Agenda and minutes

In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman chaired the meeting.

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the Annual Council meeting held on 14 May 2018.

The Minutes of the Annual Council meeting held 14 May 2018 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman advised that the funeral of former Councillor Patricia Wills would be at 2.00 p.m., Friday 8 June 2018 at Ugbrook. Patricia Wills had served as a Teignbridge District Councillor from 1973 until 1995.

Councillor Cox declared an Appendix B interest in relation to Minute 34 below, Crowdfund Devon Partnership, by virtue of his position with the CVS. He spoke but did not vote on the item. Councillor Dewhirst declared an Appendix B interest in relation to Agenda item 8, Crowdfund Devon Partnership, and spoke but did not vote on the item.

There were no public questions under Council Procedure Rule 4.5(j).

There were no councillor questions under Council Procedure Rule 4.5(k).

There were no Notices of Motion under Council Procedure Rule 4.5(l).

The Portfolio Holder for Community Neigbourhoods referred to the report circulated with the agenda.  Fellow Councillors had raised queries regarding the Crowdfund Partnership and the pilot project since the report’s publication.

The Business Improvement and Development Team Leader and the Community Projects Officer gave a presentation on Crowdfund Devon. 

Crowdfunding is now a well-established and utilised tool that allows communities and organisations to promote and publish local innovation, ideas, solutions, infrastructure and events that need funding digitally via the internet. The digital platform allows potential funders to access and review project proposals and then should they choose to, provide funding. Crowdfunding is open to private funders at a local level with a small amount to donate and to local businesses, but also open to large funding bodies and multinational organisations. As a member of the Crowdfund Partnership and funder, the Council would decide its internal approval process so that decisions to pledge on a project can be made within limited time frames.

Membership of the Partnership and the allocation of £20,000 available from existing budgets, would enable the Council to fund a number of local projects during the one year pilot project. The average pledge would be £2,500 per project, which would enable the Council to assist eight local projects during the one year pilot project, by pump priming donations from other organisations. Partners of the CrowdfundDevon Partnership included other Devon District Councils, Devon County Council and Devon and Cornwall Police.

Members considered additional information was required to enable full consideration of the matter, to include: details of the fees to applicants of a crowd funding application; how much other Councils would be putting into the Devon pilot for pledges; is Crowndfunding part of a project’s matched funding or total funding; the process and who would have the delegated powers to decide and deliver the amount of crowdfunding to any one project; would the Partnership be administered in-house or by a third party; and how the Partnership meets the Council’s T10 Strategies.

The Business Improvement and Development Team Leader advised that the Partnership would be administered by Crowdfund UK and administration costs would be built into pledged funds.

The scheme would enable communities to harness and deliver their aspirations.

It was proposed by Councillor Goodey, seconded by the Leader and

Resolved

That the matter be deferred for further information and referred to the Executive for consideration.

The Council is recommended to approve the following resolution:

That under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 that press and public be excluded from the meeting of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of part 1 of schedule 12 A of the Act.

Resolved

That under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 5 of part 1 of schedule 12 A of the Act.

Report to follow.

Consideration was given to the report circulated at the meeting on recommendations from the Council’s Appointments and Remuneration Committee held on 14 May 2018.

At this juncture Council adjourned to enable Councillors to read the report and discuss with respective Group Leaders.

On reconvening Members further discussed the report, and the Managing Director, Leader of the Council and Chief Finance Officer advised on issues raised by Councillors.

It was proposed by Councillor Christophers the Leader of the Council, seconded by Councillor Barker and

Resolved

That the recommendations of the report be approved, and the Managing Director be granted delegated powers in consultation with the Appointments and Remuneration Committee to implement the details of the approved report.

“That the Common Seal of the Council be affixed to any document or documents necessary to give effect to the resolutions passed by the Council at this meeting.”

The Common Seal of the Council be affixed any document or documents necessary to give effect to the resolutions passed by the Council at this meeting.