Agenda and minutes

The Retiring Chair: welcomed Cllr Horner to the Council, elected in the recent by-election for Teignmouth West ward; thanked Cllrs for the opportunity to serve as the Council’s Chair for the last 12 months; and referred to the welcome she had received from residents, and the events she had attended. The Chair’s own hosted event International Day of Happiness to unite people had highlighted shared values across the population. The event was well received and met the aim. It was attended by the High Sheriff of Devon and other Devon Mayors and Chairs, all of whom gave positive feedback on the successful of the event. Other events that the Chair had attended over the year included the 80^th anniversary of VE Day, and meeting families of those who had lost their lives.

The Retiring Chair thanked the senior leadership team and all staff who had supported her over the year, and all staff who she found are dedicated in supporting Teignbridge’s residents, particularly the vulnerable, visitors and businesses.

The Leader proposed that Cllr Steemson be elected Chair of the Council for the 2025/26 municipal year. This was seconded by the Deputy Leader and

RESOLVED

Cllr Steemson be elected Chair of the Council for the 2025/26 municipal year.

The Chair read and signed the Declaration of Office in the presence of the Managing Director.

The Leader proposed that Cllr Major be elected Vice-Chair of the Council for the 2025/26 municipal year.  This was seconded by the Deputy Leader and

RESOLVED

Cllr Major be elected Vice-Chair of the Council for the 2025/26 municipal year. 

The Vice-Chair read and signed the Declaration of Office in the presence of the Managing Director.

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2025

It was proposed by the Leader, seconded by the Deputy Leader and

RESOLVED

The Minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2025 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

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

The Chair thanked Cllrs for his appointment and the opportunity to lead the Council to do its best for local communities and residents.

The Leader announced the following:

·       Local Government reorganisation The Government has advised in its recent letter on the interim plan that it welcomes how councils have come together to share proposals. It requested that Councils look at: effective collaboration between all councils, to build strong relationships, agree ways of working and effective data sharing so that final proposals use same assumptions and data sets.

Work would continue at pace working with the new administration at Devon County Council to provide the Government with final proposals detailing how the data and evidence will support all the outcomes and assessment criteria.

·         Teignmouth Hospital The Government’s final decision was disappointing.

The Council was working with Teignmouth NHS practices to secure a site for approval.

·         He would be proposing Chairs, Vice Chairs of committees and positions on outside organisations during the meeting. He would be proposing that the joint opposition take the roles of Chair and Vice Chair of Overview and Scrutiny committee that scrutinises and challenges the Executive administration.  

The Managing Director referred to Councillor local government reorganisation workshops to be arranged and which the Director of Place, Economy and Assets would be leading on.

None.

Report to follow

The Chair advised that in accordance with Section 3 of the Constitution paragraph 3.3.2 (d) Full Council today would appoint committee membership including the chairs and vice chairs of committees.

The Chair also referred to additional papers that had been tabled:

1.       Detailing an alternative option for paragraph 3.1 of the circulated agenda report, which allocated the two remaining seats to the Liberal Democrats: 1 seat each on Planning and Licensing and Regulatory Committees.

The circulated agenda report detailed two unallocated seats from the calculation of committee seats in accordance with political representation, and an option as to where these unallocated seats could be allocated. 

2.       Detailing the committee membership nominations from Group Leaders including Chairs and Vice Chairs as follows:

·     Planning Committee- Chair Cllr Sanders, Vice-Chair Cllr Cox

·     Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Chair Cllr Bullivant,

                                                           Vice-Chair Cllr Thorne

·     Licensing and Regulatory Committee - Chair Cllr Hayes

                                                                     Vice-Chair Cllr Rollason

·     Audit Scrutiny Committee- Chair Cllr Morgan, Vice-Chair Cllr Steemson

·     Standards Committee – Chair Cllr Nuttall, Vice-Chair Cllr Bullivant

It was proposed by the Leader and seconded by the Deputy Leader that the alternative option as tabled at the meeting for the allocation of seats be approved which allocated the two remaining seats to the Liberal Democrats: one seat each on Planning and Licensing and Regulatory Committees.

An amendment was proposed by Cllr Clarance and seconded by Cllr Macgregor that both the Planning, and Licensing and Regulatory Committees both be increased from 11 to 13 seats.

The Managing Director explained the calculations of the political representation and allocation of seats which had resulted in 2 unallocated seats.

At this juncture the meeting adjourned to enable calculation of seats for the scenario of the Planning, and Licensing and Regulatory Committees being increased from 11 to 13 seats.

On reconvening the Managing Director advised on the recalculations.

A vote was taken on the amendment that both the Planning and Licensing and Regulatory Committees be increased from 11 to 13 seats. This was LOST by 13 votes for and the majority against.

The vote was then taken on the original proposal that the alternative option as tabled at the meeting for the allocation of seats be approved which allocated the two remaining seats to the Liberal Democrats: one seat each on Planning, and Licensing and Regulatory Committees. This was CARRIED by 22 votes for, 16 against and 3 abstentions.

RESOLVED

1.          The seat allocations as set out at paragraph 3.1. of the alternative option circulated at the meeting be approved 

2.          Councillors be appointed to the committees and chair and vice-chair positions as set out above, as circulated at the meeting,

3.          Group Leaders be required to advise the Democratic Services Team Leader of any changes to committee membership during the current administration within 24 hours of the change occurring.

4.          Give effect to the appointment of individual members as proposed by the Group Leaders.

Consideration was given to the agenda report on proposed amendments to the Constitution which had resulted in the culmination of a collaborative approach undertaken by a cross-party working group facilitated by CFGS. 

It was proposed by Councillor J Taylor and seconded by Councillor Macgregor that the matter be deferred until the working group have signed off the changes.

It was noted that the proposed changes were those discussed and agreed by the working group and would have been fed-back from the working group members to their political groups.

The working group consisted of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Council, the Leader and Deputy Leader, the Group Leaders, representatives of the political groups and an Independent Non-Aligned member.

A vote was taken on the proposal as set out above. This was LOST by 10 votes for, 26 against and 4 abstentions.

The Deputy Leader proposed that the recommendations as set out in the agenda report be approved.  This was seconded by the Leader and was CARRIED by a majority vote for and 2 abstentions. 

RESOLVED

The proposed changes to the Constitution as set out as attached appendices to the agenda report as follows be approved.

a)          Questions requiring notice (Paragraph 4.7.3.) Appendix 1

b)          Motions on Notice (Paragraph 4.9) Appendix 2   

c)          Extraordinary General Meetings (Paragraph 4.3.3) Appendix 3

d)          Amendments to Motions (Paragraph 4.8.6) Appendix 4

e)          Motions without notice (Paragraph 4.10) Appendix 5

Councillor Sanders, the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny (OS) Committee 2023-2025 presented the OS Annual Report covering the two years 2023-2025, which summarised the work of the Committee, achievements, successes, changes and improvements brought about to Council services by the OS role. Councillor Sanders referred to the focused positive engagement by Members, OS and the Executive working together, the scrutiny achievements and changes made. Looking forward, the OS role could continue to grow and deliver more improvements to efficiency and effectiveness for the Council while safeguarding its financial security and driving improvement in public services for the community.

Several task and finish groups, and review groups had been established to scrutinise issues and bring about changes and improvements to services, particularly that of the Medium-Term Financial Plan Review Group which was ongoing. This group scrutinised finance from the issue-based perspective and enabled the Council to make savings for the 2025/26 and ongoing budgets. This group would continue to scrutinise the Council’s finances during the Council’s current administration. 

Councillor Sanders thanked all Councillors, Officers, representatives of partner authorities and outside organisations, witnesses and members of the public who had engaged with OS, whose contributions towards the work of OS was essential and appreciated.

The meeting expressed appreciation and thanks to Councillor Sanders for the time and effort invested in driving forward the scrutiny function of the Council and making improvements over the past two years.

The Executive Member for Economy, Estates and Major Projects, Councillor Palethorpe referred to the agenda report to approve the development and implementation of the Teignbridge District Council Projects Proposal for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) 2025-26 Investment Plan, and the success of projects supported by the fund in the past.

Previously, UKSPF 2022-25 and the associated Rural England Prosperity Fund 2023-25 has been provided directly to district councils.  The UKSPF 2025-26 is being provided to the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (DTCCA).  It is a transitional grant scheme, representing a further allocation of £900 million across the UK for local investment funding.

It was proposed by Councillor Palethorpe and seconded by the Leader that the recommendation as set out in the agenda report be approved. 

RESOLVED

1.       The Teignbridge District Council Projects Proposal for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) 2025-26 Investment Plan that reflects the interventions identified at Section 3 of the agenda report be approved.

2.       Authority be delegated to the Director of Place, to implement the Teignbridge District Council Projects Proposal for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) 2025-26 Investment Plan upon it being approved by Government.

At this juncture the meeting adjourned for a short comfort break.

The following Councillors left the meeting: Councillors Daws, Gearon, Hall, James,, Mullone, Purser and Sanders.

Report to follow

Consideration was given to the agenda report which sought approval for the Constitution of the Team Devon Joint Committee, to formalise working arrangements for all Devon councils working together.

RESOLVED

1.       The Council enters into and accepts the Constitution of the Team Devon Joint Committee attached to the agenda report as Appendix 1.

2.       The Leader of the Council be appointed as the Council’s representative on the Team Devon Joint Committee.

3.       The Deputy Leader of the Council be appointed as the substitute for the Leader on the Team Devon Joint Committee when the Leader is unavailable.

Report to follow

The Chair referred to an updated list of outside organisation nominations which included Team Devon Joint Committee (Minute 117 above refers) circulated at the meeting.

RESOLVED

1.  The circulated revised list of representations on outside organisations be approved.

2.  The Democratic Services Team Leader be authorised to make the appointments, and variations to the appointments, to the list of Outside Organisations (external organisations) for the duration of the current Council Administration, following notification of nomination and agreement from the Group Leaders.

The list of appointed representatives can be found at the link: Outside bodies - Teignbridge District Council

Report on the structural works at the Council’s waste transfer station to meet waste permit and future recycling needs

The Executive Member for Environmental services presented the agenda report which sought approval to procure infrastructure works at the Council’s Waste Transfer Station, necessary to comply with new legislative requirements.

Cllr Williams proposed that the recommendations as set out in the agenda report be approved. This was seconded by the Leader.

In response to a question from Cllr Bullivant regarding the timeframe of this request given the pending Local Government Reorganisation, the Head of Environmental Services referred to paragraph 3 of the agenda report relating to timeframes and the need to address the issue to comply with new legislative requirements.

It was proposed and seconded that the meeting move into Part 2 as set out on the agenda to discuss cost implications. This was CARRIED.

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 item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Webcasting of the meeting was paused for the duration of the Part 2 discussions.

The meeting returned to Part 1 of the agenda for the decision to be made in the public forum and the webcasting of the meeting resumed.

A vote was taken on the proposal above that the recommendation as set out in the report be approved. This was CARRIED.

RESOLVED

1.   The budget be approved to fund the project works required as detailed in the Part 2 section of the agenda report. 

2.   Delegated authority be granted to the Head of Environmental Services.to award contracts for the related building and recycling infrastructure works, following appropriate procurement processes.