Cabinet Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.  A flowchart providing guidance on interests is attached to assist councillors.

There were no declarations of interest made by Councillors, in accordance with the code of conduct.

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 10 August 2021.

Agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 10 August 2021 are confirmed as a correct record.

To receive questions from the public in accordance with the Constitution.

Questions, of no longer than 50 words, can be submitted to the Democratic Support Unit, Plymouth City Council, Ballard House, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five clear working days before the date of the meeting.

There were no questions from the members of the public.

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

There were no items of Chair’s urgent business.

Councillor Nick Kelly (Leader of the Council) advised that Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) and Craig McArdle (Strategic Director for People) would provide an update to the Council’s response and recovery progress, in relation to the tragic events that happened in Keyham a few weeks ago.

This was the Council’s first formal Cabinet meeting since those events which rocked us all as a City.  The Leader wished to formally thank all of the first responders who bravely ran to the aid of the people in Keyham, it was during an incident like this that truly showed the care and dedication they exuded.

The Leader also thanked all Council staff that had worked tirelessly to help and support the families and residents in the aftermath, as well as all of the community groups, local Councillors and MPs.  He had been so impressed with how everyone had come together in such a remarkable way. A formal minute’s silence had been held outside of the Guildhall and a Memorial Service for those who lost their lives.

He understood that the funerals were now taking place and he would like everyone to join him in a minute’s silence to remember Lee and Sophie Martyn, Maxine Davison, Stephen Washington and Kate Shepherd.

A minute’s silence took place.

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) advised the Devon and Cornwall constabulary had led the response phase, but that the council acted alongside emergency services. The Council had provided support to individuals and the community and provided community reassurance through a co-ordinated message to stakeholders, to those affected, to the community, to the wider city, to the nation and further. The Council had prepared to initiate the multi-agency recovery phase to show how the city would come together through its visible and strong leadership participation across the city. Teams had been mobilised instantly after the tragic events and community hubs had been set up early the next morning and outreach working started to provide community reassurance and ensure those that needed support were reached.

The city had been in mourning for a week, the civic response had been important to show deeply it affected us and we had set up a book of condolences, safeguarded our tributes and flowers, the national minutes silence and the church service.

Tracey Lee thanked the emergency services for their response to the tragedy and also thanked Council staff for their quality and compassionate response.

The impact of these events will be felt for some time and in line with emergency planning protocols the local authority picks up the lead for multi-agency recovery.

Craig McArdle (Strategic Director for People) advised the Council had moved out of the initial response phase and had set down a Multi-agency approach to recovery which included the Police, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Plymouth Community Homes, Health partners, voluntary and community sector organisations and elected members. 

To take forward the recovery, Plymouth had developed an overarching strategy with the following aims:

Ruth Harrell (Director of Public Health) provided an update on Covid-19 which included –

Councillor Nick Kelly (Leader of the Council) provided an update on the following –

Cabinet Members provided updates as follows -

Councillor Nick Kelly (The Leader) introduced the 100 Day Plan and invited Cabinet Members to speak to commitments related to their portfolios as follows:

Councillor Patrick Nicholson highlighted that – commitment 4 to speak to members of parliament had been completed with the director of public health and Craig McArdle we had presented Members of Parliament with a paper on the respective Health agenda’s relevant to their constituencies this had been expanded to encompass of health requirements not just adult social care. In relation to the health and Wellbeing hubs this had been drilled down in relation to our aspirations in relation to their constituencies but also access to gp services and other requirements. The government had made an announcement on Adult Social Care reform which would lead the debate further on.

Councillor Mrs Maddi Bridgeman – commitment 27 continue to support champion and adhere to the waste hierarchy empowerment by the government under the environment bill which is currently under consultation. We continue to explore waste to make it easier for business and communities to reduce the waste that they produce and to favour reused recycle over recovery and disposal. Within the Preventing Plastic Pollution (PPP project) we are seeking to work with 50 local businesses and 50 local communities to help them to reduce their plastic waste and explore new ways to evidence change and illustrate modifications in their supply chains. They will have the opportunity to sign up to a plastic charter. A two year contract has been agreed with the Ocean Conservation Trust and Environment Plymouth to act as external experts. We had been working to build on those pledges and networks already identified when Plymouth became a plastic free city and to date have seven new businesses, three new schools and four new tourism and leisure groups working towards the revised charter. The Plastic Task Force from the PPP project had worked with the following local communities over the last 12 months; Odessey innovations, National Marine Aquarium, Surfers Against Sewage, Marine Conservation Society, Food Plymouth, Source to Sea, Clean our Patch, The 1000 tires project, KFC, Plasticey, Precious Plastic Plymouth, Fab Lab Plymouth and the Smart Citizens programme. Councillor Bridgeman announced that the Plastic Sculpture has also been signed off.  

Councillor Jonathon Drean – manifesto commitment 30 had been completed. Councillor Drean had written to the minister and shared with him how we had been moving as a city to install the electric charging points and the plan for mobility hubs. He had also been made aware of the electric boat charging points on the Mountbatten ferry site for the E-voyager and E-Link.

Plymouth City Council had submitted a bid to the Department of Transport under the Active Travel Fund for a programme of walking and cycling schemes for a total of £4.4mil for the schemes we had completed by 31st March 2023. The bid comprised of a 10 different projects.

Commitment 72 to help road safety and traffic flow and encourage the use  ...  view the full minutes text for item 172.

Councillor Kelly (The Leader), and Brendan Arnold (Service Director for Finance) introduced the Finance Monitoring Report July 2021 to Members and highlighted the following key points:

 Cabinet agreed to note the current revenue monitoring position.

Councillor Kelly (The Leader) introduced the Corporate Plan Performance Report Quarter one 2021 – 22 to members and highlighted the following key points:

Cabinet noted the quarter one report of the Corporate Plan Performance Report.   

Councillor Nicholson (Deputy Leader), Jonathan Bell (Head of Development Planning) and Sarah Gooding (Policy and Intelligence Advisor) were present for this item.  It was reported that the Annual Report provides Cabinet with an overview of progress over the past year, for each of the different elements of the plan. 

Councillor Nicholson requested to table the following recommendation:

‘Officers are instructed to conduct a review of developer’s contribution to ensure development proposals in Plymouth are contributing sufficiently to fully mitigate the cost of their impact of health infrastructure in the city’. 

The reason for this additional recommendation because many developments within the city that have considered have made negligible impact to our health infrastructure and that it was really important to adopt a more robust approach to ensure that large developers actually contribute significantly to the health infrastructure for our city as we develop and grow. 

Why was the Plymouth Plan produced?:

·        To consolidate the 140 strategies and plans;

·        Working to different timelines and on different datasets;

·        Costly and confusing

·        How was the city supposed to speak with a single voice?

The Plymouth Plan journey started in 2013 and was adopted in 2015.  The Plan has been refreshed on three occasions:

·        The Plan is structured around a healthy city, growing city and international city;

·        The Plan is built on a philosophy with putting people at the heart of the plan, opportunity and connections and the flourishing of local communities;

·        The plan is represented spatially and digitally;

·        The plan is managed by Plymouth City Council working with partners and scrutiny provides accountability;

·        Outcomes – built into the plan 15 strategic outcomes and are reported through the annual monitoring report;

·        Three major factors to follow closely:  Covid, Brexit and Climate emergency;

·        Next steps – use of data to support conversations about city plans and priorities.

Cabinet noted the Plymouth Plan Annual Report 2021 and agreed the following additional recommendation:

‘Officers are instructed to conduct a review of developer’s contribution to ensure development proposals in Plymouth are contributing sufficiently to fully mitigate the cost of their impact of health infrastructure in the city’. 

(Councillors Kelly, Nicholson, Riley, Mrs Pengelly and Drean voted in favour).

(Councillors Mrs Bridgeman and Deacon joined the meeting virtually and therefore not able to vote).

Caroline Cozens (Head of Strategic Programmes) and Kevin McKenzie (Policy and Intelligence Advisor) provided Cabinet with an update on Plymouth and South Devon Freezone.  Cabinet were provided with an explanation on what is a Freeport?

·        Freeports were special economic zones where normal custom rules do not apply;

·        The Freeport programme was the Government’s flagship regeneration initiative to support levelling up;

·        Following a competitive process Plymouth’s Freeport bid was one of 8 successful bids announced by the Chancellor;

·        Our vision to build on our world class innovation assets to accelerate clean growth to provide the high quality jobs needed for the future;

·        We call our Freeport the Plymouth and South Devon Freezone.

The proposal was innovation led:

·        Marine innovation cluster at South Yard;

·        Over 100 Ha of employment land unblocked at linked sites in Langage and Sherford;

·        Ports at Cattedown and Millbay optimised;

·        Marine Skills Academy – a virtual skills academy;

·        Packages of capital enabling work;

·        Inward investment.

HM Treasury have asked us to provide a business case which covers the following 5 areas: strategic, economic, financial, commercial and management case.  Progress to date:

·        Established our partnership and governance with Devon and South Hams local authorities;

·        Received first tranche of central government revenue support;

·        Established a cross authority delivery team;

·        Appointed a number of specialist consultants;

·        Established partnerships with businesses, including anchor tenants;

·        Engaged with the business community and held stakeholder events;

·        Developed close partnership working with government departments and agencies;

·        Master planned each site collaboratively with landowners and partners;

·        On track to complete Outline Business Case in the Autumn.

Outcomes and Outputs:

·        Trade and investment;

·        Job creation;

·        Innovation.

Next steps:

·        Outline business case continues to be developed;

·        Formal update on Outline Business Case to elected members prior to submission;

·        26 November 2021 – Outline Business Case submitted;

·        Feedback and approval of Outline Business Case;

·        Development of Full Business Case and early implementation components start;

·        Approval of Full Business Case by elected members prior to submission in February 2022;

·        4 March 2022 – Full Business Case submitted;

·        Spring 2022 – approval of full business case, operationalisation of Freeport, Section 31 Grant issued for see Capital Funding.

The following items were raised by Members:

·        A request for a briefing note on the practicalities of the Freezone;

·        The Freezone fits very nicely into the Plan for Plymouth by bringing highly paid and skilled jobs into the area;

·        Whether there was a possibility for companies or organisations outside the area relocating into the zone or whether they would build up local companies.

Cabinet noted the Freezone Update and requested a briefing paper on the practicalities of the Freezone.

Councillor Kelly (Leader) introduced the report and asked Cabinet to confirm the appointments contained within the report for the 2021/22 municipal year.

It was agreed that Cabinet confirm the appointments to the Plymouth Investment Partnerships Limited contained within the report for the municipal year.

(Councillors Kelly, Nicholson, Riley, Mrs Pengelly and Drean voted in favour).

(Councillors Mrs Bridgeman and Deacon joined the meeting virtually and therefore not able to vote).