Agenda and draft minutes

Details of questions should be notified to Democratic Services at least three working days prior to the meeting - by 10am on Thursday 20 February 2025. Further information and details about speaking at Council to be found here: Public Speaking at Meetings.

The Lord Mayor reported that there had been no questions received from members of the public.

The Lord Mayor asked that the minutes of the Combined Strategic Scrutiny and Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee of 5 February 2025, be noted.

The Lord Mayor drew attention to Minute No. 7 Council Taxbase and NNDR 1 2025/26 of the Executive Committee of 14 January 2025 and asked that comments be included in the ensuing debate on the 2025/26 Budget at the next item.

To pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED:-

1)    That the following, as submitted, be approved:

(a)  the Revenue estimates for 2025-2026;

(b)  the Capital programme for 2025-2026;

(c)   the Fees & Charges for 2025-2026;

(d)  the Treasury Management Strategy for 2025-2026;

(e)  the Prudential indicators for 2025-2026 (incorporating the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement); and

(f)    the Capital Strategy for 2025-2026

2)    that it be noted that, at the meeting of the Executive on the 14 January 2025, the Council calculated the figure of 39,852, as its council tax base for the year 2025-2026 in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012 made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992;

3)    that the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2025-2026 in accordance with Sections 31A of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992:-

(a)        £125,161,660 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2)(a) to (f) of the Act;

(b)        £117,758,752 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3)(a) to (d) of the Act;

(c)        £7,402,908 being the amount by which the aggregate at (3)(a) above exceeds the aggregate at (3)(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its council tax requirement for the year;

(d)        £185.76 being the amount at (3)(c) above divided by the amount at 2 above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year;

            (e)        Valuation Bands

Being the amount given by multiplying the amount at (3)(d) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands.

(4)        That it will be noted that, for the year 2025-2026, Devon County Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall and the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority have stated the following amounts on precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 83 of the Local Government Act 2003, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below:-

            Devon County Council

            Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall

The Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded, the resolution as set out in the agenda and circulated papers in respect of the Council Tax and the budget for Exeter for 2025/26.

The Leader, in presenting his Budget speech, appended to this set of minutes, covered the following themes:

• the challenge to maintain needed statutory services and the desired discretionary services;
• the unanimous decision to prepare for a unitary bid;
• the many successes of the Council;
• extensive consultation which had been taken into account;
• senior leadership restructure had been completed;
• the customer being at the heart of everything; and
• transparency and openness.

The Leader talked Members through the details of the Budget proposal making the following points:

• it had been framed by consultations;
• the proposed annual pay award would be reduced by 1%;
• Northbrook pool had low usage and showed little improvement and would be subject to full consultation and impact assessment;
• the Council would work with partners with regard to the Arena;
• work had been undertaken to reset the working relationship with Citizens Advice (CA) Exeter;
• car parking charges had not been increased during the last 2 years and would now increase by 32p;
• a meanwhile use of the old bus station site as a temporary car park would see revenue go directly to net zero given that there was no budget identified beyond 2026; and
• that the s151 Officer’s advice had been taken in preparing the budget.

The alternative budget amendments submitted by the Progressive Group as published and circulated were proposed by Councillor Moore and seconded by Councillor Mitchell.

In presenting the alternative budget amendments Councillor Moore made the following points:

• in the area of good governance much work had been done to improve scrutiny but more could be done with additional officer support;
• the principle for managing the budget would be to appoint less external consultants;
• a review of all CIL and s106 funds would be undertaken;
• spending for local government reorganisation would come from the transformation reserve;
• community needs would be met, supporting those living precariously by granting transitional support to CA;
• support the climate change team with renewed effort and earmarking funds to support a biodiversity strategy;
• would maintain frontline services including introducing doorstep glass collection which would generate funds to invest in street cleansing;
• a review of leisure services would be undertaken; and
• reduce general fund surplus to £3.2 million.

Members speaking in favour of the alternative budget amendments made the following points:

• three types of licensing within the housing sector could be different with the Council setting their own pricing structures;
• income from licensing could pay for other much-needed resources and improve the health and wellbeing of residents;
• welcomed a £50,000 grant to support CA Exeter which recognised the financial benefits the service brought to the Council and city;
• with climate change crisis a priority selling carbon literacy training was a positive way forward;
• developers would pay if they could see the biodiversity net gain; and
• maintaining public toilets would create less Anti-Social  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

To consider the report of the Strategic Director Corporate Resources.

The Leader presented the report on the Overview of the General Fund Budget Q3 and invited the s151 officer to present.

The s151 officer presented the report making the following points:

·         this was the first time the quarter 3 report had been considered during the financial year which was more timely;

·         the financial position could be seen and there were still challenges around Planning and car parking income;

·         commercial property was back on track but temporary accommodation remained a challenge;

·         the financial position had improved since quarter 2 but supplementary budgets would be requested for a number of projects covering more than one year; and

·         2 supplementary budgets of note were income/expenditure for the RAMM café which was cost neutral, and local government reorganisation where it would be intended to repurpose an earmarked reserve.

In summing up the Leader drew attention to the senior leadership reduction on page 160 of the agenda and thanked those who had made this work.

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

RESOLVED that the Council notes and approves (where applicable):

(1)          the General Fund forecast financial position for the 2024 financial year;

(2)          the supplementary budgets, transfer of reserve and budget transfers as detailed in paragraph 8.10 and Appendix 3;

(3)          the outstanding Sundry Debt position as at December 2024;

(4)          the creditors payments performance; and

(5)          the One Exeter programme update.

The Leader presented the report on the General Fund Capital Monitoring and invited the s151 officer to speak on the item.

The S151 officer presented the report making the following points:

• that delivery was challenging, 18.5% spend to date with £15.3 million deferred to next year; and
• there had been one request for additional funding to stabilise the RAMM building and ensure its long-term future.

Cllr Mitchell asked when the Council would hear if they had been successful in the bid for PSDS funding. The Leader responded that £900,000 remained in the budget for Riverside and RAMM and the s151 Officer added that the bid had gone in and he expected to hear imminently.

Cllr Moore asked the Portfolio Holder how delivery could be improved given the underspend regarding commercial assets.  The Leader responded stating that the team had been under-resourced but that he had now met the new Head of Service and there was much work to do.  The Leader committed to meet with the Head of Service and relevant Director.

The Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a unanimous vote were CARRIED.

RESOLVED that Council approve:

(1) The overall financial position for the 2024/25 annual capital programme.

(2) The further funding requests to the Council’s annual capital programme for 2024/25.

To consider the report of the Strategic Director Corporate Resources.

The Leader presented the HRA Budget Monitoring Report Q3 and invited the S151 Officer to speak on the item and respond to questions.

The S151 Officer presented the report stating that the expenditure stabilised and that the Capital Programme for HRA was being delivered well showing 75% spent in the first three quarters.

Cllr Mitchell asked if it was a function of the team to monitor those areas which were red. The S151 Officer confirmed that this was the case.

Cllr Moore described a resident’s issue with a front door which wouldn’t close properly and reported that visits from surveyors and Mears had taken place with the resident reportedly being informed that there was not enough money to replace the door. However, the resident reported receiving a letter shortly afterwards stating that broken doors must be replaced due to them being fire doors and therefore a priority for funding.

Councillor Moore asked that the Council ensured that essentials were fixed. 

The Leader responded stating that Councillor Asvachin as Portfolio Holder would address this serious issue but that the report showed how many repairs were made and the feedback he had heard was that a good service was provided. Once the facts had been established the Portfolio Holder would report back to the Leader and look to prevent it happening again.

The Leader moved and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendations and following a unanimous vote were CARRIED.

RESOLVED that Council note and approve (where applicable):

·                     The HRA forecast financial position for 2024/25 financial year.

·                     The revision of the HRA Capital Programme to reflect the reported variations detailed in Appendix 4.