Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chief Executive and Growth Director.

Councillor K. Mitchell declared an interest as an employee of the RD&E Hospital.

The Chief Executive & Growth Director presented the report which outlined the work that was being progressed to produce a recovery plan as the city emerges from the crisis stage of Covid-19 to ensure a co-ordinated response to the challenges the local economy would be facing.

In addition to the Council’s involvement in strategic initiatives through the Devon County Council Local Resilience Forum including its Business and Economy Recovery Task Group and the Heart of South West Local Enterprise Partnership Recovery Plan, a City Council led place based response would be vital to be co-ordinated through the recently created Liveable Exeter Place Board, under the Chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor of the University, Sir Steve Smith. The Board would bring together all the major organisations in the city as well as private and community sector figures. The following seven key themes had been identified, details of which were set out in the report:-

·         Construction and development;

·         City Centre;

·         Visitor economy;

·         Transport;

·         Education;

·         Business Support; and

·         Community wellbeing.

In addition to the overarching, place-based recovery plan for the city, the Council would also focus on a number of internal priorities to ensure support for communities and the effective recovery of its operations, the key areas being:-

·         Individual financial support;

·         Homelessness;

·         Council financial strategy;

·         Council reinstatement; and

·         Organisational change.

The Liveable Exeter Place Board would work through a number of themes and work streams some of which would be led by non-council members of the Board through sub groups such as the City Centre Group, chaired by John Laramy of Exeter College and the Visitor Economy Group chaired by Lord Courtenay as well as the Business Support Group. These work streams would help ensure there was one single recovery plan for the city and that it would be aligned to the regional work.

Councillor D. Moore, having given notice under Standing Order No. 44, spoke on this item.

The response of the Council Leader is attached as an appendix to the minutes.

Councillors Leadbetter and K. Mitchell, speaking as group leaders, welcomed the report. Councillor K. Mitchell asked for an assurance that all communities across the city would be involved in the recovery plan.

The Council Leader emphasised the role of the City Council in using its convening power to galvanise the key stakeholders and engage individuals, organisations and businesses to contribute to the plan of action to work collectively in putting together a plan. He also highlighted Exeter’s strong place-making record with ambitious plans and programmes already in place to support the city and its communities. These included strong strategic and multi-sector collaboration, a garden City designation - Liveable Exeter, St Sidwell’s Point, an UNESCO City of Literature designation, one of Sport England’s twelve Local Delivery Pilots and the carbon neutral city roadmap.

He confirmed that all Members would be fully informed via Executive and Council through further reports and that there remained appropriate mechanisms for the plan to be considered through the Council’s scrutiny process.

The Chief Executive & Growth Director concluded that, whilst the support for the recovery programme would need to have regard to the Council’s financial position in light of the Covid-19 crisis and the income loss being experienced, the Council was in a position to build on longer term visions already established through the Exeter Vision 2040, Greater Exeter Strategic Plan, Liveable Exeter Transformational Housing Programme and Net Zero Exeter 2030, backed by the city’s organisations working together to support all sectors. He referred to the important role of Members in bringing the city together and to the part to be played by Exeter on behalf of the region as a key driver of the wider economy and as an important advocate in seeking innovative funding mechanisms.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)  the draft recovery plan be approved and the work of council officers providing leadership and support to the recovery initiative be supported;

(2)  the progress made and the role of the City Council in the recovery programme through direct interventions in support of the Liveable Exeter housing programme and the Council’s own development company Exeter City Living be reported back to Executive;

(3)  the request to the Liveable Exeter Place Board to adopt the Recovery Plan on behalf of the city as a whole be noted; and

(4)  Exeter City Council Officers leading on the recovery plan work and continuing to provide support to progress the individual work streams be noted.