(a) To consider the following notice of motion received by Councillor Worden

This Council notes that …

The government published the provisional local government finance settlement for 2021-22 on 17 December 2020. As has become common practice, the focus was placed on “Core Spending Power” – the sum of eight funding streams from central Government, plus an assumed level of income from Council Tax.

Core Spending Power (CSP) nationally will increase by 4.5% overall, but this largely consists of increases in the assumed level of income from council tax.  87% of the increase in CSP comes from the ability to raise council tax, compared to 56% of the increase in CSP in 2020-21.  The Government is increasingly relying on council tax increases. The increase in Government-funded Core Spending Power includes a new (but one-off) Lower-Tier Services Grant of £111 million nationally. Without this grant, a number of Councils like North Devon would be faced with a nominal reduction in Core Spending Power.

Since 2011 the Government has used a system of classifying local authorities into one of six groups that reflect their mix of urban & rural populations. North Devon has been classified as Largely Rural.

Analysis by the Rural Services Network shows that the local authorities serving predominantly urban areas receive a much higher level of central funding than those serving predominantly rural areas;

·     Residents in rural Devon are paying £138 per head more in Council Tax.

·     Get £120 per head less from Settlement Funding Assessment

·     Get £28 per head of Social Care Grant, compared to £32 per head in urban areas

·     Get £113 per head less in Government Funded Spending Power, which excludes Council Tax.

The Government in 2012/13 recognised that this situation was unfair on residents in rural areas but the gap in what local government receives between rural and urban has grown even wider since.

This council expresses its concern at the impact of the concentration of cuts in public spending by national government is having on local government finance and the over-reliance on continually increasing council tax. 

This council resolves to

1.    To support the Rural Services Network in asking the government that the funding to rural authorities be increased to provide fairness for rural residents.

2.    To lobby the government ourselves to request that the gap in funding between urban and rural be rectified as services in rural areas actually cost more to provide because of the sparsity of the population and the distances which need to be covered e.g. in collecting waste and recycling.

3.    Call on the chancellor to give more clarity about future longer term funding and to remove the uncertainty surrounding New Homes Bonus and other incentive schemes.

4.    Ask our officers to work with Devon County to update the map produced by the Institute of Fiscal Studies which may be used by government concerning the levelling up agenda which currently does not reflect the reality of the deprivation in many parts of North Devon.

(b) To consider the following notice of motion received by Councillor Topham

This Council notes that:

1.    Carers – paid and unpaid, young and old – do a remarkable and important job. They are an integral part of our North Devon community. They deserve our support, but are far too often forgotten and ignored.

2.    Carers in North Devon and across the country face big challenges every single day; challenges that have been made even harder by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most are having to spend more time looking after loved ones during the pandemic; most haven’t been able to take a single break since it started; and most are simply exhausted.

3.    Situations provoking care interventions can happen with little warning. Often those giving care have to reduce their working hours or give up work to juggle competing demands.

4.    The pressures on young carers can negatively impact on their experiences and outcomes in education, having a lasting effect on their life chances.

5.    Many carers are unaware of their entitlement to financial support, a carers assessment or break, and the support services available.

Council further notes that:

1.    According to the DWP statistics 1226 full-time unpaid carers in North Devon rely on Carer’s Allowance with 691 who are entitled to the allowance are current not receiving it at all.

2.    At just £67.25 a week, Carer’s Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind.

3.    In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government increased the Universal Credit standard allowance and the Working Tax Credit basic element by £20 a week above the planned uprating in April 2020, but it has not increased Carer’s Allowance.

4.    Many unpaid carers are facing extreme financial hardship. A recent survey by Carers UK found that more than a third of those on Carer’s Allowance are struggling to make ends meet. Many have been struggling for months, often relying on foodbanks to feed themselves and the people they care for.

5.    The Carers UK survey found that “43 per cent of carers felt that a rise in Carer’s Allowance would help them, given the financial pressures they are facing.”

Council resolves to:

1.    Write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, urging them to raise Carer’s Allowance by £20 a week immediately, in line with the increase in Universal Credit, and copy in our local MP, asking for her support.

(c) To consider the following notice of motion received by Councillor Biederman

“This Council notes the impact of dog fouling on our communities, from those who fail to act responsibly by not picking up their dogs’ mess or once picked up, not disposing properly of the bag.

Despite the fantastic work done by our small but dedicated wardens to raise awareness, educate and enforce, there is a significant minority who fail to respect the rules and community by doing the right thing.

Our Council has a positive attitude towards dogs because of the strong contribution they make to our mental and physical health, and our local economy. We witness the huge Staycation movement which advertises our area as “dog friendly” and we need to be pro-active about the provision we create, the standards we expect and the efforts we make to support responsible ownership.

A Litter Strategy has been accepted so we propose that we have a dedicated Dog Strategy for NDC.

This strategy would:

·       Delegate authority to more people to enforce positive behaviour eg. Town and Parish Council staff, National Trust and Park Rangers and other NDC staff like parking wardens. 

·       Provide more training such as Community Safety Accreditation Scheme to staff to be able to issue on the spot penalty notices.

·       Invest in preventative and investigative equipment to gather evidence.

·       Work with tourism operators to be pro-active in informing visitors with dogs to North Devon on good practice.

·       Use education as a tool to facilitate our aims within our communities.

·       Encompass any aspect of dog control of which the council approves.”

(d) To consider the following notice of motion received by Councillor Leaver

“The council has taken the first laudable step in setting up the Climate Action Team, following the declaration of a Climate and Ecological Emergency.  Now we need to embed this work, so that it becomes part of business as usual across the council. Climate Change is such an important issue it now needs to dealt with a committee that has a focus on this vital work.

All the main national parties in the UK have committed to tackling Climate Change, and our job at district council level is to deliver at a local level.

The urgency of the problems and actions we need to take means the council has to give the relevance and status of a committee.  To do less would belittle the gravity of the problems we face here in North Devon, and across the planet.

Council therefore resolves:

1.    To amend the constitution to establish a politically balanced Climate Emergency Committee of 10 members, with responsibility to develop and deliver corporate strategies and plans to tackle climate change in line with the council’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Declaration, and relevant corporate priorities.

2.    That the Climate Lead Member role is replaced with the role of Chair of the Climate Emergency Committee

3.    Allocation of senior and operational staff capacity to resource the Climate Change Committee

4.    Allocation of £10,000 in the 2021/22 budget to the Climate Change Committee from corporate underspends in the current council year to resource the work necessary to support the delivery of Climate and Ecological Emergency Declaration and corporate priorities.”

(a) To consider the following notice of motion received by Councillor Worden:

Councillor Worden presented his notice of motion to Council.

It was moved by Councillor Worden and seconded by Councillor Bushell “that this council resolves to:

1.    To support the Rural Services Network in asking the government that the funding to rural authorities be increased to provide fairness for rural residents.

2.    To lobby the government ourselves to request that the gap in funding between urban and rural be rectified as services in rural areas actually cost more to provide because of the sparsity of the population and the distances which need to be covered e.g. in collecting waste and recycling.

3.    Call on the chancellor to give more clarity about future longer term funding and to remove the uncertainty surrounding New Homes Bonus and other incentive schemes.

4.    Ask our officers to work with Devon County to update the map produced by the Institute of Fiscal Studies which may be used by government concerning the levelling up agenda which currently does not reflect the reality of the deprivation in many parts of North Devon.”

RESOLVED that this Council:

(i)  Support the Rural Services Network in asking the government that the funding to rural authorities be increased to provide fairness for rural residents.

(ii) Lobby the government ourselves to request that the gap in funding between urban and rural be rectified as services in rural areas actually cost more to provide because of the sparsity of the population and the distances which need to be covered e.g. in collecting waste and recycling.

(iii)Call on the chancellor to give more clarity about future longer term funding and to remove the uncertainty surrounding New Homes Bonus and other incentive schemes.

(iv)Ask our officers to work with Devon County to update the map produced by the Institute of Fiscal Studies which may be used by government concerning the levelling up agenda which currently does not reflect the reality of the deprivation in many parts of North Devon.”

(b) To consider the following notice of motion received by Councillor Topham

Councillor Topham presented her notice of motion to Council.

It was moved by Councillor Topham and seconded by Councillor Biederman “that Council write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, urging them to raise Carer’s Allowance by £20 a week immediately, in line with the increase in Universal Credit, and copy in our local MP, asking for her support.”

Councillor York declared a personal interest as she was in receipt of a carer’s allowance for her disabled son.

Councillor Hunt declared a personal interest as she volunteered at the Northern Devon Foodbank.

RESOLVED that Council write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, urging them to raise Carer’s Allowance by £20 a week immediately, in line with the increase in Universal Credit, and copy in our local MP, asking for her support.

(c) To consider the following notice of motion received by Councillor Biederman

Councillor Biederman presented his notice of motion to Council.

It was moved by Councillor Biederman and seconded by Councillor Mackie “that the notice of motion be referred to the Policy Development Committee and then on to the Strategy and Resources Committee for consideration and that the wording of the second paragraph of the notice of motion to be amended to “Despite the fantastic work done by our team of dedicated wardens……”

Council noted that the Senior Corporate and Community Services Officer had received an email from Councillor Henderson giving his apologies for this meeting.

RESOLVED that the notice of motion be referred to the Policy Development Committee and then on to the Strategy and Resources Committee for consideration and that the wording of the second paragraph of the notice of motion to be amended to “Despite the fantastic work done by our team of dedicated wardens……”.

(d) To consider the following notice of motion received by Councillor Leaver

 Councillor Leaver advised that following the submission of her notice of motion, she had since had discussions with Councillors and Senior Officers and she proposed that the notice of motion be amended to the following:

“The Council has taken the first laudable step in setting up the Climate Action Team (CAT) following the declaration of a Climate and Ecological Emergency.  The CAT assisted with and proposed the adoption of the Council’s Environmental Policy.  Following adoption of that policy, further work now needs to be undertaken and one of those pieces of work is to draw up a Carbon Reduction Plan setting out what projects and initiatives need to be delivered to help the Council meet its objective of a net zero carbon operation at the earliest opportunity. 

In order to progress this corporate priority, the Climate Action Team should be formally set up as a working group, included in the wide range of areas required for environmental stability, the specific task of developing and recommending a Carbon Reduction Plan, for implementation, to the Strategy and Resources Committee should be included.  Officer and departmental support will be required to achieve this.

It is therefore recommended that Council resolve to ask Strategy and Resources Committee to formally constitute the CAT as a Working Group made up of 10 interested Members with an initial task of investigating what options exist for reducing and/or offsetting carbon usage, creating a Carbon Reduction Plan and reporting back to Strategy and Resources Committee within 6 months.”

It was moved by Councillor Leaver and seconded by Councillor Lofthouse that the amended notice of motion be adopted.

RESOLVED that Council ask Strategy and Resources Committee to formally constitute the CAT as a Working Group made up of 10 interested Members with an initial task of investigating what options exist for reducing and/or offsetting carbon usage, creating a Carbon Reduction Plan and reporting back to Strategy and Resources Committee within 6 months.