To receive any communications or announcements from the Leader of the Council.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Steve Darling, advised that this was Caroline Dimond’s (Director of Public Health) last Cabinet meeting before her retirement.  Councillor Steve Darling and the Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health, Councillor Stockman, paid tribute and thanks to Caroline Dimond for her dedication to the Council and the community through her work and wished her long and happy retirement.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Law, highlighted the work the Early Years Advisory Team had been undertaking with the Warberries Care Home in Torquay to enable childminders and early years children to befriend older residents as part on an intergenerational co-located programme.  The project had managed to continue using a virtual model during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Councillor Law advised that the work had won the ‘Inclusive Practice’ award at the annual Nursery World awards and congratulated all those involved.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate and Community Services, Councillor Carter, highlighted the consultation currently being undertaken on proposals to extend the Public Space Protection Orders for dog fouling and continuing the orders for restricting drinking alcohol in the streets of town centres.  Councillor Carter encouraged people to respond to the consultation which could be found on the Council’s website at Public Space Protection Orders - Torbay Council

The Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Tourism and Housing, Councillor Long, advised that the new Strategic Housing Board was due to hold its first meeting on 1 March 2021.  The Board would provide a strategic partnership approach to housing, including housing associations and Alistair Allender would be the Board’s independent Chairman.  Councillor Long also highlighted that he was due to meet Royal Mail to discuss their concerns in respect of proposals for Crossways.

Councillor Stockman outlined some of the projects and activities to be funded from the Adult Social Care precept for 2021. She advised £693,000 had been allocated and invested across a variety of projects, such as community sector investment, voluntary sector helpline, mental health and sport, details of which would be shared at a later date.

Councillor Steve Darling was pleased to announce the launch of the Community Fund of £1,500 per ward councillor for councillors to work with Community Partnerships to identify and support grass roots projects in their wards for this financial year. 

To consider any objections to the 2021/2022 Revenue Budget referred to the Cabinet from the adjourned Council meeting held on 11 February 2021.

This item was not required as the Council approved the Revenue Budget at its adjourned meeting held on 11 February 2021.

The Cabinet considered the following matters, full details of which (including the Cabinet’s decisions and recommendations to Council) are set out in the Record of Decisions appended to these Minutes.

To note the submitted report on the latest budget monitoring position and to consider any recommendation from the Overview and Scrutiny Board following their meeting on 17 February 2021.

The Cabinet noted the contents of the revised submitted report which provided a high level budget summary of the Council’s revenue and capital income and expenditure for 2020/21.  Full discussion on the report had taken place at the Overview and Scrutiny Board on 17 February 2021.

To consider a report setting out the Council’s Community Engagement and Empowerment Strategy (Policy Framework document).

To consider the submitted report on the proposed Resource Management and Waste Strategy, which includes the Cabinet’s response to the Overview and Scrutiny Board’s report on the draft Strategy (Policy Framework document).

To consider the submitted report on a proposed approach to the level of Local Housing Need that should be planed for the updated Torbay Local Plan.

To consider the submitted report on the above.

To receive and note the annual report of the Director of Public Health for 2020.

The Cabinet noted and endorsed the submitted annual report of the Director of Public Health, which outlined the work undertaken by the Public Health Team during 2020.  This year’s report focussed on the response to Covid-19 in Torbay and the recommendations contained in the report were due to be considered by the Health and Wellbeing Board.