To approve and sign the minutes of the meetings held on 25 November 2024 and 9 January 2025 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meetings held on 25 November 2024 and 9 January 2025 were agreed as an accurate record with the two following amendments for the 25 November 2024 meeting:

1.      Following review of the replay corrections will be made to the announcement made by Councillor Stephens which concerned cycle delivery drivers rather than all cyclists;

2.    A correction to the question posed by Councillor Wood concerning the Electoral Cycle Consultation and associated costs. The question and answer should have read “How much did the Electoral Cycle review consultation and report cost and what amount of people voting for reform would have been sufficient for action from the Leader?” “This was not a referendum, to that extent 180,000 Plymouthians allowed the Council to make the decision on their behalf”.

To receive any declarations of interest made by members in accordance with the code of conduct.

No declarations of interest were made.  

The Monitoring Officer will submit a schedule of vacancies on committees, outside bodies etc and of changes notified to us.  

The Committee agreed to note the changes to appointments to committees, outside bodies etc.

To receive questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters which are about something the council is responsible for or something that directly affects people in the city, in accordance with Part B, paragraph 11 of the Constitution.

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

There were two questions from members of the public.

(a)        To receive announcements from the Lord Mayor, Chief Executive, Service Director for Finance or Head of Legal Services;

(b)        To receive announcements from the Leader, Cabinet Members or Committee Chairs.

Councillor Tina Tuohy (The Lord Mayor) made the following announcements:

a)    The day marked Holocaust Memorial Day, 80 years since Soviet Forces liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau. A minute of silence was called to remember victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Bosnia, Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur; 

b)    Last Thursday, Claire Chick, a beloved lecturer at the University of Plymouth had her life taken from her.Claire was an energetic and beautiful soul who touched countless lives through her work in nursing education and her international contributions to healthcare teaching across Europe, Africa, and Asia. One minute of silencewas called to honour Claire's memory and reflect on the profound impact she had on so many lives; 

c)    At a recent ceremony, the Local Council Road Innovation group presented a special life-time achievementaward to Councillor Mark Coker. The Councillor had demonstrated unwavering dedication, leadership, and a relentless commitment to improving our community's infrastructure.

Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) made the following announcements:

d)    The Economic Development department had earned for the Authority and its residents: £28.5 million of earned income, £102 million of external grant funding, £280 million of capital investment and £18 million of foreign direct investment. £5.5 billion was in the investment pipeline with major investment into the City and the dockyard to come; 

e)    The next few months promised to bring the following £200 million of investments as well as milestones:

                      i.        Redevelopment of the Civic Centre and a new partnership with Homes England would kick-start housing development in the City Centre

                     ii.        £19.5 million Levelling-Up Funding would be used to unlock the City Centre Blue-Green Skills hub and latest phase of Oceansgate;

                    iii.        Net Zero ambitions would be fulfilled for Millbay with the provision of Shore Power;

                    iv.        A new Economic Strategy would be adopted with the Port Strategy and creative industries plan;

                     v.        The Tinside refurbishment would be completed;

                    vi.        Mount Batten centre redevelopment will have started;

                  vii.        The next phase of works would commence at Brickfields;

                 viii.        The one millionth visitor to The Box would be celebrated;

                   ix.        £25 million Freeport investment would commence;

f)     After a recent meeting of Cornwall Council on the 21 of January, they had resolved to confirm their full support for the content of a letter seeking greater autonomy and devolution for the County to continue to exist as an standalone political unit;  

g)    Due, in part, to the aforementioned positon of Cornwall Council, Plymouth were unable to submit an expression of interest in the priority programme which other parts of the country had been;

h)    Some moderate expansion of Plymouth’s boundaries would be required in order to attain the requisite additional population and tax base to provide sustainability in the long run.

Councillor Coker (Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport) made the following announcements:

i)     Non-commercial bus routes which were due to finish at the end of March 2025 would now continue for a new three year period;

j)     The number 200  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

The report was introduced by Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) and seconded by Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities).

The Council agreed to:

1.    The Council Tax Base for 2025/26 of 76,557 equivalent Band D dwellings as set out in the report;

2.    The continuation of the current Council Tax Support scheme and Exceptional Hardship Scheme for 2025/26.

For (49)

Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lowry, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Morton, Murphy, P. Nicholson, S. Nicholson, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Ricketts, Simpson, M. Smith, R. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Stephens, Taylor, Tippetts, Tofan, Ms Watkin and Wood.

Against (0)

Abstain (0)

Absent/Did Not Vote (2)

Councillors Mrs Beer and Tuohy.

The item was introduced by Councillor Dann (Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure & HR, and OD) and seconded by Councillor Laing (Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care, Culture and Communications).

The Council agreed:

1.     To approve the Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26.

For (48)

Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lowry, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Morton, Murphy, P. Nicholson, S. Nicholson, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Ricketts, Simpson, M. Smith, R. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Stephens, Taylor, Tippetts, Tofan, Ms Watkin and Wood.

Against (0)

Abstain (0)

Absent/ Did Not Vote (3)

Councillors Mrs Beer, Coker and Tuohy.

The item was introduced by Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) and seconded by Councillor Aspinall (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care).

After contributions from Councillor P. Nicholson the Council agreed to note the Committee Calendar 2025/2026.

For (49)

Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lowry, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Morton, Murphy, P. Nicholson, S. Nicholson, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Ricketts, Simpson, M. Smith, R. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Stephens, Taylor, Tippetts, Tofan, Ms Watkin and Wood.

Against (0)

Abstain (0)

Absent/ Did Not Vote (2)

Councillors Mrs Beer and Tuohy.

(Councillor Ricketts left the meeting at the end of this item)

The item was introduced by Councillor Steel and seconded by Councillor Aspinall (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care).

The Council agreed:

1.    The Leader would write to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne MP, urging the Minister to expedite consultations and introduce stricter regulations on the advertising and sale of vapes as soon as possible;

2.    The Leader would write to Dr Sam Roberts, CEO of the National for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to request that Government consider the development of national guidance on advice, intervention and support that should be available for young people;

3.    The Director of Public Health would engage with and influence fellow Directors of Public Health and other relevant stakeholders to prioritise actions to prevent youth vaping. This would include writing to local businesses and national chains to request they voluntarily take action to prevent youth vaping, namely, removing vapes and associated products from shop floors;

4.    It would continue its proactive engagement with citywide partners to prevent youth vaping both in and out of school settings;

5.    That the existing Health and Wellbeing Board’s position statement on vaping would be reviewed to account for the changing use by children.

For (46)

Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lowry, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Morton, Murphy, P. Nicholson, S. Nicholson, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Simpson, M. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Taylor, Tippetts, Tofan, Ms Watkin and Wood.

Against (0)

Abstain (0)

Absent/ Did Not Vote (5)

Councillors Mrs Beer, Ricketts, R. Smith, Stephens and Tuohy.

The item was introduced by Councillor Lawson and seconded by Councillor Bannerman.

After contributions from Councillor P. Nicholson, Mrs Bridgeman, Wood, Steel, Laing, Mrs Watkin, Penberthy and Krizanac, the Council agreed that:

1.    That the Leader would write to Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education and Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, requesting that; 

                              i.        Auto-enrolment for free school meals be added to the anticipated Children’s Wellbeing Bill;

                             ii.        Local education authorities would be given the powers necessary to obtain and exchange the information necessary to identify and register all children eligible for FSM;

                            iii.        For Plymouth City Council to review the schemes put in place by some other local authorities and consider adopting an opt-out system for 2025/26, in the event that a national scheme has not been delivered.  

For (47)

Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lowry, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Morton, Murphy, P. Nicholson, S. Nicholson, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Simpson, M. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Stephens, Taylor, Tippetts, Tofan, Ms Watkin and Wood.

Against (0)

Abstain (0)

Absent/Did Not Vote (4)

Councillors Mrs Beer Ricketts, R. Smith and Tuohy.

(At the conclusion of this item there was a 20 minute break)

Questions to the Leader, Cabinet Members and Committee Chairs covering aspects for their areas of responsibility or concern by councillors in accordance with Part B, paragraph 12 of the constitution.