Agenda item

Councillor John Hart, Leader, Devon County Council

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Councillor John Hart, Leader of Devon County Council, who spoke on future County Council plans and current pressures being faced.

 

He highlighted the education, adult and children services budgets and particularly the current overspend in the SENDS (Special Education Needs and Disability) budget within education supporting children with additional needs, although an overall balanced year end budget was anticipated. With the impending General Election, it was likely that the Government settlement would not be known until early January, although it was understood that an increase in social care and education provision could be anticipated which would reflect the final Council Tax decision. He referred to figures within the respective budgets and to national formulae.

 

General discussion followed as indicated:-

 

Education

 

·         County Councillor McIness chaired the national “F40” group representing the 40 lowest funded schools nationally outside the London Boroughs who were pressing for a review of the national funding formula;

·         funding of new schools would be through Section 106 and CIL agreements as part of housing developments, a new secondary school in association with housing in south west Exeter to be located within the Teignbridge District;

·         education planning was demand led with the County budget greatly affected by special needs provision/education health and care planning which added to school management pressures; and

·         piecemeal housing developments, for example in Monkerton and Pinhoe, as well the adjacent East Devon District developments, predicated against co-ordinated education provision, for example, the recent planning process for the school at Hollow Lane serving the Monkerton urban extension.

 

Social Care

 

·         important to develop the City and County Council relationship on health and wellbeing to build community resilience including the Sport England Exeter/Cranbrook initiative and to dovetail with the NHS ten year plan; and

·         importance of the primary care network to ensure success of integrated care.

 

Housing

 

·         further housing developments have an impact on health and social care issues;

·         at a recent Greater Exeter Strategic Partnership (GESP) Leadership Group a revised timetable was agreed for its delivery on the basis of the strategic allocation of 500+ homes plus strategic employment sites; and

·         Exeter’s future housing provision is based on the Liveable Exeter Garden City vision with at least eight key sites identified over 20 years with a £750,000 start-up fund from Homes England, the Exeter City Living project, the Council house build programme and social housing provision e.g. Live West proposals.

 

Transport

 

·         since 2009, the County Council had invested £1.2 billion in the County’s infrastructure including cycle ways, two new rail stations in Exeter with a commitment to bring forward Park and Ride sites in the Science Park and Tuckers Garage areas;

·         both Alphington and Pinhoe suffer from bottlenecks at peak periods and a Park and Ride solution for Alphington at the Ide roundabout had been rejected;

·         senior bus travel and rural bus subsidies of great value when 20% of Devon population have no other form of transport, but subsidising the Exeter based bus provider is not possible; and

·         structural change only solution to assist necessary modal change away from reliance on car.

 

Climate Change

 

·         new Devon County Council website page - “Energy and Climate Change” with the University of Exeter to establish a South West Climate Action Network; and

·         Devon County Council has set a 2030 carbon neutral target and is encouraging its 20 largest suppliers to become carbon free.

 

5G

 

·         growing public concern on potential health impact but Public Health England believe there should be no consequences for public health and the Government supports expansion; and

·         problems of limited planning controls and the absence of an independent health and safety assessment. A recent Government consultation did seek comments on health related issues.

 

The Chair thanked Councillor Hart for attending.