Agenda and draft minutes

To approve and sign the minutes of the meetings held on 18 February 2025 and 25 February 2025 and the Extraordinary meeting held on 20 March 2025.

The minutes of the Ordinary meeting of the Council held on 18 February 2025 were moved by the Lord Mayor, taken as read, approved and signed as correct.

The minutes of the Budget meeting of the Council held on 25 February 2025 were moved by the Lord Mayor, taken as read, approved and signed as correct.

The minutes of the Special meeting of the Council held on 20 March were moved by the Lord Mayor, taken as read, approved and signed as correct with on amendment to Minute No. 7 to insert “the LGBT+, especially trans and non-binary community”.

The Lord Mayor advised that he had attended the following:

• On the 22 February, I was pleased to attend a re-badging parade with A Company Devon Army Cadet Force;
• On the 1 March I was in attendance of the HMS Exeter Wreath Laying Service;
• On the 8 March, I was privileged to attend the Exeter Bach Choir’s 30^th Anniversary Concert;
• On 9 March, I attended the Romanian Traditional Spring Festival;
• On 13 March, I was honoured to be at the opening of The Sarah Turvil Multifaith Centre;
• On the 23 March we held the 5^th Anniversary Ceremony of the Covid Lockdown;
• On the 27 March we were honoured by the Royal Visit by HRH the Duchess of Gloucester to Exeter College;
• On the 28 March I was pleased to attend the declaration of the new High Sheriff;
• On the 30 March I was pleased to join the Eid al-Fitr Celebrations;
• On the 5 April I enjoyed the VIP reception for the Royal Air Force Town Show 2025; and
• On the 12 April I was honoured to be in attendance of the Diverse Devon Together – Community Social Gathering.

Details of questions should be notified to Democratic Services at least three working days prior to the meeting - by 10am on Thursday 10 April 2025.

Details about speaking at Council to be found here: Public Speaking at Meetings.

The Lord Mayor reported that no questions from a member of the public had been accepted.

The minutes of the Planning Committee held on 17 February 2025 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Knott and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee of 17 February 2025 be received.

The minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 12 February 2025 were presented by the Deputy Chair, Councillor Jobson, and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee of 12 February 2025 be received.

The minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 19 March 2025 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Wardle, and taken as read.

In respect of Minute No. 55 Code of Corporate Governance 2025/26, Councillor Moore asked when the review of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) would be concluded, and would residents be able to view the content and Councillor Wardle responded that a written reply would be provided. Councillor Moore asked if there would be an assessment of the Council’s climate change action plan and work undertaken and the Leader responded stating that scrutiny would receive a full report which had been received by the Strategic Management Board and this would be the correct place to discuss the Council’s obligations and what was achievable or not.

Councillor Wardle moved and Councillor Moore seconded the recommendation that Council approve the Code of Corporate Governance for 2025/26 and following a unanimous vote was CARRIED.

In respect of Minute No. 56 Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 Update, Councillor Wardle moved the recommendation that Council note and approve the updated Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 Joint Policy and Procedure, seconded by Councillor Jobson and following a unanimous vote was CARRIED.

In respect of Minute No. 57 Corporate Net Zero Risk Register, Councillor Wardle moved the recommendation that Council approve the updated Net Zero Risk Register seconded by Councillor Jobson and following a unanimous vote was CARRIED.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee of 19 March 2025 be received.

The minutes of the Exeter Harbour Board held on 17 March 2025 were presented by the Chair, Councillor Ruth Williams and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Exeter Harbour Board of 17 March 2025 be received.

The minutes of the Strata - Joint Scrutiny Committee held on 17 February 2025 were presented by Councillor Knott and taken as read.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Strata – Joint Scrutiny Committee of 17 February 2025 be received.

The minutes of the Executive Committee held on 4 March 2025 were presented by the Leader, Councillor Bialyk and taken as read.

In respect of Minute No. 27 Lord Mayoralty, the Leader stated that the next Lord Mayor would be Councillor Jobson and the Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Rolstone.

In respect of Minute No. 28 Annual Scrutiny Report 2023/24, the Leader moved, and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendation that Council receive the Annual Scrutiny Report 2023/24 and following a unanimous vote was CARRIED.

In respect of Minute No. 29 Parking Tariffs 2024, Councillor Wetenhall asked how the Council would deal with expressions of interest such as that put forward for the old bus station site for a pop-up market and Councillor Wood noted that consultation with residents had been listened to by the Portfolio Holder and gave an example from his ward where charging for car parking at Pinhoe Station and the Arena car parks had not been brought forward.

The Leader responded stating that the car parking order for the bus station allowed charges to be put in place but did not mean that this would happen for certain.  With regard to expressions of interest the Council would consider all of these through officers and they would be dealt with in due course.  It was not the ruling groups intention to have a permanent car park on the old bus station site, but all options would be considered.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Executive Committee of 4 March 2025 be received.

The minutes of the Executive Committee held on 1 April 2025 were presented by the Leader, Councillor Bialyk, and taken as read.

In respect of Minute No. 34 Review of Corporate Risk Register, Councillor Vizard asked if the Leader would agree that in terms of the PSDS 4 for Riverside had been a good example of risk management by the Council given that completion of PSDS 3 would have presented too great a risk.  The Leader agreed.

Councillor Moore asked if the Leader would he agree that the next priority for decarbonisation was the RAMM and the Leader responded stating that the identified £900,000 towards the scheme and would remain in the budget rather than being spent elsewhere. Work on the RAMM was identified and he would take advice from officers as to how and when this would be done, as and when funds were available.

In respect of Minute No. 35 Update on the Digital Customer Strategy, Councillor Banyard asked that the Portfolio Holder outline the plan to ensure that digitally excluded residents could access Council services stating that a resident, Mr S, didn’t trust the internet due to fraud and had no desire to use a computer in any aspect of life. The Leader responded encouraging the resident to make contact and be supported to access services and that others requiring this support could contact the office or Members could give details to office so that residents received an appropriate response.

In respect of Minute No. 36 Data Strategy, the Leader move and Councillor Wright seconded the recommendation which following a unanimous vote was CARRIED.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Executive Committee of 1 April 2025 be received.

To receive questions from Members on any matter for which the Council has powers, duties or affects the City.

In accordance with Standing Order No. 8, the following question was put by Councillor Moore to the Leader:

“Please describe your expectations for: tree and planting schemes, and travel plans, for planning applications approved by the council.”

The Leader responded stating that the Council will apply National Planning Policy and Local Planning Policy in determining planning applications and that developments approved by the Council will have appropriate planning conditions and S106 obligations, as appropriate.

In a supplementary question Councillor Moore asked what the Leader would do to ensure implementation of any conditions set given the perceived lack of implementation from resident.

The Leader responded stating that concerns regarding conditions should be raised and brought to the attention of officers and where appropriate the relevant Strategic Director would speak to the Portfolio Holder and he urged Members to keep an eye on developments in their own area.

In accordance with Standing Order No. 8 the following question was put by Councillor Mitchell to the Leader:

“Following the decision by Morrisons to close its shop in Sidwell Street and the sale of WHSmith stores nationally will Exeter City Council made representations to the Post Office about the future provision of Post Office services within the City Centre?”

As this was a city centre matter the Leader asked that the Portfolio Holder, the Deputy Leader, Councillor Wright respond.  Councillor Wright responded stating that Exeter City Council would make a written representation to the Post Office and our MP’s about the provision of Post Office’s within the City.

In a supplementary question Councillor Mitchell asked that any response to those representations be circulated to all Councillors to which the Deputy Leader agreed.

As this was his last Council meeting in the Chair, the Lord Mayor stated that it had been a privilege to Chair Council for the last two years and that Members had more in common than divided them. The Lord Mayor thanked the Democratic Services Manager, Monitoring Officer and Chief Executive for their support and wished Councillor Jobson all the best for the future as the incoming Lord Mayor.