Notice of Motion’s shall be referred to the appropriate Committee meeting. The mover of the motion can outline the proposal and then it will stand adjourned. The motion may be debated to assist debate later if agreed by two-thirds of Council Members.
Notice of Motion 1
The following motion on protection of Rail Ticket Offices has been presented by Deputy Leader & Executive Member for Corporate Services and supported by the Leader, Cllr Nutley, Cllr G Taylor, Cllr Hayes, Cllr Henderson, Cllr Dawson, Cllr Sanders, Cllr C Parker, Cllr Nuttall, Cllr Hook, Cllr Parrott, Cllr Palethorpe and Cllr Farrand-Rogers
CALL TO PROTECT RAIL TICKET OFFICES ACROSS DEVON
Council notes with concern the announcement by the Rail Delivery Group that train companies are pressing ahead with plans to close up to 1000 rail ticket offices across England over the next 3 years.
Council believes that ticket offices provide a vital service to residents in Teignbridge. Having a clearly sign-posted place in the station for people with ticket enquiries provides certainty and confidence for customers who may struggle to otherwise locate station staff.
Not all residents are able to use station ticket machines or have the means to book a ticket in advance. Complicated journeys involving connections are likely to require human assistance to ensure customers purchase the most appropriate and cheapest tickets, and do not incur penalties or pay more than necessary for their journey.
Council is concerned the closure of ticket offices will disproportionately affect elderly and disabled residents in Teignbridge – as well as those with poor literacy and IT skills.
Council notes the statistics from Age UK that 3 million elderly people in the UK do not have access to the internet, and statistics from the Royal National Institute for Blind People that only 3% of those with partial or full sight loss feel able to use ticket machines.
Council is also concerned about the possible implications for current station staff and the concerns that have been raised over possible staff redundancies – given that there will be no regulations for minimum staffing levels at stations and on platforms.
Council therefore resolves to:
Notice of Motion 2
The following motion on the Future High Street Fund Delegation has been presented by the Leader and supported by Cllr Keeling, Cllr G Taylor, Cllr Hayes, Cllr Henderson, Cllr Nutley, Cllr Sanders, Cllr C Parker, Cllr Nuttall, Cllr Parrott and Cllr Palethorpe.
The Future High Street Fund consists of four projects: Queen Street, National Cycle Route 2 improvements, Cinema and Market Hall.
While the Queen Street and the Cycle route improvement projects are progressing through Devon County, progress to date on the Market Hall regeneration and the cinema project has missed significant milestones from the project plans published 17th November 2022.
These projects have a deadline for spending the FHSF money of March 2024. These projects also include a substantial amount of TDC capital funding.
Progress on the Market Hall regeneration and the Cinema has been disappointingly slow for a variety of reasons. It is likely that changes to these projects may be required due to cost inflation and economic changes since 2019 and the delays since November 2022.
In previous meetings of Teignbridge District Council delegation was given to proceed with the work around the Market Hall, the Alexandra Theatre building and the new cinema project without any specified milestones or checkpoints to come back for further authority to proceed.
The council is concerned that the projects are progressing without detailed oversight or co-development and co-delivery. The Cinema has yet to obtain planning permission after nearly four years of the project. The Market Hall programme has missed many milestones specified in the November 17th project plan.
It is proposed that the council rescind all delegation of authority for the Future High Street Fund projects excluding Queen St and the Cycle route improvements.
This delegated authority is to be replaced with staged delegations based on the project plans. Milestones achieved or missed and permission to proceed to a next milestone to be overseen by the Executive Committee and reported back to full council.
Milestones (or checkpoints) in a project are key decision points, such as interior design (outline or detailed), instructions or briefs to external parties, submission of planning requests, agreement with any external agency, Government or similar.
It is not the intention to stop the work, but to deliver the projects in a timely manner.
Notice of Motion 3
The following motion on a Single Overview and Scrutiny Committee has been presented by the Leader and supported by the Cllr Keeling, Cllr G Taylor, Cllr Hayes, Cllr Henderson, Cllr Nutley, Cllr Sanders, Cllr C Parker Cllr Nuttall, Cllr Parrott and Cllr Palethorpe.
It is proposed that the council revert from the two Overview and Scrutiny committees (1&2) back to having a single Overview and Scrutiny committee that covers all areas of the council’s business.
The change should be more efficient in terms of staff time and resources, with one workplan, one set of agendas and minutes. And thus save money.
This to be referred to the procedures committee for details.
Minutes:
Cllr James left before consideration of this item.
Motion 1
The Deputy Leader & Executive Member for Corporate Services presented the Notice of Motion on protection of Rail Ticket Offices. He proposed the recommendation and that the wording ‘instruct the Managing Director’ be changed to ‘request the Leader and the Chair’, this was seconded by the Leader.
Two-Thirds of the Council agreed that the item be debated at this meeting.
During discussion, Members asked that copy of the letters be send to the local Members of Parliament. This was agreed by the proposer and seconder of the recommendation
Cllr Bullivant proposed that the motion be put, this was seconded by Cllr MacGregor.
RESOLVED that the Council:-
(1) request the Leader and the Chair to write to Mark Harper MP Secretary of State for Transport, and the Chief Executive of the Rail Delivery Group, expressing Council’s opposition to the possible closure of staffed rail ticket offices – and in particular the offices across the Teignbridge District Council area (and copy in the Local Members of Parliament);
(2) request the Leader and the Chair to write to the rail operator(s) running local ticket offices in Teignbridge expressing the Council’s opposition to any plans to close the staffed ticket office in the district council(and copy in the Local Members of Parliament); and
(3) Refer this issue to Scrutiny with the recommendation that representatives from the relevant rail operator(s) are invited to attend a Scrutiny Meeting at the earliest possible point to discuss future plans for ticket offices and staffing in Teignbridge.
The vote was unanimous.
Motion 2
Cllr Goodman-Bradbury left before the vote on this item.
The Leader presented and proposed the motion on the Future High Street Fund Delegation, this was seconded by the Executive Member for Corporate Services.
Two-Thirds of the Council agreed that the item be debated at this meeting.
The Head of Place and Commercial Services advised that the current delays had been predominantly because of the Councils decision to remove the Alexandra Cinema from the scheme. He outlined the concerns regarding what constitutes a ‘key decision’ and that costs were monitored with monthly reports to Executive. He advised that based on the Notice of Motion there would be the need for a significant number of reports that would add time to the project which could result in the need to seek a further adjustment to the timeline with Government. Any delay could also result in increased costs to due to inflation.
RESOLVED that the council rescind all delegation of authority for the Future High Street Fund projects excluding Queen St and the Cycle route improvements. This delegated authority is to be replaced with staged delegations based on the project plans. Milestones achieved or missed and permission to proceed to a next milestone to be overseen by the Executive Committee and reported back to full council.
(Milestones (or checkpoints) in a project are key decision points, such as interior design (outline or detailed), instructions or briefs to external parties, submission of planning requests, agreement with any external agency, Government or similar)
Recorded vote under Procedure Rule 4.13.5
For: Cllrs Buscombe, H Cox, Daws, Dawson, Farrand-Rogers, Foden, Goodman-Bradbury, Hayes, Henderson, Hook, Jackman, Keeling, Morgan, Nutley, Nuttall, Palethorpe, C Parker, P Parker, Parrott, Radford, Rollason, Sanders, Steemson, Swain, G Taylor, Williams, Wrigley, D Cox Total 28
Against: Cllrs Atkins, Bullivant, Hall, Lake, MacGregor, Peart, Webster Total 7
Abstain Cllr Bradford, Jeffries, Palethorpe, Rogers, J Taylor, Clarance Total 6
Absent: Gearon, Goodman-Bradbury, James, Mullone, Purser, Thorne Total 6
The Leader presented his Notice of Motion to move to a Single Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
This was referred to the Procedures Committee.