Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Forde House, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4XX. View directions

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Councillor Huw Cox

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair referred to the very sad passing of Councillor Huw Cox Ashburton and Buckfastleigh Ward Councillor and Executive Member for Business and the Teignbridge 100 housing programme, and who was previously the Chair of our Overview and Scrutiny.

 

The meeting stood for a minute’s silence and the Council’s flag was flown at half mask as a mark of respect.

 

The Leader,  group leaders and fellow ward members paid tribute on behalf of all Councillors, to a respected colleague who would be sadly missed.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 92 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was proposed by the Leader and seconded by Cllr Keeling that the minutes of the meeting 28 November 2023 be approved.

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of 23 November were approved signed as a correct record by the Chair.

 

 

3.

Announcements

Announcements only from the Chair of Council, Leader, Members of the Executive or the Managing Director.

 

The Leader had advised that Cllr Williams had replaced Cllr Palethorpe on Overview & Scrutiny Committee (1), Cllr Swain had replaced Cllr Palethorpe relaced Cllr Palethorpe on Overview & Scrutiny Committee (2) and Cllr Jeffries has replaced Cllr Sanders on Audit Scrutiny Committee.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader updated Members on the recent Local Government Association Peer Challenge Review and thanked all who took part. The follow up detailed report would result in an action plan to improve the work of the Council.

 

The Chair advised of the civic events he had attended which included an event which raised funds for Devon Air Ambulance.

 

The Vice Chair referred to a demonstration against the closure of Teignmouth hospital on 24 January 2024 at 1.30pm at Devon County Council offices main entrance.

 

 

4.

Declarations of interest (if any)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cllr Daws declared an interest in Minute 9 future high street fund, by virtue of his position as Director of a non-profit community benefit interest society set up to preserve the Alexander Theatre, and advised he would take part in the agenda item.

 

 

 

 

5.

Public Questions

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

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.

6.

Recommendation from Audit Scrutiny - Appointment of an Independent Member to serve on Audit Scrutiny Committee

To consider the recommendation of  Audit Scrutiny Committee on 13th December, 2023,

 

RECOMMENDED that Full Council appoint an independent member to serve on the Audit Scrutiny Committee.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The recommendation was proposed by the Chair of Audit Scrutiny Committee, seconded by the Executive Member for corporate resources and carried unanimously.

 

RESOLVED to appoint an independent member to serve on the Audit Scrutiny Committee.

 

7.

Council Tax Base 24/25 pdf icon PDF 76 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Corporate Resources presented the report to approve the Council Tax base and thanked the Chief Financial Officer and his team for their work. He proposed the recommendation. This was seconded by the Leader and carried.

 

RESOLVED that the council tax base of 50,939 for 2024/25 be approved.

 

8.

Recommendation from Executive - Council Tax Reduction Scheme

To consider the recommendation of Executive on 4th January, 2024,

RECOMMENDED to Council that the Tax Reduction Scheme (attached as Appendix A) be adopted for the year 2024-25 with the income bands uprated in line with the annual uprating in primary welfare benefits.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was proposed by the Executive Member for Corporate Services and seconded by the Leader that the recommendation be approved. This was carried unanimously.

 

The Executive Member for Corporate Services thanked the Service Lead for Revenue, Benefits and Customer Support and the team for their work on putting together the scheme.

 

RESOLVED that the Tax Reduction Scheme (attached as Appendix A to the Executive agenda report 4 January 2024) be adopted for the year 2024-25 with the income bands uprated in line with the annual uprating in primary welfare benefits.

 

9.

Carer Leavers Policy pdf icon PDF 87 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was proposed by the Leader, seconded by the Executive Member for Corporate Services and carried unanimously.

 

RESOLVED to adopt the Support for Care Leaver Policy attached as Appendix C, which incorporates a council tax discount, free membership to our leisure centres, and work experience opportunities.

 

10.

Future High Street Fund - project adjustment pdf icon PDF 168 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The meeting referred to the agenda report.

 

The Leader proposed an amendment to the recommendations set out at in the report at agenda page 43 to delete recommendation (2), and to replace the Executive Member for estates, assets, and parking with the Leader at recommendation (3).

 

The Executive Member for Planning seconded the proposal.

 

An amendment was proposed by Cllr Bullivant and seconded by Cllr Peart that the requirements of the proposal are delivered in accordance with the plans, delegation is authorised to officers to deliver the requirements and the Council is kept informed on progress.

 

It was proposed and seconded that the meeting moves into private session to enable the Monitoring Officer to give advice.

 

RESOLVED that, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds of the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

The meeting returned to public session.

 

A vote was taken on the amendment and was lost.

 

A vote was taken on the proposal and was carried.

 

RESOLVED to

(1)   Approve the submission of a Project Adjustment Request to Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) removing the cinema project, amending the Market Hall project and increasing the contingency for the Queen Street project.

 

(2)   Delegate authority to the Head of Place and Commercial Services (in consultation with the Leader and Chief Finance Officer regarding finalising the development details and prepare planning applications in line with the budget set out in Appendix 2 and timescales set out in Appendix 3 to this report) to take such other action as is necessary to implement the approved redevelopment of the Market Hall to which the approved funding scheme relates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11.

Recommendation from Overview and Scrutiny Committee (2) 12 December 2023 Future High street fund

To consider the recommendation of Overview and Scrutiny Committee Tuesday, 12th December, 2023, to refer the call-in of the Executive resolution/recommendation as below as it is a matter of significant importance for the whole district.:-

 

RESOLVED to approve:-

 

1) To progress to submit a planning application for the demolition part that was previously within the cinema planning application for the structure between the Alexandra Theatre and the Market Hall excluding the Shauls Bakery and New Look buildings;

2) The Executive puts forward up to £70,000 of the Executive budget towards investigating the options as described in sections 5.5.1 and 5.5.3 of the circulated report combined comprising a whole building solution with the restoration of the Alexandra Theatre and the refurbishment of the Market Hall side of the building;

 

and RECOMMENDED to Full Council:-

 

3) To look at the output of the above and to determine the future direction and to make the final decision on where this project goes.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2, Cllr Sanders confirmed that the matter of the call-in relating to the future high street fund had intended to be dealt with at Minute 10 above.

 

Cllr Sanders proposed that delegated authority be given to the Leader and Executive Members to fulfil their roles as is necessary to implement the approved redevelopment of the Market Hall to which the approved funding scheme relates. This was seconded by the Executive Member for Estates, Assets and Parking.

 

It was proposed and seconded that the meeting moves into private session to enable the Monitoring Officer to give advice.

 

RESOLVED that, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds of the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

The meeting returned to public session.

 

A vote was taken on the proposal and carried.

 

RESOLVED that delegated authority be given to the Leader and Executive Members to fulfil their roles as is necessary to implement the approved redevelopment of the Market Hall to which the approved funding scheme relates.

 

 

 

 

12.

Notices of Motion

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.

 

Motion 1

 

The following motion on constitutional requirements and decision making has been presented by Cllr P Parker and supported by Cllrs Macgregor, Radford, Hall, J Taylor, Bradford,

 

Following the meeting of O&S 2 on December 12th to call in the decision relating to the FHSF and finding that the Councils procedures and constitution requirements had not been followed and carried out with proper authority. 

Plus other instances where last minute amendments, decisions are introduced without involving leaders of other groups or officers. 

 

At the O&S 2 meeting on the 12th of December, I believe all members present accepted that the last minute amendments may not have been done with proper authority. 

 

The notice of motion I would like to propose would be

 

Any amendments to the agenda on a full council meeting need to be notified by 12 o’clock on the previous day to allow officers and members time to prepare their responses. 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cllr P Parker presented the motion that:

Any amendments to the agenda on a full council meeting need to be notified by 12 o’clock on the previous day to allow officers and members time to prepare their responses. 

 

Two-thirds of Members present did not agree to debate the matter and therefore the matter was referred to the Procedures Committee.

 

13.

Councillor Questions

Members of the Council may ask questions of the Council subject to procedural rules.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.