To receive biannual updates from Executive Member for
- Neighbourhood Services, Cllr Goodman-Bradbury (deferred from last meeting)
- Corporate & Strategic areas, The Leader, Cllr Keeling
- Environment, Climate & Sustainability (to include an update on Carbon Action Plans 1 & 2), Cllr Hook
- Leisure & Recreation, Cllr Nutley
- Housing & Homelessness, Cllr Buscombe
Minutes:
The Chair introduced this item by explaining that in future he would be requesting that each Executive member who would be presenting an update to complete a template that would be circulated in advance setting out the legal position, the strategic priorities and the delivery plans for their areas of service. Also to identify what help could this Committee give to support them.
Cllr Palethorpe gave an update on Neighbourhood Services on behalf of Cllr Goodman-Bradbury across the following areas:
Environmental Protection
The service continues to address environmental concerns, including nuisance complaints, air quality monitoring, and animal welfare licensing.
As part of the Modern 25 initiative, a risk-based charging scheme for residential mobile home sites is being developed.
Training has been delivered to Customer First, Community, and independent living teams at Teign Housing to improve collaboration, with plans to expand this to other registered social landlords.
A new chargeable pest control service, introduced in November 2024, has reduced overall costs to the council.
Community Environment Wardens
Efforts to tackle littering, fly-tipping, dog fouling, stray dogs, and abandoned vehicles continue. The Dog Public Spaces Protection Order was renewed in March 2025 for another three years.
A grant from Clean Devon facilitated the purchase of mobile CCTV cameras and new signage, which are being deployed at fly-tipping and litter hotspots.
Food, Health, and Safety
The team oversees food safety, health protection, shellfish classification, Port Health at Teignmouth, mosquito surveillance, business health and safety, and skin piercing registration.
Officers participated in ‘Operation Machinize’, a police-led investigation into barbers, vape and other shops suspected of criminal activities.
A Food Standards Agency audit on shellfish traceability was conducted in October 2025, yielding positive feedback.
The annual Food Law Service Plan is in progress, alongside an ongoing health and safety project focusing on preventing zoonotic infections at visitor attractions. A zoonosis is an infectious disease that has jumped from a non-human animal to humans. Zoonotic pathogens may be bacterial, viral or parasitic, or may involve unconventional agents and can spread to humans through direct contact or through food, water or the environment.
Licensing
Work continues across multiple licensing areas, including hackney carriage and private hire, premises licensing, gambling, and street trading.
A review of the Licensing Act Policy is currently underway.
Parking
Parking Services enforce regulations across 89 sites in Teignbridge, generating over £4 million last year, which supports other council services.
A review of the Counting House facility, which provides financial services to several local authorities, is being conducted with the aim of achieving cost neutrality and expanding the service. Additionally, a project to install EV charging points in council car parks is in development.
Planning Enforcement
The team continues to respond to all planning enforcement complaints, with a particular focus on high-profile cases where developers have failed to comply with conditions.
Anti-Social Behaviour
Recent recruitment challenges have impacted service response times, but triage processes are in place to manage workload effectively.
Service Restructure
A restructure is underway to integrate teams and bring Planning Enforcement and Anti-Social Behaviour into a newly defined service area.
This will streamline operations and improve efficiency.
Questions and comments raised included the following:
· Licencing Policy review underway regarding tables and chairs etc.
· It was recognised that Parking services generated around £4m income for Teignbridge
· Streamlining services to enable savings to be directed to increase enforcement was suggested
· Addressing a backlog of Fines collections could be considered by the MTFP group
Cllr Keeling provided an update on the Corporate and Strategic areas focussing on Local Government Reorganisation:
· Need to ensure that the smaller towns and parishes are ‘heard’ as they are at the heart of democracy. There will be a full consultation process although only £38,000 has been received
· During the first phase, officers and members are rolling out meetings to talk with towns and parishes
· The proposals will be data driven
· In terms of the current level of debt from our neighbouring authorities, only Teignbridge is debt free. Of the approximately £600m debt in option 4, £400m is held by Torbay which is already a Unitary Council
Cllr Hook provided an update on Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability including Carbon Action Plans 1 & 2:
· In April 2019 the Council declared a Climate emergency
· The Carbon Action Plan was approved in 2022
· Progress graph was included in the report together with the Link to the Council footprint
· Vehicle fleet and charging infrastructure progressing
Carbon Action Plan Part 2 covered District wide emissions
· Teignbridge Climate Hub is our web presence with useful information
· Opportunity for Overview & Scrutiny to provide regular scrutiny of progress on the action plan and any adaptations
Comments/questions included:
· Where is the Beach management Plan? This was on its’ way and Cllr Hook will follow up
· Work was ongoing with stakeholders on the Ecological emergency and impact on the health of the ocean
· If Towns and Parishes needed specific advice they could contact Cllr Hook Directly
· Regarding how much had been spent since 2019 to improve the situation it was noted that all projects are supported by business cases which included the benefits and ongoing savings
· There is some funding for Community Organisations – details will be provided
· Action on Climate in Teignbridge will be able to offer advice to Community schemes regarding qualification
Cllr Nutley provided an update on Leisure & Recreation and talked to his presentation which can be viewed in full on the recording.
He drew members attention to a number of items including the following points:
· It was another successful year for Dawlish Countryside Park
· The Brook in Dawlish
· Action on Climate in Teignbridge
· Sports pitches and Tennis training
· Play areas and cricket at Sandy Lane
· Beach Awards including a Blue Flag for Dawlish Warren
Comments and questions included:
· Members need to be aware of potential conflict between voluntary groups and Teignbridge regarding specific agreements (Clubs etc)
· Milber Woods is experiencing antisocial behaviour
· District wide exercise in hand to address issues
· Similar complaints from Newton Abbot
· Comparisons with costs important
· Teignmouth Lido was offered to be community run but not taken up
· Usage of changing facilities e.g. St Michaels Field opportunity for additional income if used more
· Strategic plans for areas in Portfolio e.g. Leisure would be helpful for members
Cllr Buscombe provided an update on Housing and Homelessness with support from Jon Lloyd-Owen, Head of Housing.
· Extra care scheme linked with the Bradley Lane site
· Renters Rights Bill is the most significant reform in the last 40 years. Members briefings will be arranged as appropriate
Questions/comments included:
· Risk around losing landlords to the sector
· Funding issues e.g. the Council only receives homeless grant support of £60 and has to find the rest of the cost
· Some landlords are choosing to sell to tenants reducing the market for ‘buy to let’
· Risks for tenants
· As house prices are reducing is there an increased opportunity for the Council to purchase?
· The relationship between the Council and CAB (Citizen’s Advice) and the Council is important
· Some of the rent issues relate to high management/service charges
· The housing requirements need to be communicated to Developers
· Adaptations are an example of good work
· Officers were commended on the speed of processing housing benefits
· There will be a member briefing in September
The recording and any presentations can be viewed following this link:
Agenda for Overview and Scrutiny Committee Tuesday, 17th June, 2025