Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Rennes Room, Civic Centre, Paris Street, Exeter

Contact: Sarah Selway, Democratic Services Manager (Committees)  Telephone 01392 265275 or email  sarah.selway@exeter.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

24.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors are reminded of the need to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests that relate to business on the agenda and which have not already been included in the register of interests, before any discussion takes place on the item. Unless the interest is sensitive, you must also disclose the nature of the interest. In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, you must then leave the room and must not participate in any further discussion of the item.  Councillors requiring clarification should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer prior to the day of the meeting.

 

 

Minutes:

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made.

 

25.

Community Grants Review Draft Policy for Consultation

To consider the report of the Director (JY)

 

Decision:

Agreed

That the high level proposals for future policy be approved in principle and the Directors be mandated, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, Communities and Sport and the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Culture, to prepare a draft policy for public consultation to commence in March with a final report to be presented to Council in July 2019.

 

Reason for Decision:

 

As set out in the report.

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Director (JY) presented the report providing an update on the progress of the Community and Arts Grants Review and setting out high level proposals for future policy.

 

The Director referred to the recommendations of an independent review undertaken by Red Quadrant, one of the keys to which was modernising the approach to community and arts grants including replacing rent and core grants by commissioning formal contractual arrangements with organisations.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, Communities and Sport supported the recommendations emphasising the importance of community consultation as part of the initial process. Members acknowledged that greater transparency and fairness in the grant making process was necessary and that the proposed way forward through commissioning would ensure the Council delivered services in line with its priorities as well as achieving necessary budget reductions.

 

RESOLVED that the high level proposals for future policy be approved in principle and the Directors be mandated, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, Communities and Sport and the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Culture, to prepare a draft policy for public consultation to commence in March with a final report to be presented to Council in July 2019.

 

 

 

26.

Annual Pay Policy Statement

To consider the report of the City Solicitor & Head of HR.

 

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 24 January 2019 and its comments will be reported.

 

Decision:

Agreed

That Executive recommend to Council:-

 

(1)       the adoption of the Policy, Report and Appendix as presented to the meeting and published in accordance with the legislation; and

 

(2)     granting delegated authority to the City Solicitor & Head of HR to make necessary amendments to the pay policy statement following any changes in legislation or subsequent increases in pay.

 

 

Reason for Decision:

 

As set out in the report.

 

 

 

Minutes:

The City Solicitor & Head of HR presented the report setting out the Council’s annual Pay Policy Statement 2019/20 to be approved by Council each financial year as required by legislation.

 

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 24 January 2019 and its comments were reported.

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that:-

 

(1)       the Policy, Report and Appendix, as presented to the meeting, be adopted and published in accordance with the legislation; and

 

(2)       delegated authority be given to the City Solicitor & Head of HR to make necessary amendments to the pay policy statement following any changes in legislation or subsequent increases in pay.

 

 

27.

Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 - Exclusion of Press and Public

RESOLVED that, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of items 6, 7 and 8 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Part I, Schedule 12A of the Act. 

Minutes:

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 following items on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1,2,3 and 4 of Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Act. 

 

28.

Exeter City Living Business Plan

To consider the report of the Director (DB)

 

Decision:

Agreed

That Executive recommend to Council:-

 

(1)        to obtain a loan of £5 million from the Public Works Loan Board and provide Exeter City Living with a loan of £5 million to fund the matters identified in the Exeter City Living Business Plan 2019/2020;

 

(2)        to approve Exeter City Living proceeding with the activities as outlined and detailed in the Exeter City Living Business Plan 2019/2020. This includes the operational activities and development works identified;

 

(3)        to note an Addendum Business Plan is likely to be issued during 2019/2020, which would consider the opportunities at other City Council sites which may become available following agreement of corporate priorities and public consultation.

 

Reason for Decision:

 

As set out in the report.

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Director (DB) presented the report seeking approval to provide the loan identified in the Exeter City Living (ECL) Business Plan 2019/2020 for funding of business operations and development activity during the financial year 2019/2020.

 

Members highlighted the positive opportunity for joint work between ECL and the Housing Department in the year two Business Case.

 

In response to Members’ questions, the Director confirmed that there would be no net loss of Social rented units as outlined in the Year One Business Case and the Memorandum of Understanding and this would be addressed in the Vaughan Road scheme, dependent on the feasibility study. The Director (BA) clarified that there was no further information required from the Government on the implications of the lifting of the HRA Borrowing Cap.

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that:-

 

(1)        Exeter City Council obtain a loan of £5 million from the Public Works Loan Board and provide Exeter City Living with a loan of £5 million to fund the matters identified in the Exeter City Living Business Plan 2019/2020;

 

(2)        Exeter City Living proceed with the activities as outlined and detailed in the Exeter City Living Business Plan 2019/2020, including the operational activities and development works identified; and

 

(3)        it be noted that an Addendum Business Plan is likely to be issued during 2019/2020, which would consider the opportunities at other City Council sites which may become available following agreement of corporate priorities and public consultation.

 

29.

Staffing Review - Democratic and Civic Support

To consider the report of the Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support

 

Decision:

Agreed

That the Corporate Manager, Democratic & Civic Support be authorised to commence consultation with staff affected by this proposal in accordance with the Council’s Policy on Organisational Change.

 

Reason for Decision:

 

As set out in the report.

 

 

Minutes:

The Director (BA) presented the report seeking approval to commence a consultation process on a proposed change to staffing within the Democratic & Civic Support service area, specifically the area “PA Support to Strategic Management Board and the Leader”. 

 

RESOLVED that the Corporate Manager, Democratic & Civic Support be authorised to commence consultation with staff affected by this proposal in accordance with the Council’s Policy on Organisational Change.

 

30.

Review of Staffing in Housing Tenancy Services

To consider the report of the Director (BA)

Decision:

Agreed

That the introduction of two Senior Housing Officer posts which had been Job Evaluated at Grade 10 of the Exeter City Council pay scale and the deletion of two Housing Officer posts (Grade 8) be approved following a meaningful consultation period which exceeded the minimum statutory consultation period and had been carried out in line with the Exeter City Council Organisational Change Policy.

 

Reason for Decision:

 

As set out in the report.

 

 

Minutes:

The Director (BA) presented the report setting out the final business case for reconfiguring the Housing Tenancy Services Team by reducing the number of Housing Officers by two and replacing these with two Senior Housing Officers. This would not add to the Council’s establishment and was intended to promote a focus on performance management by adding capacity for supervisory support and coaching. 

 

RESOLVED that the introduction of two Senior Housing Officer posts which had been Job Evaluated at Grade 10 of the Exeter City Council pay scale and the deletion of two Housing Officer posts (Grade 8) be approved following a meaningful consultation period which exceeded the minimum statutory consultation period and had been carried out in line with the Exeter City Council Organisational Change Policy.