Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual Meeting - Virtual Meeting. View directions

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

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 287 KB

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

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting on 23 November 2020 were approved as a correct record and would be signed at a later date.

 

2.

Announcements

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

 

Minutes:

The Chair informed Members that the Council had prioritised the use of Sherborne House in Newton Abbot for the National Health Services (NHS) to enable them to deliver their vaccination programme together with the use of Halcyon Road car park.

 

3.

Declarations of interest

Minutes:

None.

4.

Councillor Questions pdf icon PDF 47 KB

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

 

The deadline for questions is no later than three clear working days before the meeting.

 

Minutes:

Member’s questions and responses are attached to minutes.

 

The relevant Executive Member responded to the supplementary questions arising therefrom. See live stream of meeting.

 

5.

Office for National Statistics - Presentation pdf icon PDF 2 MB

A short presentation on the 2021 Census by Liza Oxford - the Office for National Statistics Census Engagement Manager for Teignbridge.

 

Minutes:

Liza Oxford (Engagement Manager) from the Office for National Statistics Census gave a presentation on the 2021 Census and answered questions from Members (presentation attached to minutes).

 

The Chair thanked Lisa Oxford for the presentation.

 

6.

Council Tax Base 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 117 KB

To consider the Council Tax Base for 2021/22.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was proposed by the Executive Member for Corporate Resources and seconded by the Leader that the recommendation be approved.

 

A roll call was taken (see voting report).

 

RESOLVED that the council tax base of 48,410 for 2021/22 be approved.

 

7.

Recommendation from Executive - Future strategic planning working with Exeter City Council, East Devon District Council, Mid Devon District Council and Devon County Council

The Executive Member for Planning to present the recommendation of the

Executive 3 November 2020.

 

The report was considered Overview and Scrutiny Committee (2) 11 December 2020 and Overview and Scrutiny Committee (1) 22 December 2020.

 

RECOMMENDED to Full Council that:-

 

(1)          It formally withdraws from the preparation of the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan; and

 

(2)          It supports in principle the production of a joint non-statutory plan, to include joint strategy and infrastructure matters, with East Devon, Exeter and Mid-Devon Councils, and in partnership with Devon County Council. This will be subject to agreement of details of the scope of the plan, a timetable for its production, the resources required, and governance arrangements to be agreed at a later date.

 

Minutes:

It was proposed by the Executive Member for Planning and seconded by the Executive Member for Sport, Culture and Recreation that the recommendation be approved.

 

The report had also been considered by both Overview & Scrutiny Committees who supported the recommendations.

 

A roll call was taken (the vote was unanimous).

 

RESOLVED that the Council:-

 

(1)         Formally withdraws from the preparation of the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan; and

 

(2)         Supports in principle the production of a joint non-statutory plan, to include joint strategy and infrastructure matters, with East Devon, Exeter and Mid-Devon Councils, and in partnership with Devon County Council. This will be subject to agreement of details of the scope of the plan, a timetable for its production, the resources required, and governance arrangements to be agreed at a later date.

 

8.

Recommendation from Executive - Council Tax Reduction Scheme

The Executive Member for Corporate Services will present the recommendation from Executive 5 January 2021.

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that:-

 

(1)  the current Council Tax Scheme be adopted for the year 2021/22 with the one proposed change set out in the report.

 

(2)  the revised Discretionary Discount and Exceptional Hardship Scheme  (see Appendix A) be adopted from 1 April 2021.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

It was acknowledged that Teignbridge was the only council in the district to have a 100% council tax reduction scheme.

 

The Revenue, Benefits and Fraud Manager highlighted the main change to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme which was to increase flexibility to make provision to disregard any emergency increases to the levels of welfare benefits made by Government.

 

A roll call was taken (the vote was unanimous).

 

RESOLVED that the:-

 

(1)           the current Council Tax Scheme for the year 2021/22 with the one proposed change set out in the report be adopted; and

 

(2)           the revised Discretionary Discount and Exceptional Hardship Scheme  (see Appendix A) be adopted from 1 April 2021.

 

9.

Recommendation from Executive Notice of Motion - Preference Voting including proportional representation

The Leader will present the recommendation from Executive 5 January 2021.

 

RECOMMENDED to Council:-

 

(1)            To call upon Her Majesty's Government by writing to the Home Secretary, and the Prime Minister urging them to:-

 

a. commit to changing electoral law to permit such a move.

b. Introduce such a system of voting in any reforms to local government presented to Parliament; and

 

(2)            To write to Teignbridge's two MPs to ask them to call for changes in electoral law to permit such a system and promote the matter for debate in Parliament.

 

Minutes:

It was proposed by the Leader and seconded by Cllr Swain that the recommendations be approved.

 

Cllr Swain commented that first pass the post was not a fair system, it was disproportionate and that the voting age should be reduced to age 16 to improve democratic participation and accountability.

 

Cllr L Petherick proposed an amendment that the recommendation be taken in two parts, a vote on the system of preference voting including proportional representation and a vote on lowering the voting age to 16, this was seconded by Cllr Patch.

 

A roll call was taken on the amendment (see voting report), the amendment was lost.

 

On a further role call (see voting report), is was:-

 

RESOLVED that the Council:-

 

(1)           To call upon Her Majesty's Government by writing to the Home Secretary, and the Prime Minister urging them to:-

 

a. commit to changing electoral law to permit such a move.

b. Introduce such a system of voting in any reforms to local government presented to Parliament; and

 

(2)           To write to Teignbridge's two MPs to ask them to call for changes in electoral law to permit such a system and promote the matter for debate in Parliament.

 

 

 

10.

Recommendation from Audit Scrutiny Committee

The Committee Chair will present the recommendation of the Audit Scrutiny Committee 17 December 2020.

 

RECOMMENDED to Full Council that the revision of the Contract Procedure Rules replaced the 2015 Contract Procedure Rules.

 

Minutes:

It was proposed by the Chair of Audit Scrutiny Committee and seconded by the Executive Member for Corporate Services that the recommendation be approved.

 

The Audit Scrutiny Committee on 17 December 2020 recommended that Full Council approve the revision of the Contract Procedure Rules.

 

A roll call was taken (the vote was unanimous).

 

RESOLVED that the revision of the Contract Procedure Rules replaced the 2015 Contract Procedure Rules.

 

 

11.

Notice of Motion

Notice of Motion’s shall be referred to the Executive. 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.

 

The following motion on the £20 uplift to Universal Credit to be made permanent has been presented by Cllr D Cox and supported by Dewhirst, G Hook, Parker and Wrigley.

 

Background provided by Cllr D Cox to the Motion:

 

Teignbridge Council strongly urge the Government to make the £20 uplift to Universal Credit permanent and extend this same support to those on legacy benefits. By doing this, it will help keep families afloat and strengthen our social security system so it provides the public service we can all turn to when we hit hard times.

 

Teignbridge Council is ready to work with the Government to continue to prevent a rising tide of poverty in our society and ensure we achieve a recovery that is felt by everyone, and supports this through the retention of the 100% Council Tax support system, the only council in Devon to do so.

 

Council believes retaining the £20 Universal Credit uplift will support the wider economic recovery. Cutting support for those on the lowest incomes will reduce demand in the economy at a time when we are trying to secure a recovery.

 

Wording of Motion proposed by Cllr D Cox:

 

The Council resolves that:-

 

The Leader of the Council is therefore instructed to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Members of Parliament serving Teignbridge to call for the retention of the £20 Universal credit uplift.

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

Cllr D Cox presented his Notice of Motion.

 

The Notice of Motion was referred, without discussion, to the Executive for consideration.

 

Voting report pdf icon PDF 537 KB