Agenda item

The minutes of the Executive of 7 February 2023 (with the exception of minute numbers 17, 18, 19 and 20 which had been considered at the Extraordinary Council meeting immediately preceding this meeting) were presented by the Leader, Councillor Bialyk, and taken as read.  

In respect of Minute No.16 (Urgent Matter – Response to the Draft East Devon Local Plan Update Consultation), the Leader, in response to a Member’s query, advised that discussions were ongoing with the Leaders and senior officers of neighbouring authorities regarding the implications of large scale housing developments on the fringes of Exeter. Another Member remarked that he had forwarded his concerns regarding the impact these developments would have on the city’s infrastructure and services to the neighbouring authorities.

In respect of Minute No. 21 (Exeter Council Tax Premiums 2024/25), the Leader, in response to a Member’s query, stated that there were currently 505 empty properties on which the Council could charge a premium.

The Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations were carried unanimously.

In respect of Minute No. 22 (One Exeter – Annual Review), the Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendation and following a vote, the recommendation was carried.

In respect of Minute No. 23 (Annual Pay Policy Statement 2023/24), the Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations were carried unanimously.

In respect of Minute No. 24 (Gender Pay Gap Report), the Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations were carried unanimously.

In respect of Minute No. 25 (Exeter Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Prevention Strategy 2023-2027), the Leader, in response to a Member’s queries, advised that the minutes of the proposed Homelessness Housing Forum would be published if appropriate and that, where funding was available, it would be used to progress many of the initiatives set out in the Action Plan.

The Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendation and following a vote, the recommendation was carried unanimously.

Councillor Wright declared a non-pecuniary interest and left the meeting during consideration of the following item.

In respect of Minute No. 26 (National Portfolio Organisation Funding 2023 to 2026), the Leader, in response to a Member’s question relating to the impact of the reduction in funding to organisations, advised that it was regrettable that some bodies would not now be supported, but that the Council remained committed to supporting arts and culture as part of its overall offer to the city. He stated that the organisations who continued to be supported understood the rationale behind the funding decisions.

The recommendations were moved and seconded and following a vote, the recommendations were carried.
 

In respect of Minute No. 27 (Parking Tariffs 2023), the Leader, in response to a Member’s query, undertook to investigate a potential discrepancy in the chart within the report to Executive, and advised that the decisions on the tariffs had already been agreed. 

In respect of Minute No. 30 (One Exeter – Cost Reduction Proposals), the Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations were carried.

In respect of Minute No. 31 (City Centre Parking), the Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations were carried unanimously.

In respect of Minute No. 32 (Vaughan Road Development Site), the Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations were carried unanimously.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Executive held on 7 February 2023 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.