To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from the Chairman (Councillor Haddock) and Councillor Manning.

Vice-Chair in the Chair.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Policy Development and Decision Group held on 23 November 2016.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations Team) held on 23 November 2016 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any communications or announcements from the Chairman or the Mayor.

The Mayor confirmed that he had withdrawn his original decision in respect of consultation on Bylaws, homeless people and begging in light of the successful £400,000 grant from the Government to support rough sleepers over the next two years which had enabled him to rethink the direction of travel on this matter. 

The Mayor thanked the churches, voluntary groups and volunteers for all the work they were doing to help homeless people in Torbay but agreed that there needed to be a co-ordinated and joined up approach working in partnership with all groups concerned to achieve the best outcomes.  He announced that he would be taking a further decision on this issue next week.

To consider the submitted report and receive oral representations from interested parties regarding a motion submitted to the Council meeting on 27 October 2016 which the Mayor referred to the Policy Development Group (Joint Operations Team) for public consultation.

At the Council Meeting on 27 October 2016 the Mayor referred a motion regarding King George V Playing Fields being registered with Fields in Trust to the Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations) for consideration with public consultation (to include Torbay Sports Council and Torquay Golf Club).  Members heard oral representations from Tim Aggett from Torquay Golf Club (in support of protecting the fields for use for sport) and Robert Loxton from SPORT TORBAY (formerly known as Torbay Sports Council), Tracey Dawson and David Ward (members of the public) against the proposal to take no action at this time to register the fields as a Field in Trust.

The Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations Team) made the following (unanimous) recommendation to the Mayor:

That the Council should not, at this time, pursue a Deed of Dedication with the Fields in Trust to protect the King George V Playing Fields from development as it would be contrary to existing Council policy (namely the Corporate Asset Management Plan) by restricting and/or reducing the current or future value of the asset.

The Mayor considered the recommendation of the Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations Team) set out above at the meeting and the record of his decision, together with further information is attached to these Minutes.

To consider the submitted report on a proposal to transfer the Trading Standards Service to Devon County Council to join the existing Devon and Somerset Trading Standards Partnership.

The Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations Team) made the following (unanimous) recommendation to the Mayor:

(i)       that the Trading Standards Service be transferred to Devon County Council from the 1 April 2017 (or as soon as practicable afterwards) with the Assistant Director (Community and Customer Services) being given delegated authority to give effect to the transfer; and

(ii)      that the Chief Executive be recommended to appoint the Assistant Director (Community and Customer Services) and the Executive Lead for Environment as the Council’s representatives on the Devon and Somerset Trading Standards Partnership Board in accordance with paragraph 1.21 of the Officer Scheme of Delegation.

The Mayor considered the recommendations of the Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations Team) set out above at the meeting and the record of his decision, together with further information is attached to these Minutes.

To consider the submitted report on a proposal to join the Devon Building Control Partnership.

The Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations Team) made the following (unanimous) recommendation to the Mayor:

(i)       that Torbay Council’s Building Control Service join and become part of the Devon Building Control Partnership with staff TUPE transferred to the host Authority, Teignbridge District Council from the 1 April 2017; and

(ii)      that the Assistant Director (Communities and Customer Services), in consultation with the Executive Lead for Planning, Transport and Housing, be give delegated authority to finalise the arrangements of the transfer of the Building Control Service.

The Mayor considered the recommendations of the Policy Development and Decision Group (Joint Operations Team) set out above at the meeting and the record of his decision, together with further information is attached to these Minutes.