Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bowkett, Choules, Dawson and Henson.

The Council observed a minutes silence in memory of Alderman Margaret Midgley who had recently passed away having faithfully served the Council for many years.

The minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 16 July 2013 and the Extraordinary Meeting held on 16 July 2013 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Lord Mayor announced that this was Phil King, the Lord Mayor Support Officer, last meeting as he was leaving the Council to move to Oxford. Members wished him well for his future and thanked him for his efficient service.

In accordance with Standing Order 5 (2) (a), the Lord Mayor took at this point Executive 1 October 2013 minute no 99 – Recording of Council Meetings. The minute was proposed by Councillor Edwards, seconded by Councillor Sutton and approved.

The minutes of the Planning Committee held on 22 July 2013 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Bialyk and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 22 July 2013 be received.

The minutes of the Planning Committee held on 2 September 2013 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Bialyk and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 2 September 2013 be received.

The minutes of the Planning Committee held on 30 September 2013 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Bialyk and taken as read.

In relation to Minute 81 (Planning Application No.13/3822/03 – Exeter Golf and Country Club, Topsham Road, Exeter), the Chair stated that any changes to outline planning applications of a sensitive nature should be brought back to Members for their consideration and not dealt with under delegated powers.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 30 September 2013 be received.

The minutes of the Licensing Committee of 23 July 2013 were presented by the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Health and Wellbeing (former Chair of Licensing Committee), Councillor Owen and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 23 July 2013 be received.

The minutes of the Licensing Committee of 24 September 2013 were presented by the Deputy Chair, Councillor Laws and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 24 September 2013 be received.

The minutes of the Scrutiny Committee - Community held on 3 September 2013 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Shiel and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee - Community held on 3 September 2013 be received.

The minutes of the Scrutiny Committee – Economy held on 5 September 2013 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Leadbetter and taken as read.

In relation to Minute 39 (Petition – Magdalen Road Car park Charges) the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Culture advised that car park usage in the city would be monitored over the coming 12 months and this data would be used to undertake a full review of the Council’s car parks in due course.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee - Economy held on 5 September 2013 be received.

The minutes of the Scrutiny Committee - Resources held on 18 September 2013 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Baldwin and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Scrutiny Resources - Community held on 18 September 2013 be received.

The minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 26 June 2013 were presented by the Deputy Chair, Councillor Baldwin and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 26 September 2013 be received.

The minutes of the Executive held on 17 September 2013 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Edwards and taken as read.

In relation to Minute 83 (Asset Management Review – Housing Garage Sites) the Leader stated that the review was being undertaken to ensure that the Council was better informed as to the usage and ownership of the garages.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Customer Access stated that the proposals were a holistic approach to the way forward for garage sites and the consultation process should highlight any ownership issues. This would be a phased project over a number of years.

The Portfolio Holder for Economy and Culture clarified that the proposal for Anthony Road was part of the Council Own Build Wave 3 and that a full consultation had been undertaken prior to the planning application being submitted.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Executive held on 17 September 2013 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

The minutes of the Executive held on 1 October 2013 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Edwards and taken as read.

In relation to Minute 97 (Capital Monitoring Statement to 30 June 2013) the Leader stated that the tendering and procurement process could be an issue for Scrutiny Committee – Resources to scrutinise.

With regards to Minute 101 (Exeter Science Park Centre) the Leader clarified that the loan would be paid back in instalments with interest, and that there was also the option for Exeter Science Park Centre to pay back the money earlier should they be in a position to do so.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Executive held on 1 October 2013 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.

Councillor Bull, seconded by Councillor Pearson, moved a Notice of Motion in the following terms:-

(1)        already one in four households in the UK are in fuel poverty, meaning they need to spend more than 10% of their income on keeping their homes warm. The problem is likely to get worse, with one in three households projected to be in fuel poverty by 2016;

(2)        the main reasons for this crisis are that gas, oil and coal prices are high and the UK’s homes are some of the most energy inefficient in Europe – leaking heat from their doors, walls and windows;

(3)        cold homes are damaging the health of vulnerable members of society, including children, older people and people with disabilities. Diseases such as asthma are made worse and people are more likely to have strokes and heart attacks. Illnesses caused by cold homes cost the NHS nearly one billion pounds each year; and

(4)        over the next 15 years the Government will raise an average of £4 billion every year in carbon taxes through the European Emissions Trading Scheme and the Carbon Floor Price. Re-cycling this revenue back into households could bring nine out of ten homes out of fuel poverty, lower people’s bills, cut carbon emissions and create jobs.

Exeter City Council resolves to:-

(1)        support the Energy Bill Revolution campaign calling for the Government to re-cycle revenues from carbon taxes into improving the energy efficiency of UK homes; and

(2)        notify local Members of Parliament of its support for the campaign and urge them to support the campaign by emailing MPsupporters@energybillrevolution.org.

In presenting the Notice of Motion, Councillor Bull stated that the country was facing an energy bill crisis, with millions of people nationwide struggling to heat their homes. It was estimated that 5,957 families in Exeter were currently in fuel poverty meaning that these households need to spend more than 10% of their income on keeping their homes warm. It was projected that by 2016 one in three households would be in fuel poverty. The two main reasons for this crisis were the high price of gas, oil and coal and that the UK’s homes were some of the most energy inefficient in Europe. This meant they cost much more than they should to heat and power and cold homes were damaging the health of vulnerable members of society and costing the NHS nearly one billion pounds each year.

Councillor Bull stated the answer was for the Government to use the money it received from carbon taxes to help make homes super-energy efficient. The Government must provide more funding from carbon taxes to help combat climate change. The current Green Deal had failed and, at its current take up rate could take 160 years for all of the UK's housing to benefit. Over the next 15 years the Government would raise an average of £4 billion every year in carbon taxes. If the Government recycled this carbon revenue back to households, it could provide  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.