Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bonds, Roome and White.

RESOLVED, that the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th November 2018 (circulated previously) be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment:

(Please telephone the Corporate and Community Services team to prepare a form for your signature before the meeting. Interests must be re-declared when the item is called, and Councillors must leave the room if necessary).

There were no declarations of interest announced.

Representatives from various areas of agricultural organisations to attend.

Also Present:

Councillor Pennington – Torridge District Council.

Mr Topham – Non-Elected Member, Torridge District Council.

Julie Edwards                       Mole Valley Farmers

Victoria Eveleigh                  West Ilkerton Farm

Richard Tucker                     National Farmers Union

David Knight                         Exmoor Hill Farmers Network

Norman Rottenbury             South Molton Sheep Group

Mark Fogerty                         Bicton College

The Chair welcomed the representatives from various areas of the agricultural industry to the meeting. He explained the purpose of the meeting which was to support the Council objective of increasing prosperity in our area.  Because agriculture was the sector that shaped North Devon more than any other it underpinned the rest of our economy by attracting the businesses and tourists that provide incomes for our people.  He then explained that the Committee would pose questions to the panel in relation to various aspects of the agricultural industry.

The Committee posed the following questions to the panel:

1.    How do you see the agricultural sector of North Devon’s economy changing in the next five to ten years?

National Farmer’s Union (NFU): North Devon was an extremely varied part of the country and every sector of the farming sector would be affected. Going forward there was likely to be a lot of diversification into holiday lets and wind and solar energy. The Agricultural Bill would likely see a shift in farming to larger farms with an increase in the use of technology. The farming community would need to be open to change going forward. He added that the UK was currently 60% self-sufficient in food production with the highest standards in the world that need to be protected. 

Mole Valley Farmers: There would be a rapid change that supports the agriculture industry following the implementation of the Agricultural Bill. The retail industry was heavily involved in the development of innovative products to develop businesses and increase profits. Businesses had to be profitable in order to invest, which was key to expand and develop farms to meet the demands of the industry. Sales in relation to animal feed had increased and the reduction in the use of antibiotics ensured that UK products were not undermined by cheaper imports. She added that if farmers decided to sell up, the production cycle would be lost and would not recover for an extremely long time.

South Molton Sheep Group: Policy makers at government level were going down the environmental route and the Agricultural Bill focussed heavily on the environment. The majority of farmers were born and bred to produce food and his own business had contributed to 80 different firms in the previous 12 months through the production of land.

Exmoor Hill Farmer’s Network: The process to produce meat from a cow took three years from conception to slaughter so it was necessary to take a long term view in policy making if farms were to survive.

West Ilkerton Farm: There was the potential for a lot of small farmers to go out of business following the implantation of the Agricultural Bill and BREXIT. An  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

RESOLVED that the meeting be adjourned to enable a five minute comfort break.

RESOLVED that the meeting be re-convened to consider the remaining business.

Report by the Leader and the Executive Team to Executive on 3^rd December 2018 together with minute extract of Executive of 3^rd December 2018 (attached).

The Committee considered the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report by the Chief Financial Officer together with the minute extract of the Executive held on 3^rd December 2018 (circulated previously).   

The Head of Resources advised that the mid year report had been completed in compliance with CIPFA’s Code of Practice on Treasury Management.

He highlighted the following:

·         There was an additional set of appendices from page 63 of the report onwards, which made reference to treasury management practices for non-treasury investments. The appendices had been included to allow the Council to look into investing in commercial activities in the future and needed a strategy in place going forwards.

·         The capital financing requirement (CFR) had been increased from the original estimate of £4.2m to the revised prudential indicator of £4.8m following an approved increase in the funding for temporary accommodation. However, the Council was only borrowing £1.5m externally.

·         The current position of capital expenditure was detailed on pages seven and eight of the report, which indicated the revised borrowing estimate of £1.2m.

·         The Council’s budgeted investment interest return for 2018/19 was £60,000. As at 30^th September 2018 £39,972 investment interest was earned in the half year period.

·         There were no difficulties in complying with prudential indicators.

RESOLVED, that that the decisions and recommendations of the Executive be endorsed.

The Committee thanked the Head of Resources for his report.

Report by the Customer and Corporate Communications Manager (attached).

The Customer Feedback and Service Improvement Officer presented a report in relation to Compensation Payments to the Committee (circulated previously), which detailed the payments form 1^st June to end of November 2018. 

She advised that there had been a number of compensation payments made to Customers in relation to the Waste and Recycling Service adding that the percentage was relatively small given the number of customers that used the service. The green waste service was a paid for service, so compensation payments in that area had increased. There had been no Ombudsman decisions in relation to any of the complaints.

In response to a question regarding the compensation amounts that been made, the Customer Feedback and Service Improvement Officer advised that the payments were not proportional to the fee paid by customers. Instead it was assessed on each individual case and circumstance.

In response to a question regarding the installation of BARTEC in all vehicles, the Customer Feedback and Service Improvement Officer advised that there was now enough systems for each vehicle within the fleet.

In response to a question regarding a compensation payment of £500 for miss advice from a contractor, the Head of Resources advised that the responsibility was on the Council to ensure that the information was correct. He added that the payment came from the Environmental Health and Housing Budget.

The Customer Feedback and Service Improvement Officer advised that the three month break in green waste collections over the winter months had been reduced to two months following feedback from customers.

Resolved, that the report be noted.

The Committee thanked the Customer Feedback and Service Improvement Officer for her attendance at the meeting.

Vice Chairman to report.

The Vice Chairman addressed the Committee and advised that there was nothing to report at the present time. 

Chairman to report.

The Chairman advised that he attended the meeting of the Torridge District Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday 9^th January 2019 where Doctor John Womersley had been invited as a guest.

He questioned Doctor Womersley regarding the 44 area footprints in England and the development of their own five year plan by autumn 2019. Doctor Womersley replied that it was their ambition to create GP networks with 30-50k patients, which would not be largely different from the current situation.

RESOLVED, that the update be noted.

To consider the Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme/forward plan 2018/19.

The Committee considered the Work Programme/Forward Plan (circulated previously).

The Chairman addressed the Committee regarding the recording of meetings and whether Members were happy for this to continue going forward.

The Vice Chairman supported the recording of future meetings adding that all Members should be referred to as Councillor in the meeting and not by their Christian names.

The Chairman requested that the Clerk ring members of the Committee to ensure a quorum for the special meeting on 15^th January 2019 following the indication by several members that they were no longer able to attend the meeting.

In response to a question regarding the consideration of Batsworthy at a future meeting, the Head of Corporate and Community Services advised that there was a heavy agenda for the February meeting and that to consider the item properly it would need to be single item agenda.

RESOLVED, that it being 5.00pm the meeting continue to allow for the remaining business to be transacted.

RESOLVED: