Agenda and minutes

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

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

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Items
No. Item

79.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 263 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 10 January 2021.

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Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 January 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

80.

Declaration of Interest

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Minutes:

Councillor Hocking declared an Appendix 2 interest in relation to Minute 85 by virtual of his position as Trustee of the Newton Abbot Community Transport Trust. He spoke but did not vote on this item.

 

Councillor D Cox declared an Appendix 2 interest in relation to Minute 85 by virtual of his position as Trustee of HITs. He spoke but did not vote on this item.

 

81.

Public Questions

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Minutes:

None.

82.

Councillor Questions

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Minutes:

None.

83.

Executive Forward Plan

To note forthcoming decisions anticipated to be made the Executive over the next 12 months. The Executive Forward Plan can be found here.  

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Minutes:

The Executive Forward Plan listing items to be considered by the Executive over the next few months including to which overview and scrutiny committee remit each issue fell, was noted.

84.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 108 KB

To review the Committee’s work programme.

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Minutes:

The Committee’s work programme as circulated with the agenda was noted.

85.

Final Financial Plan Proposals 2022/23 to 2024/25 pdf icon PDF 170 KB

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Minutes:

Consideration was given to the final financial plan proposals 2022/23 to 2024/25 for recommendation to Council on 22 February. The proposals included recommended revenue and capital budgets for 2022/23 and planned in outline for 2023/24 and 2024/25.

 

In his presentation the Executive Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Keeling thanked the Chief Finance Officer and staff for producing a balanced budget amongst the financial pressures and challenges of the covid pandemic. In addition to consulting the Overview and Scrutiny Committees in January and currently, the consultation on the budget proposals had included Parish and Town Councils Sept 2021and January 2022  and a 6 week public consultation.

 

Teignbridge Council as the District Council would receive only 9% of the £5.00 council tax increase for Band D property. The proposed budget would result in reserves of just over £2 million and a budget deficit forecast of £2.6 million for 2024. The final government settlement was still awaited. The council tax provided just £9.3 million towards the £57.2 million revenue required to run services. The remainder of the revenue was sourced from other resources.

 

Councillor Keeling advised of the intention to: continue allocated voluntary grants at 2021-22 levels for 2022-23 and ensure no funding cuts in 2022/23 for the CVS, CAB, East Teignbridge and Newton Abbot Community Transport; increasing the Councillors community fund to £1,200 each; maintaining rent subsidies; and no further grant for Carn 2 Cove.

 

The Chief Finance Officer advised that as the Council’s Section 151 Officer he had a statutory responsibility to present a balanced budget. Achieving continued allocated voluntary grants at the 2021-2 levels and other issues as presented by the Executive Member as detailed above could be achieved by approving the recommendation as detailed in the agenda report with amendments of the deletion of: the re-introduction of rural aid at £26,000 for 2022/23; and a provision for voluntary and community sector small grant scheme for 2022/23.

 

it was proposed by Councillor H Cox and seconded by Councillor Jenks that the proposal as detailed in the agenda report be approved subject tothe deletion of: the re-introduction of rural aid at £26,000 for 2022/23; and a provision for voluntary and community sector small grant scheme for 2022/23. in addition: funding for CVS, CAB, East Teignbridge and Newton Abbot Community Transport be maintained at 2021-22 levels for 2022-23;  the Councillors community fund be increased to £1,200 each; rent subsidies be maintained; and no further grant for Carn 2 Cove.

 

This was carried by 7 for, 0 against and 2 abstentions.

 

RECOMMENDED

 

The proposals as set out above be considered together with any subsequent consultation comments for approval by Council as the final budget for 2022/23 and the outline plan for the subsequent years 2023/24 and 2024/25.

 

The proposed budget includes:

 

·       An increase in council tax of £5 or 2.78% to £185.17

·       Continued funding for a climate change officer (with increased temporary resources) and enhanced planning enforcement

·       Increased provision in the capital programme for climate change projects

·       The continuing reduction in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.

86.

Executive Member biannual update Councillor Connett - Strategic Direction

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Minutes:

The Leader of the Council Councillor Connett, as Executive Member for strategic direction, updated the Committee on progress of service priority which included housing, economy and climate change.

 

The update included statistics showing that: the number of out of work benefit claims had reduced since the peak following the first covid lockdown in 2020 but was still higher than pre covid; the reduction in CO2 emissions following completion of the Councils decarbonisation projects was on target; and there had been a reduction in net additional homes and affordable homes as a result of covid.

 

In response to questions the Leader advised on empty premises in Newton Abbot that were due to be re-let, and that as a market town Newton Abbot was doing well.  

 

The full presentation can be found at Agenda for Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 on Tuesday, 1st February, 2022, 10.00 am - Teignbridge District Council