Agenda item

The City Council’s Involvement and Inclusion Officer presented the report proposing amended terms of reference for the Exeter Board to ensure an appropriate focus on its strategic and community support roles. With severe cuts in public finances there had been increasing recognition of the role of community groups and organisations in addressing community needs and achieving outcomes through co-design and co-delivery.

It was proposed that the Board take a leading role in working with communities on this agenda. At the same time, it was considered that the Board should enhance its strategic role and consider and champion broad based issues and matters impacting on the city and the work of both councils. In this respect, care would be taken to ensure that topics, include those originating through the Open Forum process, would be channeled through other groups, such as the Exeter Health and Well-being Board, Exeter HATOC and each Council’s scrutiny committees as appropriate.

It was proposed that the Board’s terms of reference be amended to reflect a renewed focus on the Board’s strategic and community roles.

The Chair and City Council Leader welcomed this approach and supported the focus on strategic issues with other matters referred to the relevant City and County committees or other forums. It was noted that the Open Forum session, with five questions addressed at this meeting, offered opportunities for the public to engage and that it was important to encourage continued involvement. However, some questions, as with planning and highways issues this evening, could more appropriately be referred to alternative forums.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)  the following revised terms of reference be approved:-

·         Consider cross-cutting issues and funding opportunities of strategic, political or financial significance that will have an impact on the city and with regard to the work of both Councils.

·         Promote a more joined-up approach with Exeter’s communities to encourage collaboration, enterprise and innovation in line with local needs.

·         Respond positively to approaches from communities wishing to work in a different way and consider how decision making and/or funding could be delegated to a local level where there is appetite and capacity to use it.

·         Consider where funding might be aligned or pooled to promote better value for money, better outcomes for communities and avoid duplication.

·         Encourage co-design and co-delivery of services and prioritise these initiatives for Exeter Board grants or ‘in kind’ support.

·         Representatives from  the voluntary, community, business, health, police, further and higher education, inter-faith and cathedral communities be invited to participate in a future meeting, as appropriate, as “associate members.”

·         That an “open forum” be allowed for the public to ask questions and raise issues relevant to the work of both Councils (time limited to 15 minutes in total (and normally 3 minutes each speaker). It will be the Chair’s discretion to accept these questions in the context of the Board’s terms of reference and where applicable refer the proposer/submitter of the question to the relevant DCC or ECC Scrutiny Committee. The Board can only respond to questions (verbally or in writing) if someone from the appropriate agency can do so and with enough notice.

·         That meeting of the Board be held at 6pm (now 5.30pm) in publicly accessible venues.

·         That a Members Sub Group comprising the Chair, Deputy Chairman and other proposed & seconded Members of the Board to consider and approve applications for grants from the Board’s community budget fund.

(2)  a work programme that delivers under the terms of reference be prepared for report back to the Board; and

(3)  future agenda and funding (guidance) be updated to reflect these changes.