Agenda item

The minutes of the Executive Committee of 17 March 2026 were presented by the Leader, Councillor Bialyk, and taken as read.

In respect of Minute No. 116 – Lord Mayoralty, the Leader highlighted that Councillor Gemma Rolstone was nominated as Lord Mayor for the ensuing municipal year and that Councillor Lucy Haigh was nominated as Deputy Lord Mayor for the ensuing municipal year.

In respect of Minute No. 119 – Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy, the Leader moved the recommendation, seconded by Councillor Wright. During the debate, the following points were made:

·        progress had been made at a strategic, county-wide level, but little had been delivered locally to connect green spaces, private gardens, and highways in a way that supported biodiversity;

·        what actions would be taken to implement the strategy locally and to produce a coherent plan for nature within the city; and

·        there was concern about a lack of coordinated action by the Council over several years and it was enquired what steps could be taken to develop and implement an effective, locally focused nature plan.

The Leader in responding, highlighted that responsibility for this area currently sat with Devon County Council for the next two years and advised that future structural changes, such as the introduction of a combined authority, could affect how the issue was managed. He acknowledged the importance of the matter, and agreed with the point raised, and indicated that further discussion with relevant partners may be needed.

Following a vote the recommendations were CARRIED unanimously.

In respect of Minute No. 120 – Crisis and Resilience Fund – Housing Payments and Crisis Payments, the Leader moved the recommendation, seconded by Councillor Wright.

The Leader advised that, at the time of the Executive meeting, full details of the funding allocations under the grant agreement with Devon County Council for 2026/27 were not available but has since been provided as follows:

·        Crisis Payment Grants: £578,412;

·        Crisis Payments Administration: £57,841; and

·        Resilience Services: £278,720.

Members were informed that the Crisis Payment funding included an additional £45,442 to support residents affected by increased heating oil costs and that the crisis payment grant funding was approximately 16% higher than the previous Household Support Fund allocations. Further guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that this was not a new scheme and that heating costs had always been eligible under the crisis payment strand.

The Leader further advised that additional government funding had been targeted at areas with high oil dependency and low-income households. While Exeter had relatively low oil dependency, the City Council had received a proportionate allocation from Devon County Council. Applications for support with oil heating costs would be assessed in line with existing scheme principles.

The Leader also confirmed that a Member briefing had been scheduled for Thursday 16 April where, further details on the CRF would be provided.

During the debate, the following points were made:

·        support was expressed for the recommendations;

·        the introduction of a three-year funding arrangement was welcomed, noting it provided greater security, planning, and flexibility for the Council;

·        the shift from the Household Support Fund to the Crisis and Resilience Fund was supported and highlighted its focus on long-term solutions rather than repeat applications for short-term support;

·        that the previous scheme risked becoming a substitute for statutory benefits, which was not its original intention;

·        many residents were experiencing hardship and may lack awareness of statutory benefits, budgeting skills, and available concessions;

·        the correspondence from the Leader and the opportunity for citizens to bid for additional support work in this area was commended;

·        Council staff would deliver the programme effectively;

·        the challenging economic climate was noted, but the CRF approach was a positive step forward;

·        over time, demand on the fund would be reduced as residents gained the skills, and knowledge to access support and improve their financial resilience;

·        further detail from the Leader on arrangements for delivering resilience work was requested;

·        the importance of a strong collaboration between Exeter City Council and Devon County Council was emphasised;

·        clarification was sought on how the Council would also work with the voluntary and community sector to support residents;

·        highlighted concerns about increasing demand for support services, linked to wider global and economic pressures; and

·        the measures being put in place were commended, but there was concern about pressures later in the year.

The Leader in responding:

·        thanked Members for their insight and noted lessons would be shared at the upcoming members briefing;

·        emphasised the importance of discussing detailed arrangements for resilience work during the briefing;

·        highlighted that households who relied on oil heating were mostly on the outskirts of Exeter and often off-grid, presenting particular challenges;

·        highlighted some residents may be ‘asset-rich but cash-poor’, such as older people on small pensions, who may still require targeted support;

·        advised that some residents may not realise or claim available support, which could cause distress and that a proactive outreach was important;

·        noted that resilience measures should address both practical needs and raising awareness of support available;

·        encouraged learning from the last four years of Household Support Fund experience to inform CRF delivery going forward;

·        emphasised the fund would likely be administered longer-term, making understanding local needs and outreach essential; and

·        highlighted his support for the recommendations and importance of the members briefing to discuss resilience planning.

Following a vote the recommendations were CARRIED unanimously.

In respect of Minute No. 121 – Corporate Complaints Policy, the Leader moved the recommendation, seconded by Councillor Wright. During the debate, the following points were made:

·        the policy aligned with standards and recommendations;

·        it was important to have a structured complaints process for clarity and consistency and that all concerns needed to be handled through defined stages and escalated appropriately if unresolved; and

·        there was a need for a robust and watertight process and officers were thanked for their work in developing and implementing the process.

Following a vote the recommendations were CARRIED unanimously.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Executive Committee 17 March 2026 were received.