Agenda and minutes

To sign the minutes of the meetings held on 20 November and 4 December 2007.

The minutes of the meetings of Executive held on 20 November and 4 December 2007 were taken as read and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Councillors are reminded of the need to declare personal and prejudicial interests, including the nature and extent of such interests, in relation to business on the agenda, before any discussion takes place on the item.  Councillors requiring clarification should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer prior to the day of the meeting.

The following personal interests were declared:

To receive the minutes of the Grants Committee held on 6 December 2007.

                                                      (Minutes circulated)

Councillor Dixon declared a personal interest as a member of the Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau Management Committee. Councillor Mrs Morrish declared a personal interest as a member of Devon Racial Equality Council. Councillor Sheldon declared an interest as a representative of the Council on Exeter Arts Council.

The minutes of the Grants Committee of 6 December 2007 were submitted.

The Grants Committee had recommended to Executive a grant of £7000 to the Exeter Arts Council. This was a reduction on the amount recommended to the Grants Committee since the Committee were of the opinion that the organisation had adequate unspent funds from the previous year. It had subsequently come to light, however, that the unspent funds were committed and not surplus.  The Exeter Arts Council had requested reconsideration of the Grants Committee’s recommendation on these grounds.  

RESOLVED that:-

(1)     the recommended grant of £7000 to the Exeter Arts Council be approved and the request for the balance of funding be referred back to the Grants Committee for consideration; and

(2)     subject to (1) above, the minutes of the meeting of the Grants Committee held on 6 December 2007 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

                                                      (Minutes circulated)

To consider the report of the Head of Treasury Services.

                                                       (Report circulated)

The report of the Head of Treasury Services was submitted, proposing the setting of the 2008-2009 Council Tax base in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations.

RESOLVED that in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations, the amount calculated by Exeter City Council as its tax base for the years 2008-2009 shall be 37,520.

                                                       (Report circulated)

To consider the report of the Head of Treasury Services.

Scrutiny Committee – Community will consider the report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and their comments will be reported.

                                                       (Report circulated)  

The report of the Head of Treasury Services was submitted, recommending a rent increase from 1 April 2008 for Council dwellings.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and the support and comments of Members were noted.

Executive expressed its dissatisfaction that the period of convergence for the rents of all social landlords had been extended to 2016/17. They requested Scrutiny Committee – Community to investigate the Government’s rent restructuring policy with particular regard to the reasons for the extension of the period of convergence and, in doing so, to liaise with other Councils in the region.  It was also proposed that the Portfolio Holder Housing and Social Inclusion be requested to raise the issue at the national group of social housing stockholders of which she is a member.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)     rents of Council dwellings be increased from April 2008, by an average of 5.7% which includes a general increase of 3.9% together with the phased introduction of the Government’s rent restructuring proposals; and

(2)     Scrutiny Committee – Community be requested to investigate the Government’s rent restructuring policy, with particular regard to the relationship between Council and housing association rents and the reasons for the extension of the period of convergence, and to report back to Executive in due course.   

                                                       (Report circulated)

To consider the report of the Head of Environmental Health Services.

Scrutiny Committee – Community will consider the report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and their comments will be reported.

                                                       (Report circulated)  

The report of the Head of Environmental Health Services was submitted, reporting the key findings of a Member working group in relation to improving the provision of dog waste bins within the City, and reducing the contamination of land by dogs.

Executive were pleased to note how effectively the Scrutiny working group had operated in examining key issues and bringing forward proposals.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the working group’s report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and the support and comments of Members were noted. Cllr Joan Morrish expressed concern at the sparsity of provision in the Kings Heath/Clyst Heath area and queried why bins could not be installed pending adoption of roads.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)        the purchase of a dual purpose collection vehicle at a capital cost of £30,000 in 2008-2009, and the employment of 1 full time equivalent Collector/Driver from 1 April 2008 be approved, at an annual revenue cost of £25,000, including running costs;

(2)        the adoption of the methodology for prioritising dog bin provision in response to requests be approved as detailed in Appendix II of the report; and

(3)        the completion of the remaining recommendations of the working group detailed in Appendix IV of the report by June 2008 be approved.

                                                       (Report circulated)

To consider the report of the Head of Environmental Health Services.

Scrutiny Committee – Community will consider the report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and their comments will be reported.

                                                       (Report circulated)  

The report of the Head of Environmental Health Services was submitted, presenting the Council’s Climate Change Strategy and seeking approval for the revised Strategy and action plan. The report also summarised the changes made to the strategy as a result of the research undertaken by the University of Exeter and the outcomes of a public consultation exercise.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and the support and comments of Members were noted.

Executive acknowledged the extensive work undertaken by the University of Exeter and were interested to note the findings of their analysis of Exeter’s carbon dioxide emissions. The Director Community and Environment assured members that funding from the City Council’s car parking climate change levy would be used to encourage innovative schemes and all proposals would be judged on their merit. A wide debate on the issue would be encouraged to bring forward ideas and members would have the opportunity to contribute their views on the use of the levy at the briefing on 6 February. In response to a question regarding the Council’s own vehicle fleet, Members were advised that the use of alternative fuels was already being explored for appropriate vehicles.

RECOMMENDED that: -

(1)        the Exeter Climate Change Strategy and action plan be approved;

(2)        general progress towards meeting the aims of the Strategy be monitored on an annual basis and reported to Scrutiny Committee - Community;

(3)        the action plan be revised in Spring 2009 and thereafter every three years; and

(4)        a commitment be made to undertaking a full review of the Strategy in five years time (2013).

                                                       (Report circulated)

To consider the report of the Head of Contracts and Direct Services and Head of Housing Services.

Scrutiny Committee – Community will consider the report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and their comments will be reported.

                                                       (Report circulated)  

The joint report of the Head of Contracts and Direct Services and the Head of Housing Services was submitted, seeking approval for the creation of a new permanent, full time post of Housing Stock Condition Surveyor to undertake internal and external stock surveys on the Council’s housing stock.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and the support of Members for the creation of the post was noted.

RESOLVED that: -

(1)        the post of Housing Stock Condition Surveyor be created; and

(2)        any budget saving from this proposal be used to help fund the housing capital programme.

                                                       (Report circulated)

To consider the report of the Head of Housing Services.

Scrutiny Committee – Community will consider the report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and their comments will be reported.

                                                       (Report circulated)  

The report of the Head of Housing Services was submitted, seeking member approval to re-create the post of Housing Operations Manager within the Housing Services Unit.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the report at their meeting on 15 January 2008 and the support of Members for the re-creation of the post was noted.

RESOLVED that the post of Housing Operations Manager (CE06126) be reinstated to the structure.

                                                       (Report circulated)

To consider appointments to outside bodies.

                                                      (Schedule attached)

RESOLVED that the following appointments be approved:-

RECOMMENDED that the following appointments be referred to Council-

                                                     (Schedule circulated)

RESOLVED that, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of item 12 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of Part I, Schedule 12A of the Act. 

RESOLVED that, under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the

press and public be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of the following

item on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as

defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To consider the report of the Head of Estates Services and Director Economy and Development seeking approval to the early retirement of a postholder in the unit.

                                             (Report circulated to Members)

The joint report of the Head of Estates Services and Director Economy and Development was submitted, considering the request of the holder of the post of Clerical Assistant (ED04112) to be allowed to retire from the Council on the grounds of efficiency of the service as at 31 January 2008.

RESOLVED that: -

(1)        the employment of the holder of the post of Clerical Assistant ED04112 be terminated in the interest of the efficient exercise of the function of the Council with effect from 31 January 2008;

(2)        a compensation payment be made in accordance with the discretion exercised by the Council under the provisions of the Local Government (Early Termination) (Discretionary Compensation) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 in recognition of the fact that the post holder’s employment is being terminated in the interest of efficiency of the service;

(3)        a payment equivalent to 12 weeks/11 weeks pay be made in lieu of the notice period to which the post holder would otherwise be entitled; and

(4)        the foregoing be subject to the signing of a compromise agreement and delegated authority be granted to the Director Economy and Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder Business Transformation and Human Resources and the Head of Human Resources, to agree any minor variation to this arrangement.

                                             (Report circulated to Members)