Devon County Council’s new chair has been appointed in a vote that saw most of the biggest opposition party abstain.

[Owl notes that one of Exmouth’s newly elected Reform councillors, Nat Vanstone, sent his apologies, despite posting on social media after his election on 2 May: “My work starts for you all today, no showers in champagne just hard work for all of you.“]

Bradley Gerrard www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

Cllr Caroline Leaver (Liberal Democrat, Barnstaple South) secured the position as chair, a largely ceremonial role that involves representing the council across the county.

Cllr Leaver was the only nominee put forward for the position at the first full council meeting of the new administration this week, but when votes were taken, many Reform UK councillors abstained.

They largely did the same when it came to the vote for council leader, for which Lib Dem Cllr Julian Brazil (Kingsbridge) was the only nominee.

Lack of representation

Cllr Edward Hill (Reform UK, Pinhoe & Mincinglake) said after the meeting that his party’s abstentions were related to what some feel is a lack of political representation on the cabinet.

The cabinet is the council’s main decision-making body, and while the 10-member entity does have a Green Party councillor – Totnes & Dartington member Cllr Jacqi Hodgson – no other parties are represented.

The previous administration, led by the Conservatives, only had Tory cabinet members.

“The rationale for our abstentions is that the Liberal Democrats have in their manifesto that they support proportional representation, but their cabinet is not proportionally representing all of the parties across the political spectrum,” Cllr Hill said following the meeting.

“I abstained from voting on that basis, and while the Lib Dems could say that they have a Green member on the cabinet, they need that party to support them as they don’t have an outright majority to take control.”

The 2024 Liberal Democrat national manifesto said the party was fighting for proportional representation, which it states makes “seats won match votes cast”.

New leader Cllr Brazil (Liberal Democrat, Kingsbridge) said he understood the Reform UK members’ frustration.

“Who knows, in future perhaps we can be more inclusive, but from the beginning we need to get on with the work we need to do,” he said.

“We do have Cllr Hodgson in the cabinet, and she works with us at South Hams District Council and is a crucial and valued part of the administration.

“Your voice will be listened to, but not as members of the cabinet at this stage.”

Cllr Brazil reiterated that he wanted to try and be “as inclusive as possible”.

“I genuinely feel that’s what we should do,” he added.

“All voices will be listened to and if you have a good idea, that will be accepted as we want to get rid of the Punch and Judy approach to politics. We owe it to our electorate, as they have spoken and want us to do things in a different way.”

Individual choices

Cllr Hill said his party’s members had not been asked to abstain, and so the move by members of the party to do so had been an individual choice on each councillor’s part.

He added that he would be disappointed if Reform UK appointed cabinets in councils it controlled entirely from its own party.

Alongside Cllr Leaver, Cllr Rosie Dawson (Liberal Democrat, Dawlish) was appointed vice chair, replacing her predecessor in the role, Pru Maskell, a former Conservative councillor who lost her seat in the election at the beginning of the month.

In her first session as chair, Cllr Leaver had to deal with some discontent from members, including frustration from Reform UK member Cllr Neil Stevens (Alphington & Cowick) about not being allowed to address the chamber with comments he had prepared, and from independent member Cllr Paul Hayward, who complained about the poor acoustics and confusion around a motion about installing swift boxes on council-owned property.

Cllr Hayward said it was difficult for people who were hard-of-hearing to keep up with verbal changes to the motion, and requested that in future updated motions be “put in writing on the 20-foot screen that’s right there.”

Foster carers to get council tax rebate

Bradley Gerrard, Local Democracy Reporter www.devonairradio.com

Devon’s foster carers are set to get a council tax rebate as part of a range of measures aimed at making the service more compelling.

Foster carers looking after children for 13 to 26 weeks will be offered a 25 per cent rebate on their council tax, while those caring for children for more than 26 weeks will be able to secure a 50 per cent rebate.

This rebate applies to the portion of residents’ council tax bills that is charged by Devon County Council, which is the largest share of the bill that households receive.

The rebate, the first decision taken by the new Liberal Democrat cabinet, will mean a foster carer in a Band D property could get £429 back on the £1,716 portion of their council tax bill that goes to the county council.

That figure rises to a maximum of £858 for those foster carers looking after children for more than 26 weeks.

Foster carers will be prompted by their social workers to apply for the annual rebate and will need to provide their council tax bill as part of the process.

The cabinet heard that the council has roughly 250 foster carers, with approximately 210 of those being people who had no prior connection to the child.

Cllr Richard Jefferies (Liberal Democrat, Feniton & Honiton), cabinet member with responsibility for children’s services, said the report was aimed at “strengthening the fostering offer in Devon” and would show that the council “values their service”.

Besides the council tax rebate, the proposals include an £80,000 equipment budget from existing resources from which foster carers can request money to replace items needed to fulfil their fostering responsibilities.

There is also a commitment to increase the basic allowance the council pays foster carers for children aged 16 and above to move in line with the national minimum allowance, and for all fostering allowances to be increased in line with that national standard or inflation without the need for cabinet approval.
And £36,000 will be put towards peer support and mentoring for foster carers.

Council officers said the equipment budget included providing cash for the likes of new cot mattresses for babies and car seats for children.

Steve Liddicott, the director for wellbeing and health, said one recent example related to a foster carer needing a double buggy because she was looking after two young children.

Cllr Andrew Leadbetter (Wearside and Topsham), who now leads the Conservative group at County Hall, said the proposals were a “great idea”.

“But I would say that, as it happened when I was still the cabinet member for children’s services,” he said.
“I’m delighted you think it is a great idea as we need to do everything we can to encourage fostering and keep foster carers because as you know, the best place for children is to be in a family.

“Anything we can do to encourage our offer is superb and I look forward to seeing more of it.”

Cllr Julian Brazil (Liberal Democrat, Kingsbridge), the new leader of the council, congratulated the previous administration, and added that he would be writing to the county’s foster carers to thank them for their hard work and dedication.

The proposals were unanimously approved by the cabinet (Friday 23 May).
 

‘Now I can lift the carpet and deal with the issues’

Guy Henderson – Local Democracy Reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

Torbay Council’s knife-edge political balance has shifted again after a Brixham councillor decided to stand down from the ruling Conservative group to become an independent.

Jason Hutchings (Furzeham with Summercombe) said in a statement that he felt he was being ‘held back’ and unable to speak his mind.

He said he would still support what the Conservatives were doing in Torbay, but his decision could make him the most powerful man on the local authority.

His resignation from the group leaves the Conservatives with 17 councillors, plus him as a Conservative-leaning independent.

The opposition group of Liberal Democrats and independents has 18 councillors.

In practice, a number of important recent debates have split down party lines, and have been decided on the casting vote of the mayor – currently, and in the recent past, a Conservative.

If Cllr Hutchings votes with his former Conservative colleagues, the Tory administration can be sure of holding sway. If on any issue he decides to vote with the opposition, the Conservatives will lose. Even if he decides to abstain, that would also be bad news for the Conservatives.

Cllr Hutchings is the third member of the Conservative group to jump ship since the last full council elections in May 2023. Katya Maddison and the late Patrick Joyce left the group to form Prosper Torbay later that year.

Cllr Hutchings said the decision to go independent had been on his mind for a while, saying it was hard to criticise decisions and ‘work ethics’ of fellow councillors while in a group.

“Certain things aren’t getting done and are being brushed under the carpet,” he said. “Now I can lift the carpet and deal with the issues.”

He said some local issues were being ignored, and he was not content to tell local voters that they were just ‘being worked on’.

“The Conservative group has made some tough decisions over the last two years – some I’m not fully on board with – but it has managed to achieve some really good projects as well,” he went on.

“I’m hoping to work with council leader David Thomas and the Conservative group along with the Lib Dem group and fellow independents to iron out the problems this council is facing.

“Local councils shouldn’t be so political and now being independent I don’t have to toe the party line and can ask questions against all sides of the chamber to get the right result for my residents.”

Earlier this year Cllr Hutchings was the subject of a complaint when he re-posted a Facebook post from Reform UK, which is against Conservative party rules.

However, he said he was not leaving the Tories to join Reform.

“I’m staying as an independent for the meantime, but who knows what’s around the corner?” he said. “But I don’t see myself being a Conservative again as the party hasn’t brought anything new forward.

“I have made this decision as I feel that my residents will have a stronger voice and from all the messages and phone calls and comments I have received, residents are over the moon I have decided to make that decision.”