Minutes:
The Chair welcomed Councillor John Hart, Leader of Devon County Council, who spoke on the future direction and plans of the County Council in light of Government policy and continued cuts to local government funding. Link to animated film below:-
He highlighted some of the issues:-
· there were huge financial pressures on the Council, with the £206 million savings made over the past six years, representing a third of the County Council budget. A further £22million savings sought for this financial year and a total savings over the next three years of £64 million;
· the County Council has a turnover of £1.3 billion with £400 million in the education budget for 93,000 school children and with 8,000 miles of major roads to keep safe and in good order;
· to help achieve savings the work force had been cut from 9,000 to 3,500 and new ways to do business and improve services identified. This included new social enterprises including Libraries Unlimited and helping communities to do more for themselves. 10,000 acres of farm estate generate an annual income of £3million;
· with more people over the age of 65 and the cost of protecting children and helping support others, such as those with a learning disability or other complex needs increasing, looking to develop a closer relationship between Adult, Social Care and Health;
· the formation of a Heart of the South West Joint Committee comprising Devon and Somerset Councils, two National parks and three Clinical Commissioning Groups would, it was hoped, provide for better working with the Local Enterprise Partnership and Exeter’s participation was vital in this as well; and
· by 2020 Local Government would face a funding gap of £10.8 billion and the core Government grant would be cut to almost nothing and local businesses and local people will have to fund all local services through the Council tax or business rates.
He responded as follows to Members’ queries:-
· recognise concerns regarding the change in youth service provision such as in the West Exe area but Devon has managed to retain a site in each district comparing favourably with other authorities and a more professional and targeting service is being delivered;
· an extra £4 million provided to top up the Government bus subsidy for the over 65’s with urban dwellers estimated to benefit to the value of £1,000 per annum. The Government however resists a £10 per annum bus pass charge in spite of a £30 charge levied for rail passes;
· pleased that Exeter, with the other Devon Districts, the two Unitaries and the County Council are a Business Rates Retention Scheme pilot area but uncertainty remains as to how the scheme will operate and whether there will be a net gain for the area as there were concerns that there could be a re-distribution to assist neighbouring authorities. This issue, and others to be raised at bi-annual meetings with Devon MP’s;
· will enquire about Devon social care representation on the Exeter Health and Wellbeing Board and obtain feedback on the outcome of a recent meeting where the formation of a strategic transport board for the City was mooted; and
· emphasis importance for the County and Exeter and other Districts to work closely to achieve better value.
The Chair thanked Councillor Hart for attending.