Agenda and draft minutes

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 March 2026.

RESOLVED

The Minutes of the meeting held on 3 March 2026 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Information pertaining to the Members' Code of Conduct and guidance relating to declaring interests can be found on the following webpage: Councillor Conduct - Teignbridge District Council

None.

Members of the public may ask questions of the Chair. A maximum period of 15 minutes will be allowed with a maximum period of three minutes per questioner. The deadline for questions is no later than three working days before the date of the meeting i.e. should the meeting be on a Thursday the deadline would be the Friday before at 5pm.

One public question relating to Agenda item 8 - Carbon Action Plan, and the response had been published Agenda for Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, 14th April, 2026, 10.00 am - Teignbridge District Council

Members of the Council may ask questions of the Chair of the Committee subject to procedural rules. The deadline for questions is no later than five clear working days before the meeting.

None.

To note forthcoming issues anticipated to be considered by the Executive over the next 12 months. The Executive Forward Plan can be found here.

The Executive Forward Plan listing issues to be considered over the next 12 months was received. There were no matters arising.

To review the Committee’s forward plan which can be found here;

 and the Committee’s work programme (to follow).

The Committee’s Forward Plan and Work Programme were received.

There were no matters arising.

To consider the attached report

Consideration was given to the agenda report which gave an update on progress to deliver the Council’s Part 1 Carbon Action Plan, progress made to date, an overview of emerging priorities, and proposals to update the Plan to ensure it reflects local authority work in the run-up to 2030 and beyond. 

The Climate Projects Officer and the Executive Member for Environment, Climate and Sustainability presented the previously approved Plan, which is presented to Overview and Scrutiny annual to review. The Plan provided a series of actions and targets working to reduce the carbon footprint and emissions that the Authority produces to deliver council services.

There was public support for the Council to continue in decreasing carbon emissions as evidenced by public survey results: 84% of respondents agree climate change is happening and 72% are concerned about the impact for the UK.

Advice given in response to questions included:

·         Government funding for works to buildings to reduce carbon emissions had been available to Teignbridge and other Councils following the declaration of a climate emergency.

·         Water use and sewerage output from council buildings were not directly measured.

·         The focus to reduce emissions has focused on energy intensive buildings.

·         The best use of the carbon emission reduction equipment at the Lido site would be ensured when a decision on the future of the site is made.

·          The Local Plan sets out requirements for reducing carbon emissions for developments.

·         All up to date statistics were in the report.

The Climate Projects Officer and the Executive Member for Environment, Climate and Sustainability would provide responses to further questions at a later date relating to:

·       What is the Council’s savings per tonne of carbon emissions?

·       How are carbon emissions measured?

·       What steps are required to move from the current saved emissions to where the Council would like to be with emissions savings?

There was consensus that the aim is to secure the long-term future for generations to come and return on investment was welcomed. 

It was agreed that the Procurement Officer be requested to present at a future meeting how the reduction of carbon emissions is demonstrated in the Council’s procurement procedures. 

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED

1.  Note the progress made to deliver Part 1 Carbon Action Plan projects and proposals to review and update the document.

2.  Endorse the Priority and Business as Usualactions contained in Section 5.1 of the report.

3.  Respond to the Devon Audit Partnership recommendation by committing to annual scrutiny of the (Part 1) Carbon Action Plan.

To consider the attached report

Consideration was given to the agenda report which updated on the delivery of the One Teignbridge Council Strategy 2025-2030, providing information on projects in progress and the development of mechanisms to track strategic delivery.

The Committee reviewed the project updates and the proposed approach to future reporting, noting that the Council was in a transitional stage with regards to the presentation of the data contained within the report.

Comments made included:

·     Additional information for future reports to include where the Council is at present and what is required to be implemented to achieve the performance indicators set out in the report.

Details of all KPIs (performance indicators) would be provided in future performance reports, and answers would be provided at future meetings to Members’ questions submitted prior to the meeting.   

RESOLVED

The report and the actions being taken to measure the performance of the One Teignbridge Council Strategy be received and supported.

To receive an update report on dentistry and pharmacy from the NHS (to follow)

The following NHS update documents circulated prior to the meeting as part of the agenda were received:

·       NHS Devon Five Year Commissioning Plan 2026/31

·       NHS Community Pharmacy Services in Devon – March 2026

·       NHS Dental Services in Devon Stakeholder briefing – February 2026

To receive a biannual update from Executive Members for:

-        Housing and Homelessness – Councillor Buscombe(attached)

-        Economy, Estates, Major Projects and Neighbourhoods - Councillor Palethorpe (attached)

-        Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and complaints - Councillor Nuttall (to follow)

(Future updates on LGR, and Complaints will be given by the Leader and Cllr Sanders respectively whose portfolios now include these matters)

The Committee scrutinised the agenda biannual update reports from the Executive Member for Economy, Estates, and Major Projects, and Housing and Homelessness.

The Executive Members further updated the Committee on the report which summarised the service and legal responsibilities covered by the EM remit, Strategic Plan objectives, service delivery updates, how OS can support upcoming decisions and the delivery of the strategic plan, and any other relevant information for the OS forward plan/work programme.

Additional information given by the Executive Member for Economy, Estates, and Major Projects in response to questions included: the refurbished Newton abbot market was scheduled to open June/July to the public following completion of due legal processes; existing traders have been  happy with their relocated site; the mini market may continue once the refurbished Market Hall is opened, providing more market stalls and opportunity for traders than previously; the internal communications relating to the Supreme Court Ruling on single sex changing rooms would be looked into; the Bradley Lane brownfield site would progress for development; the refurbished Broadmeadow Leisure Centre’s changing rooms are in the ‘village’ design and met all regulations; discussions are ongoing with Parish and Town Councils regarding opportunity for asset transfers, with agreement to commence the legal transfer process and would include play parks with CIL/Section 106 funds also being available as part of the process.

Other issues raised included: capacity management and resource implications; how are priorities being met and delivered, given the capacity that exist; what are the implications of the funding gap, and demonstration of CIL prioritisation, monitoring and delivery of funds. 

The Executive Member for Economy, Estates, and Major Projects advised the focus is on delivering the priorities of One Teignbridge and the Strategic Asset Plan.

Additional information given by the Executive Member for Housing and Homelessness and the Head of Housing in response to questions included: the Bradley Mill site is allocated for housing, and a feasibility study is being carried out on the provision of Extra-Care housing, affordable and other housing on the site; the Council is now in contract for the Sherbourne Road Car Park site which will provide one and two-bedroom social rented homes.  Harewood House is to be refurbished and converted for use as temporary homeless accommodation.

The provision of smaller social homes is a priority because of high demand for 1-bed units on the housing waiting list and there is an imbalance between demand and supply. Feasibility studies of nine small Council-owned sites for affordable housing development are progressing and opportunities for conversion of assets to provide affordable homes will also be considered. The council is working with Centrepoint on a partnership to address youth homelessness; and staff are monitoring the effect of the Renters Rights Act on the private rental sector.

Other issues raised included that extra care units were being looked at for Newton abbot and should also be progressed for other towns and parish areas.

The full discussion can be found the link below

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday  ...  view the full minutes text for item 177.

The Council’s outside organisations representatives to report on any meetings of the appointed outside organisation in the past few months, whether they  attended, a report on the meeting if they did so, the role the outside organisation(s) they represent plays in promoting and aligning with the Council's priorities, policies and strategies, and advising on partnership discussions which are open and in the public domain

Dartmoor National Park Authority – Cllrs Nutley and Major (attached)

Dartmoor National Park Planning Site Inspections – Cllr Sanders (attached)

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust - Cllr Nutley (attached)

Devon and Torbay Housing Advisory Group – Cllr Buscombe (attached)

The Chair referred to the agenda reports from the Council’s appointed representatives for the outside organisations of Dartmoor National Park Authority, Dartmoor National Park Planning Site Inspections, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, and Devon and Torbay Housing Advisory Group.

The agenda reports summarised the purpose of the organisation, attendance requirements, feedback on the work of the organisation, the role the outside organisation plays in promoting and aligning with the Council's priorities, policies and strategies, the value that the Council brings to the organisation, why the organisation needs the Council, and any other relevant information for OS.

In relation to Dartmoor National Park Planning Site Inspections, it was requested that the Council’s representative advise why there are so few site inspections to which Teignbridge is invited.

RESOLVED

The reports be received and the Council’s representative for Dartmoor National Park Planning Site Inspections advise the Committee why there are so few site inspections to which the Teignbridge representative is invited.

To receive the notes of the meeting and consider the recommendations therein.

The Committee received the notes of the informal meeting held on 17 March 2026 and considered the recommendations as set out in the notes.

RESOLVED

1.       Community infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106

The Executive consider the role of Councillors to support officers in delivery of projects through earlier engagement, consultation and the monitoring of commitments.

2.       Future High Street Fund

The Committee be involved in any upcoming review and this be added to the Work Programme.

3.       Planning performance and delivery

The Annual Monitoring Report be added to a future Work Programme.

To consider the attached report (to follow)

The Committee considered the Scrutiny Annual Report circulated prior to the meeting as part of the agenda. It was unanimously

RESOLVED  

The report be received and referred to Annual Council at its meeting on 20 May 2026. 

Approval of Terms of Reference of any proposed reviews

It was noted that the first meeting of the reconvened Medium Term Financial Plan Review Group was scheduled for 30 April 2026.