Agenda and minutes

To sign the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2009.

The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 13 October 2009 were taken as read and signed as correct.

There were no official communications.

The minutes of Planning Committee of 12 October 2009 were taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 12 October 2009 be received.

The minutes of Planning Committee of 2 November 2009 were taken as read.

Members declared the following personal interests:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 2 November 2009 be received.

The minutes of Planning Committee of 7 December 2009 were taken as read.

Members declared the following personal (*prejudicial) interests and, where appropriate, left the meeting for the duration of the items:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 7 December 2009 be received.

The minutes of Licensing Committee of 17 November 2009 were taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 17 November 2009 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

The minutes of Scrutiny Committee - Community of 10 November 2009 were taken as read.

A Member declared the following personal interest:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee - Community held on 10 November 2009 be received.

The minutes of Scrutiny Committee - Economy of 12 November 2009 were taken as read.

A Member declared the following personal interest:

In relation to Minute 61 (Portfolio Holders Half Yearly Report), Councillor Wadham corrected the reference on page 61, in relation to the City Centre Enhancements, to read “Members have agreed to prioritise resources on improvements to Northernhay Gate….” not Street.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee – Economy held on 12 November 2009 be received.

The minutes of Scrutiny Committee – Resources of 25 November 2009 were taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee – Resources held on 25 November 2009 be received.

The minutes of Standards Committee of 2 December 2009 were circulated and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Standards Committee held on 2 December 2009 be received.

The minutes of the Local Government Review Committee of 9 December 2009 were taken as read.

Members declared the following personal (*prejudicial) interests and, where appropriate, left the meeting for the duration of the items:

In relation to Minute 13 (Boundary Committee for England’s Review of Local Government Structures in Devon), Councillor Edwards, seconded by Councillor Mrs Henson moved the first recommendation. This was put to the vote and agreed.

Councillor Edwards, seconded by Councillor Mrs Henson, moved the second recommendation which was debated by Council.  Councillor Edwards urged all Councillors to support the recommendation which called on the Secretary of State to accept Exeter City Council’s original proposal for unitary status on its existing boundaries. He reminded Councillors that all four political Group leaders had initially signed up to support this position and hoped this unanimity would be sustained.

A number of Councillors spoke in support of the recommendation, regretting the potential loss of 2000 years of the City’s history during which it had run its own affairs, should the City be merged into a single unitary authority for Devon.   They expressed concerns about the loss of the City’s identity and particularly feared the demise of the status of the Lord Mayoralty.  Members emphasised that the needs of the City were very different from those of the wider rural County. 

Recognising the widespread support for the status quo in the rest of Devon, some Members expressed concern about increasing opposition by re-asserting the City’s claim for Unitary status at this stage in the process. Another Councillor, who did not support the City’s claim for unitary status, explained that she took this position since she did not believe it was in the best interests of the City.

Other Councillors, expressing their strong support for the City’s claim for unitary status, urged unanimity in supporting this position.

In accordance with Standing Order 27(1), a named vote on Recommendation (2) of Minute 13 was called for, as follows:

Voting for:

Councillors D Baldwin, M A Baldwin, Branston, P Brock, S Brock, Choules, Coates, Cole, Mrs Danks, Edwards, Fullam, Gale, Mrs Henson, Mitchell, D Morrish, Mrs Morrish, Newby, Newton, Noble, Prowse, Sheldon, Shepherd, Shiel, The Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor R Smith, Starling, Sterry, Taghdissian, Mrs Thompson, Wadham, Wardle and The Lord Mayor Councillor Winterbottom

(31 members)

Voting against:

Councillors Hobden and Newcombe

(2 Members)

The recommendation was agreed.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Local Government Review Committee held on 9 December 2009 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

The minutes of Executive of 24 November 2009 were taken as read.

In relation to Minute 128 (Proposals for Community Involvement), members asked questions about the role and cost of the Area Liaison Officers, the implications of the proposals on staffing resources, the benefits in relation to the operation of the PACT meetings and the Government’s guidance on the duty to involve. 

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Involvement reassured Councillors that the role of the Area Liaison Officers was to complement rather than supplant or duplicate the role of Councillors and to engage and enable communities in line with the Government’s objective. She drew attention to a number of successful initiatives around the City which had directly resulted from the My Neighbourhood project.   It was hoped that the proposed arrangement would enhance the effectiveness of the PACT meetings.   

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Executive held on 24 November 2009 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

The minutes of Executive of 8 December 2009 were taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Executive held on 8 December 2009 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

“That any changes arising from the review of the arrangement for the waste/recycling collections, which are currently under consideration, be presented to Full Council for decision”

Councillor Mrs Henson, seconded by Councillor Taghdissian, moved a Notice of Motion in the following terms:

“That any changes arising from the review of the arrangement for the waste/recycling collections which are currently under consideration, be presented to Full Council for decision”.

Since it was likely that additional capital funding, which required Council approval, would be sought in order to implement the proposals, Council agreed the Notice of Motion without debate.

“That a fitting tribute be made to the late Granville Baldwin, former Councillor and Alderman of this City Council, who was the City’s last Mayor and first Lord Mayor during his distinguished service to his ward residents and the City in general. It is suggested that a City Council new build or street be so named after him in his memory with the approval of the ward Councillors in that location.”

Councillor Prowse proposed a Notice of Motion in the following terms:

“That a fitting tribute be made to the late Granville Baldwin, former Councillor and Alderman of this City Council, who was the City’s last Mayor and first Lord Mayor during his distinguished service to his ward residents and the City in general.  It is suggested that a City Council new build or street be so named after him in his memory with the approval of the ward Councillors in that location.”

Councillor Mrs Smith, in seconding the Notice of Motion, regretted the loss of names with historical associations for buildings in the City, such as the former secondary schools.

Council agreed the Notice of Motion unanimously.

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 paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 A of the Local Government Act 1972.

In relation to Minute 156 (Quarterly Progress Report – Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) Development Project), Councillor Mitchell, the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Leisure responded to questions from a member regarding the development of the Museum.  He confirmed that the opening was anticipated for May or June 2011. The senior members group continued to monitor progress and expenditure on the Museum carefully, with the aim of remaining within the revised budget.

The Leader stated his wish for a transparent process and encouraged members to raise their questions and concerns regarding the development.