Agenda and minutes

Nominations were sought for the position of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Devon Building Control Partnership for the period 2018/19.

Councillor Hilary Bastone proposed Councillor Terry Pearce (West Devon Borough Council) be elected Chairman of the Devon Building Control Partnership for the ensuing Municipal Year. This was seconded by Councillor Dennis Smith.

Councillor Humphrey Clemens proposed that Councillor Dennis Smith (Teignbridge District Council) be elected Vice Chairman of the Devon Building Control Partnership Committee for the ensuing Municipal Year. This was seconded by Councillor Hilary Bastone.

Resolved - Councillor Terry Pearce and Councillor Dennis Smith be elected Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively, of the Devon Building Control Partnership Committee for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 April 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 April 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillor Smith declared a personal interest in respect of Minute 11, as he was known to the member of staff in a personal capacity. He withdrew from the room whilst this matter was discussed.

There were no matters of urgency, but the Chairman welcomed Councillor Rob Steer to his first meeting of the Devon Building Control Partnership Committee.

To consider the report of the Head of Partnership.

The Head of Building Control Partnership presented the annual report which detailed and highlighted the financial performance and business activity of the Partnership for the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. He advised that the Partnership had successfully delivered the building control service across South Hams and Teignbridge District Councils and West Devon Borough Council. The report also incorporated an update on the success of the first year of hosting under the new agreement, with information on the staff and services offered. He also referred to the appointment of an Apprentice Surveyor, and a temporary position offered in the Technical Support team, which had both proved to be very successful appointments with a significant impact on the overall team. In addition, the implementation of the ‘One Teignbridge’ Project would hopefully reduce an element of the burden on the team, with a review of the partnership, which was due to take place at the start of 2019.

Despite ongoing discussion and after a great deal of negotiation with Torbay Council, it had not been possible to agree a Service Level Agreement to potentially provide a Building Control function due to the financial constraints of each Council involved. The Head of Partnership advised that he would continue to meet with colleagues from Torbay Council to discuss future opportunities to work together for the mutual financial benefit of all parties.

Resolved – The report and circulated appendices be noted.

To consider the report of the Head of Partnership.

The Head of Partnership presented the report, which provided an update on the financial performance of the Devon Building Control Partnership for the financial period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018.  He provided a comparison between the 2016/17 and 2017/18 actual accounts and confirmed that a copy of the accounts was included on the Teignbridge District Council web site, as the host of the DBCP. He outlined the arrangements for each of the budgets and responded to a Member relating to employee costs. 

Resolved - The report be noted.

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 paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule12A of the Act.

The Chairman moved the following resolution:

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 paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To consider the report of the Head of Partnership.

The Head of Partnership presented the Annual Report which detailed and highlighted the business activity of the DBCP. 

Resolved – The report and circulated appendices be noted.

To consider the report of the Head of Partnership.

The Head of Partnership presented an update on the financial performance of the Partnership.

Members thanked the Accountancy team for their excellent support and the Chairman also wished to thank the dedicated effort of the Building Control team.

Resolved - The report be noted.

To consider the report of the Head of Partnership.

The Head of Partnership presented detail of the operational report which monitored the performance, service delivery, development and action plans of the Partnership for the period from 1 April 2018 to 30 June 2018.

Resolved - The report be noted.

To consider the report of the Managing Director.

Councillor Smith declared a personal interest in this matter as he was known to the member of staff.

The Head of Partnership and colleagues from Building Control withdrew from the meeting whilst this matter was discussed.

Resolved - Members voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations set out in the report.