in his stated intention not to sell the whole of the Clifton Hill site owned by Exeter City Council for residential development by removing from the previously agreed Clifton Hill sale site, the green space area, the Golf Driving Range and the Ski-slope.

To facilitate this change, this Council requires officers to prepare a report setting out the implication of selling such a reduced site for the consideration by the Executive to be held on 14 January 2020 and thereafter by Special Council to be held on 21 January 2020.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Bialyk, seconded by Councillor Branston, moved a Notice of Motion in the following terms:-

 

That this Council supports the Leader of the Council in his stated intention not to sell the whole of the Clifton Hill site owned by Exeter City Council for residential development by removing from the previously agreed Clifton Hill sale site, the green space area, the Golf Driving Range and the Ski-slope.

To facilitate this change, this Council requires officers to prepare a report setting out the implication of selling such a reduced site for the consideration by the Executive to be held on 14 January 2020 and thereafter by Special Council to be held on 21 January 2020.

In presenting the Notice of Motion, Councillor Bialyk stated that:-

 

·         the Motion was to inform Members of Council proposals for the Clifton Hill site which, but for the General Election, would have been presented earlier;

·         an opportunity paper would be presented to the Executive for it to consider the various options;

·         the retention of open space and of the two leisure facilities - the Golf Driving range and the Ski Slope - would, it was hoped, help address the issue of Newtown possessing the lowest rate of life expectancy in Exeter;

·         there was no intention to build on the site of the two leisure facilities; and

·         there would be full consultation with the local community on the future of the Clifton Hill site.

 

During discussion the following points were raised:-

 

·         the permanent retention of the public open space at Clifton Hill should be guaranteed to enhance the quality of life of Exeter residents;

·         the Notice of Motion is welcomed as is the commitment to consult with the local community on proposals;

·         Belmont Park has benefitted from a number of recent enhancements which, together with the retention of the Clifton Hill open space, will help address a key concern of the lower than city average of life expectancy within the Newton area;

·         the site of the Ski Slope must be retained either for its current use or as open space as a long term commitment; and

·         retention of the green space area, the Golf Driving Range and the Ski-slope is the right decision for the community and the Council should work with the community to bring forward future proposals with regard also to be given to a request for additional trees.

 

The Notice of Motion was put to the vote and carried unanimously.