Agenda and draft minutes

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The Lord Mayor advised that no questions had been received from Members of the public.

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.

No declarations of interest were made by Members.

For the Quarter 2 Budget Scrutiny and 2026/27 Budget Strategy and Medium-Term Financial Plan.

The Lord Mayor asked that minutes No.97 Quarter 2 Budget Scrutiny and No.98 Medium Term Financial Plan of the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee 22 January 2026, be noted.

For 2026/27 Budget Strategy and Medium Term Financial Plan.

The Lord Mayor asked that the minute No.92 2026/27 Budget Strategy and Medium-Term Financial Plan of the Executive on 16 December 2025, be noted.

For the Council Taxbase and NNDR 1 2026/27

The Lord Mayor asked that the minute No.93 Council Taxbase and NNDR 1 2026/27 of the Executive on 16 December 2025, be noted.

For the Housing Rents and Service Charges 2026-27

The Lord Mayor asked that the minute No.94 Housing Rents and Service Charge 2026/27 of the Executive on 16 December 2025, be noted.

To pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED:-

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

(a)   the Revenue estimates for 2026-2027;

(b)   the Capital programme for 2026-2027;

(c)   the Fees & Charges for 2026-2027;

(d)   the Treasury Management Strategy for 2026-2027;

(e)   the Prudential indicators for 2026-2027 (incorporating the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement); and

(f)     the Capital Strategy for 2026-2027

2)     that it be noted that, at the meeting of the Executive on the 16 December 2025, the Council calculated the figure of 40,186, as its council tax base for the year 2026-2027 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 2026-2027 in accordance with Sections 31A of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992:-

(a)   £XX 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)   £XX 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)   £XX 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)   £XX 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 2026-2027, 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

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority

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 2026/27.

In moving the resolution, the Leader proposed, and Councillor Wright seconded additional wording to the resolution:

(1)   On 27 January 2026 the Licensing Committee:

RESOLVED unanimously that the Licensing Committee recommends the following:

That Council approves for the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 that the fees shall be set as specified in Appedix B.

Minutes of the above meeting have been published and will be received by Council on 3 March.

These fees can be found on pages 228-230 of the agenda pack and form part of the budget before you today.

(2)   That the following, as submitted, be approved:

(a)   the Revenue estimates for 2026-2027 with an additional budget added of £130,000 for tidying, cleaning and improving the public realm, to be funded from the General Fund Working Balance.

Councillor Moore proposed, and Councillor Rees seconded, the Green Group amendments to the budget in the following terms:

Green Group Budget Amendment 2026

To reduce the General Fund Surplus by £255,000 the Council’s already agreed minimum of £3.1m.

To fund:

1.     Securing Community Assets – a community Asset Transfer programme:

As part of the Local Government Reorganisation programme undertake a review of Council assets (property and land) to identify property which has previously been, currently is in or suitable for community ownership and community benefit.

To ensure that community assets can be protected and improved by the Council and communities ahead of LGR, to enable a programme of Community Asset Transfer (CAT) upon request and in line with the Councils CAT policy (adopted 2022), to support local (appropriated constituted) community organisations take on assets in Exeter’s neighbourhoods and secure them for the long term as community owned and run assets.

The programme would provide revenue funds for capacity building for the organisations and funding expertise (e.g. Surveyors, business planning); and small capital grants to act as ‘first funder in’ to underpin and attract external capital funding for the project or fund the Council to undertake essential and urgent repairs to the building before disposal.

Disposal may include all the methods that the Council has used to date, including: freehold sale at less than best consideration (allowed under government guidance), long leases at less than best consideration or peppercorn.

Note: It is noted that the approach might generate some capital receipts - which can be used to continue the programme (revenue or capital).

The programme will be funded as follows:

Revenue grants: £155,000 reduction to General Fund min reserves levels.

Capital funding: An amount, allocated from the non-neighbourhood portion of the Community Infrastructure Levy, to be decided by the Executive once the review has been complete.

2.     Nature Towns and Cities Accreditation:

The Accreditation demonstrates a “commitment to transforming green infrastructure to benefit people, place and nature. By achieving the award, you’ll have shown that you  ...  view the full minutes text for item 139.

To consider the report on the appointment of the Council’s Independent Persons.

The Leader moved the recommendations, seconded by Councillor Wright, and invited the Strategic Director for Corporate Resources to introduce the report.

The Strategic Director for Corporate Resources introduced the report making the following points:

• the term of the current Independent Persons would end on the 26 February;
• this report sought to approve the appointment of two new Independent Persons; and
• they were required by law to give a view in the event of investigations into Members Code of Conduct complaints.

Following a unanimous vote the recommendations were CARRIED.