Agenda and draft minutes

To approve and sign the minutes of the Strategic Scrutiny Committee held on 11 September 2025. 

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2025 were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as correct.

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.

Details of questions should be notified to the Democratic Services Manager via the committee.services@exeter.gov.uk email by 10.00am at least three working days prior to the meeting. For this meeting any questions must be submitted by 10.00am on Monday 17 November.

For details about how to speak at Committee, please click the following link -  https://exeter.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors-and-meetings/public-speaking-at-meetings/overview/

There were no questions submitted by the public.

To receive questions from Members of the Council to the relevant Portfolio Holders for this Scrutiny Committee. The Portfolio Holders reporting to this Scrutiny Committee are:

Councillor Bialyk -       Leader

Councillor Patrick -     Portfolio Holder City Development

Councillor Vizard -      Portfolio Holder Climate and Ecological Change and Communities

Councillor Wood -       Portfolio Holder Leisure Services and Physical Activity

Councillor Wright -      Portfolio Holder, Culture and City Centre Strategy

Councillor Foale -       Portfolio Holder Arts, Culture and Tourism

Advance questions from Members relating to the Portfolio Holders above should be notified to the Democratic Services Manager.

There were no questions submitted in advance by Members and no questions put to Portfolio Holders present.

To receive a report from Councillor Wright, the Portfolio Holder Culture and City Centre Strategy.

Councillor Wright presented her report which was taken as read.

Councillor Wright, the Head of Service – Net Zero and City Centre and Head of Service – Environment and Waste responded to Members’ questions in the following terms:

• the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) had been supportive in the past, including giving grants which were well received, what was required across the country as well as in Exeter was more police officers. The demise of the PCC would return funds to the policing budget which should have a positive impact on operational policing and on the streets of Exeter;
• the new city centre strategy would include the action plan and would be produced with relevant partners but the timeline had been impacted by Local Government Reorganisation. Before the strategy was finalised it would be ensured that partners could deliver their parts. The Strategy would be added to the Executive Forward Plan to seek consent for public consultation;
• the CCTV covered as far down as Fore Street but the Council had worked with Devon County Council who had traffic cameras in Cowick Street could be monitored giving the Control Centre sight of them;
• the yellow signs were all within sight of cameras and it was known that people were less likely to call the police if they felt they were being followed but they might ring the control centre. Each yellow sign had the number of the nearest camera on them in order that people didn’t need to say where they are and locations of cameras could be shared with councillors;
• dialogue with ward councillors would be helpful regarding potential sites for additional cameras as they did obtain information which the police didn’t always receive from residents. Crime statistics had informed current camera locations as well as ensuring good coverage of the city centre area;
• the InExeter hyper local ASB Group had worked hard with ward councillors on issues as well as local businesses;
• data from the CCTV control centre would be tracked and shared. A walk-around the city centre with Mr Cox had taken place and it had been identified that some signs were too high and were programmed in to be adjusted;
• Councillor Wright was Member Champion for the SWAN charter and all organisations signed up to the scheme must have a champion. Bystander information was no longer available as part of the scheme but the aim was to encourage men to stand up when they saw inappropriate actions from others. Some venues that had signed up to the Charter have been removed. The CSP intended to look into the SWAN charter in the new year. The Charter was linked to the Best Bar None initially and this did require reaccreditation. These schemes had been resource intensive using short-term government funding which had now ceased. Organisations were still working within the ethos of the Charter;
• Data from MyExeter would be utilised at an operational level but may feed-in to strategic priorities in future;
• the Chair of the ASB sub-group  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

To receive the report of the Strategic Director for Operations which can be found within the Executive Agenda pack from page 61:

(Public Pack)Agenda Document for Executive, 04/11/2025 17:30

The Chair invited Public Health and Councillor Rees, as proposer of the item to the table and explained that there was also a recommendation from the Executive.

Councillor Rees, under Standing Order No. 45, presented her Scrutiny Proforma and in doing so, made the following points:

• that this had been submitted in May 2024 prior to the previous Air Quality Action Plan coming to an end with the intention of evaluation before a new one was written;
• there was consensus that many targets were difficult to evaluate as they were not SMART therefore successes could not be celebrated or areas for improvement seen;
• the decision from Executive to have a wider strategy document with clear information for the public and also detailing aspirations;
• the Air Quality Action Plan had a specific remit and a wider strategy would provide a holistic picture of the ambitions for the city; and
• it was great to see Public Health represented.

The Strategic Director for Operations presented the report making the following points:

• the status report had been reviewed for twelve years;
• the annual status report had to be presented on a Government issued template which the council couldn’t change.
• data from 2024 had been surprising as it had not been expected that East Wonford Hill would fall below the exceedance level set by the government;
• this was a positive situation but there was still work to do to improve air quality further;
• officers were now seeking to go on a different journey and were present at the meeting to hear from and to listen to members of the scrutiny committee;
• The Air Quality Action Plan was now required to be reviewed;
• this was highly specialist work which couldn’t be resourced in-house due to the current vacancy; and
• in drawing the strategy together there would likely be workshops and other opportunities for member to engage.

The Public Health Specialist gave evidence making the following points:

• the Director of Public Health must see and sign off the air quality status reports;
• public health were keen to work with officers and members to look at how this could be better coordinated across the wider Devon area;
• Exeter was influenced by being one of the biggest commuting-in areas in the country;
• there was a desire to streamline the process by becoming involved earlier and looking more strategically across the area, including looking to have one data-set;
• once areas had moved beyond Air Quality Management Areas they were looking to address how authorities could work as a system; and
• looking across the whole region included Europe as everyone must be mindful of large forest fires having a wider-ranging impact on air quality.

The Strategic Director for Operations, Head of Service – Environment and Waste and Public Health Specialist responded to Members’ questions in the following terms:

• the Executive had decided not to consult on reviewing the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), as the AQMA would be short-lived;
• there was a legal requirement to look at the Air Quality  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

To receive the motion referred by Council at the meeting held on 14 October 2025.

The Chair invited Councillor Wetenhall to present her motion, which she did making the following points:

• there were three resolutions and in order to achieve these some would be easy, cheap or quick and other would be difficult or more expensive;
• some could be done easily and there were best practice websites to compare to; and
• this work was important and relevant.

During discussion Councillors made the following points:

• easy to understand information was required for residents rather than technical detail;
• Denis the Dustcart was an excellent example of how information could be provided and it would be good to have something similar for air quality;
• people may not know the issues of wood burners;
• consultation could feed in information about communicating information and this could be reviewed within the action plan;
• communications could be incorporated into longer term work but it would be good to hear from officers if there were some simple wins; and
• it would be good to bring together technical and communications experts.

The Strategic Director for Operations, Head of Service – Environment and Waste and Portfolio Holder for City Management responded to Members’ questions in the following terms:

• the Digital and Data team were seeking to address website issues, including making information more easily understandable;
• Awaab’s law only applied to social housing at present but would be introduced into the private sector in 2026;
• the non-technical summary was now included on the Air Quality webpage and mapping was available despite some technical difficulties which had arisen;
• some things had been moved from the Air Quality webpage, such as bonfires information which could now be found under pollution and some links maybe required;
• the DCC transport plan had no reference to Air Quality until Exeter City Council’s feedback had been responded to;
• the UK legal limits were included in the non-technical summary;
• the example given of York to look at how information was presented was welcomed; and
• some work was outside the remit of officers present, for example responsibility for damp and mould lay with Housing but all points made would be taken on board.

Councillor Atkinson made a proposal which was subsequently withdrawn that all aspects of the motion be considered as part of the strategy review.

Councillor Miller-Boam proposed, seconded by Councillor Rolstone that Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee:

·        recognises that this council continues to be open and transparent with Air Quality data at the monitoring site and road level;

·        recommends that officers consider additional website content to help improve understanding, for example, links to external organisations, regarding air pollution sources inside and outside the home; and

·        guidance to residents and wider review of communications around air quality be brought forward as part of the air quality strategy in collaboration with Strata and Digital and Data teams.

During debate on the proposal Councillor Kevin Mitchell commented that there was no reference to the motion. Councillor Williams stated that he was pleased this motion had come to scrutiny and that relevant officers had increased his understanding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

Please see for noting a link to the schedule of future business proposed for the Council which can be viewed on the Council's web site. This on-line document is a source for Members to raise issues at Scrutiny on forthcoming Executive agenda items:-

https://exeter.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors-and-meetings/forward-plan-of-executive-decisions/

Also attached is a draft work plan of future scrutiny items.

Should Members wish to raise issues in respect of future business please notify Liz Smith in advance of the meeting.

The Chair made suggestions of changes to the timetabling on the work plan, as follows:

·        that the Leader’s Portfolio Holder Update be heard in January;

·        Rivers Transparency Template, referred by Council be heard in January;

·        Portfolio Holder Update on Arts, Culture and Tourism, Stagecoach and Shared Prosperity items be moved to April;

Councillor Moore enquired of her Empty Homes proforma which the Chair confirmed had been received and would be considered by the Scrutiny Programme Board in January after the Strategic Management Board had made comments.

The Chair proposed, seconded by Councillor Haigh, that the committee consider Unauthorised Encampments which she had submitted on a proforma and following a vote was CARRIED.

The Chair invited Councillor Wetenhall to put forward her proforma on Bike Storage. Councillor Wetenhall explained that Devon County Council were producing a report on Devonwide secure bike hanging and partnership working would be required. The Chair explained that a feasibility study would come forward which would be carried out in Exeter with a view to being rolled out. She added that the Green Travel Plan had been impacted by LGR and that a question about bike storage would be added to the tenants’ survey.

Councillor Wetenhall proposed, seconded by Councillor Moore that the committee consider Bike Storage and following a unanimous vote was CARRIED.

Following a unanimous vote the draft Scrutiny Work Plan as amended was AGREED.