Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Strategic Director Corporate Resources.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bialyk, moved the recommendations set out in the report, seconded by Councillor Wright.

The Strategic Director for Corporate Resources presented the report, and responded to Members questions alongside the Head of Service- Commercial Assets in the following terms:

• there would be a financial payback after three years;
• having a customer service centre was a key priority;
• a Unitary Authority would lead to an increase in numbers of staff, but they would be working in other buildings and hybrid working;
• it was not currently possible for Councillors to look around the ground floor of Senate Court, but a tour could be held in the future;
• Senate Court was significantly more fit-for-purpose than the Civic Centre and was significantly lower on greenhouse gasses;
• he would need to speak to the property team at Senate Court to know what the maintenance costs would be;
• the tenants in Phase One of the Civic Centre would not need compensation due to the nature of their tenancy agreements, excluding the Children’s Centre;
• there had not yet been any discussion with developers regarding the future of the Civic Centre;
• relevant market information for the business rental market needed to be assembled for two to four years’ time;
• the tenant needed a decision urgently to acquire alternative premises;
• this meeting was to seek approval for a budget to agree the compensation package;
• it would be challenging to bring forward the report due in November;
• Oakwood House and Belle Isle would remain;
• the tenant would be able to apply to the Court if a decision was not made quickly;
• wishes for unisex toilets would be given to the architect;
• Section 25 had been served on the tenant at the earliest opportunity to allow negotiation;
• the decision needed to be made now due to the landlord of the premises the tenant was proposing to move to;
• the debt outstanding for Senate Court was £7.7 million;
• the Civic Centre would remain useable until 2027-28 but it is likely a considerable amount of money would be spent on repairs;

The Section 151 officer, in responding to Councillor Moore’s enquiry advised that the agreement with the Government regarding the funds was not a legal one, but would check prior to finalising the funds.

During the debate, Members made the following comments:

Councillor Hughes:

• there was a lot of uncertainty around the future unitary status;
• there had not been enough of a financial case presented;
• they could not see enough evidence that this money wasn’t being used for the new council following Local Government Reorganisation (LGR);
• they felt cornered to make a decision without facts and finances; and
• they did not have enough evidence to be supportive.

Councillor Fullam:

• enquired on who had made the decision that the Guildhall was no longer feasible;
• it was not known what the next Local Authority would be and the new legacy council would have to move from the Civic Centre to Senate Court;
• had alternative options been looked at; and
• when  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11

To consider the report of the Chief Executive.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bialyk, moved and read out the recommendations set out in the report as follows:

That Council:

2.1 Notes the Governments response (Appendix 2) to Exeter’s interim submission;

2.2 Agrees the proposed geography for Exeter City Council’s local Government Reorganisation proposal for Devon to enable officers to undertake a programme of public and stakeholder engagement to assist in building the detailed proposal to bring forward to Council for approval. The outcomes of the engagement with residents and stakeholders will be shared with Members;

2.3 Delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to further develop the proposal; undertake the proposed engagement and prepare the final proposal for agreement prior to submission to Government; and

2.4 Notes that a request for any further budget required to complete the final proposal will be bought to council for approval.

In proposing the recommendations, the Leader, Councillor Bialyk, made the following statement:

“Thank you, Lord Mayor, and good evening, Members, colleagues, and members of the public who are joining us tonight. Let me begin by saying this plainly: everything is about to change.

We are here because we have an opportunity to redraw the map of local government in Devon. Members will know that this council has long held an ambition to be a unitary council for the benefit of the city and the whole county. When we last debated this issue, the council confirmed that ambition.

So, the question before us is not if we respond. It is how.

And I believe – I genuinely believe – that Exeter has a responsibility to lead. Not dominate. Not dictate. But lead. With clarity, with humility, and with a deep respect for the communities around us.

Overview of the proposal

The Chief Executive will take us through the detail, but I wanted to visit some points first. The proposal before us sets out a clear direction of three unitary councils.

It is a model that recognises the distinct identities and needs of urban and rural communities – and aligns geography, population, and economic potential with financial sustainability.

It rightly places Exeter and Plymouth where they belong – as engines of growth for the whole county. Exeter’s strengths in housing, innovation, education, climate science, and transport connectivity make it a natural hub for a new urban authority.

This is a rare opportunity to reshape public services – to improve outcomes, tackle inequalities, and deliver better value for money. And by working with places that already have strong ties to Exeter, we can build something that accelerates growth and strengthens communities – not just here, but across Devon.

I want to thank the Chief Executive and the officers for the work that has gone into this report. It is substantial, evidence-based, and rooted in a geography that makes sense for Devon’s future.

To be clear: we are not approving a final blueprint tonight. What we are doing – if we agree – is allowing officers to do the detailed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9