Details of questions should be notified to the Manager Democratic Services Manager at least three working days prior to the meeting - by 10am on Thursday 18 April 2024.
Further information and a copy of the procedure are available from Democratic Services) and details about speaking at Council to be found here: Public Speaking at Meetings.
Minutes:
The Lord Mayor reported the receipt of five questions from members of the public.
Question from Mrs Cynthia Thompson
Was a preferred access near IKEA shown on the Masterplan for the proposed St. Bridget’s Nursery Development and if so, what advice was presented by a Planning Solicitor to the Planning Committee re. The Housing and Planning Act 2016 Sections 2023-2025 for possible Statutory means of achieving this access?
The Leader gave the following response:
The Newcourt Masterplan (November 2010) shows a primary route from the A379 heading south-east, which has now become Newcourt Way. A secondary route then is shown heading south-west from this primary route (in the approximate area where the roundabout onto Ikea Way has been built) which links into the St Bridget’s Nursery land.
The Masterplan was not adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document.
The adopted Exeter Core Strategy (February 2012) does not require development to be in full accordance with the masterplan as it is only indicative of the final development. This was a position recommended by the Planning Inspector when assessing the Core Strategy, leading to paragraph 12.13 of the Core Strategy which states that 'The development of this area should have general regard to guidance contained within the Newcourt Master Planning Study.
No advice was given directly to the Planning Committee by the Council’s solicitor regarding a statutory means of achieving this connection. The sections cited refer to powers to override easements or other rights in the land.
The Council is unaware of whether there are easements and other rights benefitting adjoining land that need to be overridden in order for the development to progress. In any event these powers can only be invoked where the Council are considering using their powers of Compulsory Purchase.
The developer has not approached the Council about it using its compulsory purchase powers so as to overcome any rights of light, easements, or restrictive covenants by virtue of s203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016. This is probably because the developer believed that it had an adequate alternative access scheme.
In a supplementary question, Mrs Thompson asked if, in future, such information would be provided. The Leader replied that advice would be sought on the subject.
Question from Mr Alan Conibere
The full ramifications and cost to Exeter taxpayers following the collapse of Exeter City Living will not be realised until the evaluation and sale of acquired Council land is completed. Are you any further forward with that process and what is the Councils current assessment of net loss of this failed project.
The Leader gave the following response:
The process of scaling back the Company was completed on 27 March. ECL made a cash payment of £1.4m towards the loans and transferred assets to a value of £4.3 million to the Council, including the land at Clifton Hill additionally the Council has made a statutory repayment of debt of £441,000 leaving a total of £3.95 million to be written off.
The £3.95 million has been financed using a mixture of capital receipts and reserves earmarked for capital purposes meaning that there will be a saving of around £288,000 in the General Fund from 2025/26 rising to £400,000 once the sale of Mary Arches has completed.
In a supplementary question, Mr Conibere asked for the Leader’s view on the assessment that the process had lacked transparency. The Leader disagreed with this assessment, adding that transparency had been observed throughout.
Question from Mr Ian Frankum
The Leader asked Councillor Foale, Portfolio Holder for Corporate & Democratic Services and Environmental Health, to answer Mr Banyard’s question. Cllr Foale gave the following response:
Our answer remains the same as per the question previously posed by Mr Frankum at Ordinary Council on 20 February 2024. The new monitors are now operational and are being verified to make sure that reliable data is being obtained.
Exeter City Council will report on the data from the new sensors, as well as our existing monitoring network, as part of our annual Air Quality Status Report. This is produced to a timetable set by DEFRA and has to be submitted to them for approval before it is published. The report is typically published in September each year.
Mr Frankum asked a further question, which the Lord Mayor remarked did not address the answer just given. Mr Foale reiterated that he stood by his statement from 20 February 2024.
Question from Carol Finning
Since the removal of some Dog Poo bins in September by this council The "Grit Bin" in Hamlin gardens has become full of discarded dog waste , have council listened to public feedback and replaced any of those that you removed?
The Leader asked Councillor R Williams, Portfolio Holder for Place and City Management, to answer Ms Finning’s question. Cllr R Williams gave the following response:
We had a review carried out on the impact of the removal of litter bins and the changes to our street cleansing regimes and in a few locations, where standards have dropped or the need became apparent, we have reinstated litter bins. If you would like to read the review, it is openly available as it was presented to the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee on 1 February. This process of monitoring and review will continue. New requests for bins will continue to be assessed as per our usual process and littering can be reported via our website at Report littering - Exeter City Council.
Our Teams will then be able to reactively respond and clear the littering, as well as document the report for our monitoring process.
Question from Neil Martin
At April’s ECC Executive meeting, Item 6, Appendices 4 & 5 highlighted a risk to projected Car Parking Revenues.
The comments stated reasons as, “Commuters working from home during the week" and "Reductions in Commuter parking"; it also referred to a reduction of 10% in city centre footfall. What analysis, data or evidence was used to support those statements?
The Leader gave the following response:
The statement regarding a reduction in commuter parking is extrapolated from our parking ticket sales. Data available includes the type and duration of tickets sold, the time of purchase and the location chosen. All of these data sets, give an indication of the purpose of the visit and are compared to similar historical data.
Footfall data is provided by InExeter on a weekly basis, which shows daily, weekly, and monthly footfall trends in comparison with previous years. InExeter have footfall cameras located on Magdalen Road, Cathedral Yard, Fore Street, Sidwell Street, High Street (Next & Guildhall) and Queen Street. The Net Zero & Business service have historical footfall data going back to 2016.
In a supplementary question, Mr Martin asked if the Council agreed that the increased recorded traffic on East Wonford Hill, Pinhoe Road and other roads was the result of displacement from the failing Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme. In his reply, the Leader declined to draw such conclusions and advised that all data was being collected by Devon County Council and would be made available at the proper time.