Agenda and minutes

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October, 2019

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 October, 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

None.

None.

None.

The Executive forward plan can be found here.

The Committee noted the Executive Forward Plan. All issues listed for the Executive meeting on 28 November, 2019 were included on the agenda for today’s meeting.

The decisions of the Executive held on 31 October, 2019 can be found here.

Members noted the Minutes of the Executive held on 31 October, 2019.

In regard to Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) Broadband contribution, the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources confirmed that the £250,000.00 would remain in the budget for the benefit of Teignbridge residents.

To identify any areas of work for future meetings of the Committee.

The Committee Work Programme circulated with the agenda was received and noted. The Chairman advised that dates for Portfolio Holder update presentations were being agreed with Portfolio Holders and would be scheduled into the work programme.

The decision of the Executive held on 8 October, 2019 has been called in by Councillor Daws and supported by Councillors Bradford, Mullone, Patch and Parker-Khan.

Consideration was given to the Call-In of part 4 of the Executive decision, Minute 70/10/2019, by Councillor Daws and supported by Councillor Bradford, Mullone, Patch and Parker-Khan.

The reasons for the call in were:

“we have run the existing and future planning policies to meet the challenges of climate change past Client Earth, and though they were encouraged by the policy, they suggested additions to strengthen the policy.

These specifically are the additions of the following detail:

- Confirm that the various policies in the new local plan / GESP (referred to at 3.5) will be as specific as possible -- e.g. specifying the minimum amount of renewable generation / which categories of development are covered where it is not a universal requirement and that they will be informed by a robust evidence base that takes a quantified and holistic approach to assessing climate impacts, e.g. by assessing carbon impact together with viability.  

- Add that the review of site allocations within the Local Plan and GESP should be included in the overall carbon emission impact calculations.”

The response from the Portfolio Holders for Housing and Climate change, and Planning were appended to the agenda report.

The Chairman referred to the Scrutiny process of Call-In which enables the Committee to request the Executive to reconsider a decision. The response to the current Call-In could be interpreted as not being supportive of the ethos.  The Leader responded and advised that the Executive were supportive of and welcomed decisions being scrutinised by the Committee.

Councillor Daws referred to the Call-In. Client Earth had suggested additions to make Climate Change Policies more robust to enable the Council to meet its Climate Emergency target and responsibilities. Cllr Parker-Khan supporting the Call-In added that Client Earth was a reputable, charitable organisation which can empower Local Councils to achieve their declarations of Climate Change Emergency.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Climate Change referred to appendix 2 to the agenda report, which detailed what the Council was already doing to implement the Climate Change declaration, and steps to speed up the Local Plan statutory process by careful management and taking advantage of new government policies. Councillor J Hook advised that the Council had consulted Client Earth prior to the Executive considering the matter on 8 October, 2019 but unfortunately the response had not been received until following the meeting. The points raised by Client Earth could have been included without the necessity of the Call-In. The first meeting of the Local Plan Working Group had already met. Policy S7 would be revised in line with national policy and low carbon policies are being made more robust. £5,000.00 has been approved for specialist advice for carbon reduction plans. The suite of policies referred to at Executive decision point 4 would be developed in consultation with local climate change organisations, involving eminent climate change experts at Exeter University, and she invited Members to contribute their ideas through the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan and Local Plan Working Groups.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94.

The Environmental Protection Manager gave an overview of the Council’s emergency planning process, giving examples of incidences and multi-agency responses to them.

The presentation is available here.

The Chairman referred to the agenda report detailing the background of the issue, including the terms of reference for the Review, public and Member consultation, matters considered by the Review Group, its consequential recommendations and justification for the recommendations.

RECOMMENDED

The recommendations of the Review Group as detailed in the interim report of the Review Group circulated with the agenda be supported, and referred to the Executive for approval.

Consideration was given to the agenda report which provided an update on the consultation results on the draft policy. During Committee discussion concern was expressed that: there were a variety of vehicle plug-in designs and it was considered that Government policy should seek a standardised plug in system for electric vehicles; rural area would miss out on electric plug-in locations; and the resources involve in making and disposing of car batteries, and the charging of batteries.

The Portfolio Holder for Waste Management and Environmental Health advised that car manufacturers were pursuing the electric vehicle option for the future, and he understood research was looking into the reuse of second hand electric car batteries.

RECOMMENDED

The Executive be advised that the Committee recommends approval of the Electric Vehicles, Infrastructure and Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Policy.

The Chairman referred to the report circulated with the agenda which gave an update on the previous work of the Car Park Review Group, and requesting consideration that the Review Group be re-commenced to develop the Teignbridge Car Pak Plan.

RESOLVED

(1)       The Car Park Plan Review Group be recommenced.

(2)       The proposed Terms of Reference and timeline as set out in the appendix to the agenda report be approved

(3)       Group Leaders be requested to nominate representatives to sit on the group in the usual ratio of 3:2:1 to reflect the political balance.

Consideration was given to the agenda report which updated members on the delivery of the Council Strategy 2015-26, and provided the detailed performance information used to track its delivery.  The Committee reviewed and scrutinised the performance information, particularly those areas where performance was not on track.

Turning specifically to the areas of concern as set out at agenda page 74, the Committee referred to:

·PI ROH1.2 – Net additional homes provided. The Portfolio Holder for Planning advised that the new homes target had increased from the Local Plan target of 620 to 760, following the new national housing method. A full explanation was set out at agenda page 81. It was agreed that an alternative national approach for calculating numbers should be investigated.

·PI HAH 5.9 – working days lost to sickness absence. Members asked if further information could be provided.

·PI WE 8.2 - % customer complaints dealt with within 20 days. Members asked for additional information on service areas the subject of the complaints.  

The Chairman referred to the Performance Report Spotlight Review Group which would review the format of the performance report to Committee to make it more efficient and effective for the Committee’s scrutiny. Membership of this group was Councillors Colclough, Parker, Purser, J Petherick and Nuttall.

The Chairman advised that he would write to the Service Managers for those areas indicating excellent performance to thank staff.   

RESOLVED

The report and the actions being taken to rectify performance issues as detailed in the report appendix be noted.