Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To receive apologies for absence from the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R Lock, P Pennington, with C Hawkins substituting and J Whittaker.

Public contributions in accordance with the current scheme.  .(The deadline for registering  to speak is by 2pm Thursday 23^rd January 2025. To register please email dem.services@torridge.gov.uk).

There were no public contributions.

Members with interests to declare should refer to the Agenda item and describe the nature of their interest when the item is being considered.

Declarations of interest were made when the specific agenda items to which they related were under discussion.

There were no urgent matters brought forward.

To receive the report of the Finance Manager (S151 Officer).

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation for the Beach Hut fee to be increased in line with inflation be approved.

(Vote: For – 9, Against – 1, Abstention – 0)

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation for the fee on the reserved bays at Windmill Lane, Northam be increased incrementally to £525.00 over the next two years.

(Vote: For – 8, Against – 2, Abstentions – 0)

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation for Bone Hill Car Park to have a period of free parking from Saturday midday to Monday 8am, to bring in line with The Pill, Bideford, Torrington and Holsworthy, be approved.

(Vote: For – 7, Against – 2, Abstentions – 1)  

RESOLVED:

The fees at Castle Hill work hub, Torrington, are not increased

(Vote: For – 9, Against – 1, Abstentions – 0)

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation for the all day charge at Well Park car park, Holsworthy, and the Torrington equivalent, to be an incremental increase in line with inflation, be approved. 

(Vote: For – 7, Against – 1, Abstentions – 2)

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation in the report be approved along with the previously agreed amendments.

(Vote: For – unanimous)

The Finance Manager (S151 Officer) presented the report, the purpose of which was to review the level of miscellaneous fees and charges.

The Chair opened up the item for debate. A lengthy discussion took place where Members considered and debated the miscellaneous fees and charges.

In response to inquiries concerning the newly specified fees and charges for car parks in Northam, the Finance Manager (S151 Officer) and the Head of Communities & Place provided an explanation of the efforts undertaken to determine these charges. They indicated that the adjustments were made to align with the fee structures in other areas. Furthermore, it was advised, if Members were not satisfied with the miscellaneous fees and charges, they could propose alternatives.

Subsequently, Councillor D. Brenton addressed the Committee, drawing attention to the absence of a fee increase for Beach Huts. He proposed that the fees be adjusted in accordance with the rate of inflation.

After receiving clarification on the fees and charges for the reserved bays at Windmill Lane in Northam, Councillor P Hames proposed that the increase be  implemented incrementally.

Councillor L Piper seconded Councillor D Brenton’s proposal for the Beach Huts.

Councillor C. Leather addressed the Committee and seconded Councillor P. Hames' proposal, suggesting an amendment that the increase be implemented incrementally over the remaining term of the Council. Councillor P. Hames concurred with this amendment.

Continuing the discussion, Councillor C. Leather referenced the provision of free parking in Bideford, Torrington, and Holsworthy from Saturday midday to Monday 8 a.m., and proposed that the same arrangement be applied to Bone Hill Car Park in Northam.

Members continued to consider and debate the car park fees and charges in detail.

Responding directly to the comments made, the Finance Manager (S151 Officer) informed the members that the increases are aligned with inflation and are essential for maintaining a balanced budget.

Following a query regarding the Betting and Gaming fees, the Finance Manager (S151 Officer) advised it was difficult to comment on each individual increase. However, service managers had been consulted and had thoroughly investigated their respective service areas to determine the new fees and charges.

Responding to a question regarding the arrangement at Clarence Wharf Car Park, the Head of Communities & Place confirmed the Council provide the enforcement service and informed Members of the current agreement for the revenue received.  

It was confirmed, following questioning, that the Cemetery prices for 2025/26 had maintained the current fee and charges, as they had previously been significantly increased to align with the rates in other areas.

The Estates Manager, Harvey Gardner, who was also in attendance, approached the table to clarify points raised by Members regarding the increased car parking fees and charges. He further explained that an equitable approach had been applied to determine the new fees and charges, and elaborated on how additional resources could contribute to improved revenue

Members continued the debate and expressed concerns regarding the potential impact of the new car park fees and charges on economic growth.

Acknowledging concerns and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 509.

To receive the report of the Finance Manager (S151 Officer).

RESOLVED:

That the following recommendations be approved and noted, and recommended to Full Council:

a)    Torridge’s Band D Council Tax for 2025/26 be increases by (2.99%) from £189.50 to £195.17 per year

b)    Torridge’s Net Revenue Budget 2025/26 is £12.109m

c)    The contributions to the Council’s reserves as outlined in paragraph 11.4 are approved.

d)    That in light of the risks to the Council’s finances identified within the report that the Member Working Group continue its work to bring the Council’s budgets back into balance.

That members note:

The Chief Finance Officer (s151 Officer) assurance of the robustness of the budget 2025/26 set out in section 13 of the report.

Note the assumptions and forecast applied to develop the MTFS outlined in section 9.

(Vote: For – 7, Against – 1, Abstention – 1)

The Finance Manager (S151 Officer) presented the report, the purpose of which was for Members to consider, formulate and recommend the Budget to Full Council.

The Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) indicates the possible extent of the budget and funding shortfall that the Council will face in the future. It is an aid in identifying the extent of service changes that the Council will need to make to achieve a balanced budget in each financial year up to 2029/30.

Following the presentation the Chair addressed the committee and moved the recommendations in the report. Councillor K James seconded the Chair’s proposal.

A brief discussion took place.

Councillor P Hames commenced the discussion, highlighting that the request for the Councillor Climate Change to be allocated £500,000 to aid the reduction of carbon emissions was not granted.Within his comments Councillor P Hames made the following recommendation:

It is proposed that a report is provided to members which sets out the plans for vehicle replacement, together with comparative costs of purchase and lifetime maintenance of diesel and electric vehicles and the comparative figures for carbon reduction. This report would also include data about changing to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel and converting diesel to battery power. Also included would be financing possibilities, such as fleet arrangements and leasing as well as availability of Government grants.

In response to concerns raised regarding the perceived lack of ambition to invest in the economy or environment, the Chair reminded Members of the Council's ongoing investments in major projects in both Appledore and the new Operational Services Centre.

Next, the Chief Executive addressed the comments about the Council’s Strategic Plan. He explained that the economy and environment are key parts of each service area Business Plan, which are reviewed by the Internal Overview & Scrutiny Committee. He also mentioned that the reserve funds would deplete if new income sources or cost savings are not found. If the Council manages to generate new income streams and save money, those reserves can be used elsewhere. The Finance Manager (S151 Officer) reassured Members that there are funds available for investment when projects are ready and provided examples of the different allocated reserves.

In response to queries regarding the transition of the waste fleet to electric, the Finance Manager (S151 Officer) reiterated the reasons why this was not financially viable. He also advised that the new Operational Services Centre would not have the capacity to accommodate a full fleet of electric vehicles due to infrastructure limitations and topographical challenges. It was emphasised that the current site at Westcombe could not accommodate an electric vehicle, and that an electric vehicle does not have the capacity to meet the operational requirements of the Council area due to the geographical constraints. 

It was also confirmed that the Council currently have a replacement vehicle strategy in place which could be circulated if required. 

As the discussion progressed, Councillor D Brenton seconded Councillor P Hames’ proposal.

Following further discussions regarding the vehicle fleet replacement, the Head of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 510.

To receive the report of the Deputy Section 151 Officer.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation to update the Capital Programme with the four new projects as stated in the report be approved and recommended to Full Council.

(Vote: 7, Against – 0, Abstentions – 1)

The Deputy S151 Officer presented the report, the purpose of which was for  Members to consider, formulate and recommend updates to the Capital Programme 2025/26 to Full Council.

The Capital Programme includes new PIDs (Project Initiation Documents) which require authorisation from Members before inclusion.

A slide presentation was delivered, following which a discussion took place.

Councillor C Leather proposed the recommendations in the report.

Following an inquiry, the Head of Communities & Place confirmed that he would provide clarification regarding whether the new parking machines will accept cash payments.

In response to the suggestion that the £456,000 surplus be allocated to the net zero commitment, the Deputy S151 Officer clarified that funds could only be designated to projects that had received approval through the Project Initiation Document (PID) process. The Deputy S151 Officer's points were further supported by the Chief Executive, who reminded Members that the PID process had been reviewed by the Internal Overview & Scrutiny Committee to incorporate a section on Climate Change.

Following a question regarding whether the new ticket machines would be equipped with solar panels, the Head of Communities & Place confirmed that some machines are indeed fitted with solar panels. Additionally, the Estates Team would continue to explore further possibilities as they emerge.

Subsequent to further questioning the Deputy S151 Officer could not clarify the £77,000 for the Harbour (Shipping works) in the Capital Programme 2025/26 – to 2029/30 although confirmed it was not for the crane. He would seek confirmation and report back to the committee.

The Chief Executive, following questioning, provided a brief overview on the Linear Defence at Westward Ho! and advised further information would be provided at a future Member Briefing. 

A brief update was given on the Holsworthy Agriculture Centre and confirmed that discussions were ongoing.

It was proposed by Councillor C Leather, seconded by Councillor K James and -

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation to update the Capital Programme with the four new projects as stated in the report be approved and recommended to Full Council.

(Vote: 7, Against – 0, Abstentions – 1)

The Chair to move:

That the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting because of the likely disclosure of exempt information by virtue of paragraph   XXXXXX   of Part I and paragraph 10 of Part 2 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.