Agenda item

The minutes of the Executive of 27 June 2023 were presented by the Leader, Councillor Bialyk, and taken as read.  

In respect of the list of attendees, Councillor M Mitchell requested the initials be changed to reflect his attendance.

In respect of Minute No. 66 (Overview of General Fund Revenue Budget 2022/23), the Leader, in response to Members’ questions, advised that:-

·      a sum of £94,240 was set aside for the roll out of Kerbside recycling in future years and having quickly referred to the Portfolio Holder for Place and City Management, he advised that the intention remained to roll kerbside recycling out and further detail would be forthcoming.

·      following a request to use earmarked funds of £143,000 from the affordable housing budget to provide a localised retrofit programme for homes, the Leader referred to other competing commitments, but assured the Member that should any such undertaking be considered, he would share that with Group Leaders prior to consideration at the Executive. The current scheme delivering retrofit to Council property from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Fund remained a Council priority. 

·      a supplementary budget of £59,850 in relation to St Sidwell’s Point related to a carryover from last year. He would seek further detail from the Section 151 Officer for the Member. The future plans for the City Point scheme included, the demolition of the former bus station, but identifying a suitable contractor and the challenging economy has resulted in a delay in bringing a scheme forward for the site. He anticipated a further report for an interim plan for the site to the Executive to come forward, with further discussion with Portfolio Holders, Ward Councillors, the Business Improvement District (BID), businesses and others to consider an appropriate use in the interim meanwhile use, and the creation of more public space to reenergise that part of the city.

The Portfolio Holder for Communities & Homelessness Prevention, in response to a Member, stated that the Exeter Connect programme, despite a review and the final year of the extension of the CIL arrangement, still had a contract with the City Council until March 24. He also updated the Member on the city ward grant scheme. The relaunch of the city’s other grant schemes would be first shared with Members at a future meeting of the Grants Panel.

The Leader moved and Councillor Wrightseconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations were carried.

In respect of Minute No. 67 (2022/23 General Fund Capital monitoring 2022/23and Revised Capital Programme for 2023/24 and future years), the Portfolio Holder for Place and City Management responded to a Member’s question on the approach to the proposed redevelopment of the Belle Isle Depot and of any further budget identified, confirmed that no detail had been agreed as the work was still in progress. The Leader also stated that no detail had been agreed in relation to the budget for this matter.

The Leader moved and Councillor Wrightseconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations were carried.

In respect of Minute No. 68 (2022/23 HRA Budget Monitoring Report - Outturn), the Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations were carried.

In respect of Minute No. 69 (Treasury Management 2022/23) the Leader agreed to seek further information from the Section 151 Officer on the advice received on sustainable assets and if that had helped to determine the type of investment that could be made as part of this Strategy, the information would be circulated to Members.

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

In respect of Minute No. 70 (The Household Support Fund – Scheme 4), the Leader, invited the Portfolio Holder for Council Housing Development and Support Services to respond to a Member’s question on the separate application process of this and the Economic Vulnerability Fund to assistance funds offered by Devon County Council and if she could work with Devon County Council to create a one stop shop. It was important to get the information out as quickly as possible, particularly as the scheme was targeted at those least likely to engage. The Portfolio Holder Council Housing Development and Support Services advised that two part time outreach posts were being created to assist applicants to access these funds and other schemes. She would look into making the process as joined up as possible.

Members made the following comments that:-

·      the Council’s support would help with the cost of living crisis and those single parent households who were more likely to be in poverty than other households.

·      the funds will enable support for those people who may effectively fall through the cracks.

·      the Council tax team and Citizen’s Advice should help to protect those available funds to ensure a balanced approach to funding throughout the lifetime of the scheme.

The Portfolio Holder for Communities & Homelessness Prevention

also welcomed the collaboration within the Council as well as with the Councils strategic partners including Exeter Connect, Citizens Advice, Wellbeing Exeter and responded to a Member’s enquiry that an online language line service could draw on over 127 languages to assist claimants understanding of the funding process.  He would arrange to circulate the details of this service.

The Leader said he had every confidence that the Fund would be managed in the proper way to ensure it reached those most in need.

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

In respect of Minute No. 71 (Economic Vulnerability Fund), the Portfolio Holder for Council Housing Development and Support Services also reiterated the commitment to ensure that the Fund would be targeted to those in need.

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

In respect of Minute No. 72 (Review of the Corporate Risk Register), the Leader responded to a Member’s question and stated that the work on the Corporate Risk Register was still being progressed. He advised that the risks posed by not achieving Net Zero by 2030 would continue to be progressed as part of the Strategic Scrutiny Committee agenda, but there would be an opportunity for further discussion at the Executive.

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

In respect of Minute No. 73 (Revised Local Development Scheme), the Leader responded to a Member who had sought confirmation that there will be an opportunity for further Member involvement and scrutiny of the Local Plan before it is published.  He reassured the Member that there will be further opportunity for debate. The Portfolio Holder for City Development referred to the intention to bring back a report to Scrutiny Committee as well as widespread consultation as part of the timetable for the preparation of Council planning policy documents, which included the emerging Exeter Plan.

In respect of Minute No. 74 (Water Lane Compulsory Purchase Order), the Leader responded to a Member’s question and would ask the Section 151 Officer to provide a detailed response for the Member on the nature of the final costs to the Council.  He would seek to ensure there were no increased costs to the Council. He also responded to a question on progression of a Transport Strategy for the site and commitment for the west side of the river and stating that whilst highways issues were important, they would be dealt with by the engineers and discussed at the Planning Member Working Group.

The Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations 1 and 2 were carried.

In respect of Minute No. 75 (Honorary Alderman of the city), the Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendation and following a vote, the recommendation was carried unanimously.

The Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendation to move into Part II to exclude the press and public and following a vote, the motion was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the items  Minutes 77 to 79  on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1,2 and 3 of Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Act. 

The Ordinary meeting of the Council adjourned at 7.40pm and re-convened at 7.52pm with the Extraordinary meeting of Council of 18 July.

The Ordinary meeting of the Council recommenced at 8.00pm with a continuation of the Minutes of the Executive held on 27 June starting at Minute No.77.

In respect of Minute No. 77 (Vaughan Road Development Site), the Leader invited the Portfolio Holder for Council Housing Development and Support Services to respond to a Member’s question, and she suggested that some work would be completed by the end of 2024. The Leader added that further reports to update Members on progress and any further decisions required would be presented to Members.

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

In respect of Minute No. 78 (Social Housing Development Opportunities Report), the Leader confirmed that he would continue to update Members and he moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a vote, the recommendations was carried unanimously.

In respect of Minute No. 79 (Proposals regarding staffing at RAMM), the Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendation and following a vote, the recommendation was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Executive held on 27 June 2023 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.