Agenda and minutes

Venue: Buckland Athletic Football Club, Kingskerswell Rd, Newton Abbot, TQ12 5JUX

Contact: Email: comsec@teignbridge.gov.uk  Email: comsec@teignbridge.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

114.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 187 KB

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 12 July 2022

Minutes:

It was proposed by Councillor H Cox, seconded by Councillor Jenks and

 

RESOLVED  The Minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

115.

Declaration of Interest

Minutes:

None.

116.

Public Questions

Members of the Public may ask questions of the Chair. A maximum period of 15 minutes will be allowed with a maximum of period of three minutes per questioner.

Minutes:

None.

117.

Councillor Questions

Minutes:

None.

118.

Executive Forward Plan

To note forthcoming decisions anticipated to be made bythe Executive over the next 12 months. The Executive Forward Plan can be found here. 

Minutes:

The Executive Forward plan listing items to be considered by the Executive over the next few months, including to which overview and scrutiny remit each issue fell, was noted.

119.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 135 KB

To review the Committee’s work programme.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee’s work programme as circulated with the agenda was noted,

The Chair reported that: the climate action plan update would not be a separate item for the 10 January 2023 meeting because it would be covered in the Climate Change Executive Member’s biannual update; and the annual report of the community safety partnership was added to the 2 February 2023meeting.

120.

The Councils response to the Cost of Living Crisis pdf icon PDF 656 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee referred to the agenda report which detailed work being undertaken by the Council in response to the crises.

 

The Executive Member for Communities, Housing, IT and Cost of Living Crises, and the Housing Needs Lead summaries key work by the Council which included:

 

·      The development of a cost of living dashboard providing an overview of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis in Teignbridge including key insights into the types of issues driving the impact. External agencies can use the information, updated monthly, to target support effectively and also to use the intelligence when seeking to attract external funding to support economically vulnerable residents. The dashboard was divided into four key areas: Economy, Fuel and Food Poverty, Housing and Homelessness, and Revenue and Benefits information.

 

·      The Cost-of-Living Forum – Together for Teignbridge The forum included representatives from across the statutory and voluntary sector, including Teignbridge District Council, DWP, Citizens Advice Teignbridge (CAB), food banks and larders, town and parish councils, and local welfare and action charities. The purpose of the forum was to gather insight and data from across the sector which could shape future support and direct residents through to the right organisations. Another important factor raised was the need to tackle the stigma of asking for help and signposting to the right support, especially for people who have never previously needed it.

 

·      Recruitment of a Community and Voluntary Sector ‘Connector’

Using monies provided to the Council under the Household Support Fund funding stream, the Council would be commissioning Teignbridge CVS to recruit a 12-month fixed term post. The post-holder would be based at the Council offices and tasked with referring customers on to support, advocacy and advisory services.

 

The Committee and the Executive Member for Communities, Housing, IT and Cost of Living Crises commended the work and all officers involved. 

 

RESOLVED

The Council’s response to the Cost of Living Crises as outline in the agenda report be noted and supported.

121.

Voluntary Sector Funding and Grants Voluntary Sector Funding and Grants pdf icon PDF 934 KB

Minutes:

The Chair referred to the agenda report which detailed funding available to the community and voluntary sector.

 

The Executive Member for Communities, Housing, IT and Cost of Living Crises, and the Head of Community Services and Improvement reported on the different pots of funding for the voluntary and community sector.

 

The recently launched monthly Council lottery was proving successful and provided an additional source of funding for this sector. In response to a question regarding credit cards not being a payment method to purchase lottery tickets, it was noted that this was to reduce the risk of gambling with unlimited expenditure on credit cards.

 

RECOMMEDED that the Council considers the following as part of the 2023/24 budget process:

1.  That the council retains equivalent funding as 2022/23 provided to the voluntary and community sector for 2023/24 in relation to CVS, CAB and Community Transport associations.

2.  That the Councillors Community fund be halved for 2023/24 and that an officer report be prepared on alternative uses of the remaining 50% of the fund, for consideration by the new Council following the elections in May 2023.

 

RESOLVED

That a review of all discretionary business rates relief be undertaken by the new Council following the elections in May 2023.

122.

Executive Member biannual update - Councillor Dewhirst (Recycling, Household Waste & Environmental Health)

Minutes:

Councillor Dewhirst, the Executive Member for environmental health, waste and recycling updated the committee on progress of services within his portfolio. The update included the following:

·         The temporary loss of recycling bank sites at B&Q and Tescos and the challenge of finding alternative temporary sites.

·         Recruitment issues for operational staff. Drivers’ salaries were increased December 2022. Garden waste collection service increased to £55 per annum to part offset the increase.

·         Tidy Teignbridge clean up fund had benefitted 14 Town and Parish councils in 2022 and enhanced local area cleaning activities.

·         All information about services over the Christmas period was on the Council’s website, including revised collection dates, and processes that can be completed on line.  

·         The devastation and challenge of avian flu.

·         Decarbonisation construction works on Teignbridge assets.

·         The successful prosecution of a fly-tipper to the tune of £1,500 fine.

·         Increased electric vehicle charging points in Council car parks at Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton abbot and the council offices.

 

 

123.

Executive Member biannual update - the Leader Councillor Connett (Strategic Direction)

Minutes:

The Chair reported that this item would be deferred until the next meeting on 10 January 2023.

124.

Car Parks Plan Task and Finish Group - update from the group

Minutes:

The Chair reported that the task and finish group had completed its work and a report of the review group would be presented to both OS2 and OS1 Committees for consideration as set out in the group’s terms of reference, approved by OS2 on 26 April 2022.

125.

Council Strategy Q1 and 2 performance monitoring reports pdf icon PDF 334 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair referred to the agenda reports covering the period April to  September 2022 which updated performance of the Council’s Strategy 2020- 2030 T10 priorities, under the auspices of the Committee.

 

Details of the programmes, projects and performance indicators with a concern or caution status together with an explanation of the performance and improvement plan was detailed in the appendices of the agenda report.

 

In relation to the concern items for additional homes provided, including self  build, affordable housing and wheel chair accessibility the Committee were referred to the officers’ comments in the agenda report appendix. It was noted that: the target figures would be in need of review following the Government’s recent announcement regarding proposed changes to housebuilding targets; and a further 24 dwellings were being progressed as part of the Council’s Teignbridge 100 provision.

 

RESOLVED

The reports for Q1 and 2 be received and actions being taken to rectify performance issues detailed in the agenda report appendix be noted.