Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the previous Council meeting.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 4 June, 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

There were no declarations of Interest.

There were no public questions.

Questions were asked as follows:

Questions asked by Cllr Dewhirst

“Devon County Council’s Risk Assessment has indicated that the consequences of Brexit now mean that it is at the highest level of risk for the operation of the Council.

 The Risk Indicator FIN41 include issues such as the short to medium term funding will have a negative impact on our national economy and funding will decrease.   Devon County Finance Officers believe that Brexit is likely to have a significant negative impact on the 2020/21 budget when a new funding regime begins with the possibility of a one-year settlement.   They also believe that the Business Rate retention scheme might not continue into the next financial year, if the scheme is scrapped this will have an additional negative impact on the 2020/21 financial year.

Additional Risks associated with Brexit include the valuation of the Council’s pension scheme and the ending of EU grants currently funded until March 2019.”

Question 1

“Does theLeader of the Council believe that Teignbridge District Council’s Risk Register ST02, last updated on 15^th June 2018, and identified by our Council’s Section 151 Officer at the last Audit Scrutiny Committee adequately identifies these risks in the light of the recent events in Westminster?” 

The Leader, Councillor Christophers advised that although the question was directed to himself, the answer would be given by the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources, Councillor Barker. Councillor Barker answered as follows.

“Yes it does. The financial uncertainty risk covers both national and local budget restraints which incorporate anything from an economic/financial perspective and we look at all aspects of funding and financing within our mitigations e.g. budget setting, reports, review and risk analysis.”

Councillor Dewhirst asked a supplementary question:

“In which case, why is this issue mitigated to be the highest level of risk at Devon County Council and a low risk at Teignbridge?”

The Portfolio Holder advised that the financial responsibility between the two Authorities are significantly different.

Question 2

 “Can he please identify which of the ST02 Risks pertain to the risk to our local economy and the possibility of a new funding scheme for this Council area?”

The Answer was given by the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources, Councillor Barker

“We look at all aspects of our finances locally based on known factors and likely future ones. Significantly we look at all information which could impact locally as a result of national changes and any trends we can identify in terms of income received from all sources e.g. planning, rental income, leisure and car parking etc. With regard to a new funding scheme I am not sure there is a new scheme – just the one year pilot reverting back to the 50% retention scheme and some rebasing of the existing scheme in 2020-21. We are monitoring likely outcomes with experts in this field and maintaining sufficient earmarked reserves to cushion any adverse changes that may arise.”

Councillor Dewhirst asked, by way of a supplementary question, the risk to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.

There were no Notices of Motion.

To bring the Statement of Accounts 2017/18 including the Annual Governance Statement and letter of representation for approval, to bring the treasury management results 2017/18 to note, and for Council to note the Audit Findings Report from external auditors Grant Thornton and approve the actions arising from the action Plan.

Councillor Clarance, Chairman of the Audit Scrutiny Committee referred to the report circulated with the agenda. The Council’s accounts had received an ‘excellent rating’ from external audit.

Councillor Clarance proposed the approval of the recommendations as set out in the report circulated with the agenda. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Hockin.

Councillor Dewhirst thanked all those involved in producing the budget. He expressed concern at the level of debt which had increased from £415k to £547k at a time when other authority debts were being reduced.

The Leader of the Council emphasised that the Council tax had been increased just twice over the last eight years, which equated to a £10.00 increase per household, for the average Band D since 2011. In addition, grants from central government, which equated to £10 million in the previous administration, have eroded during the past eight years of the current administration, and would be zero this year. Taking these factors into account the Leader advised that the Council was on a firm footing for the future.

Cllr Barker, the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services added that the write off debt included debts from several previous years, and will vary from year to year. Such debt remained in the Council’s accounts to enable the debt to be recovered, and debtors traced if at all possible. The Council had robust accounting procedures in place and it was performing well.

In response to a query by Councillor Rollason regarding the processing of journals, the Section 151 Officer advised that External Audit had accepted and agreed the Council’s procedures and mitigations due to the nature of having a small Finance team.  

The vote was taken on the proposal above and it was carried by 22 votes for, 0 against and 10 abstentions.

Resolved

(a)   The 2017/18 Statement of Accounts including the Annual Governance Statement and letter of representation as recommended by the Audit Scrutiny Committee, as circulated, be approved.

(b)   The Treasury Management results for 2017/18 be noted.

(c)    The Audit Findings Report from Grant Thornton be noted and the actions arising from the action plan be approved.

Council is recommended to approve the following resolution:

That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule12A of the Act.

Resolved

That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule12A of the Act.

Consideration was given to the report circulated with the agenda, which set out the requirements under the Localism Act 2011 for the Council to appoint an Independent Person to assist the Council in promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct. The Council currently had one Independent Person but it was desirable to appoint a second Independent Person and a co-opted Independent Person to the Standards Committee. Without the additional appointment the workload of the current Independent Person could increase to an unsustainable level. The overall cost to the Council shall not increase as a direct consequence of these appointments.

It was noted that the remuneration rate recommended in the report would be considered by the Independent Remuneration Panel as part of the current review of Members Allowances.

Councillor Dennis advised that he and Councillor Prowse supported the appointments and would meet the appointees along with the other members of the Standards Committee.

It was proposed by Councillor Dennis, seconded by Councillor Hockin and carried by a unanimous vote, that

Resolved

a)  Ms Amanda Smith be appointed as an Independent Person for a period of

     four years.

b)  Ms Janette Bird be appointed as an Independent Co-opted Member of the     Standards Committee for a period of years.

c)  Both appointments be remunerated at the rate of £50 per half-day or £100

     per full-day.

“That the Common Seal of the Council be affixed to any document or documents necessary to give effect to the resolutions passed by the Council at this meeting.”

The Chairman announced that the Common Seal of the Council be affixed to any document or documents necessary to give effect to the resolutions passed by the Council at this meeting.