The meeting endorsed the Council's draft Annual Report for 2023/24, agreed to allocate £100,000 of UK Shared Prosperity funding for the installation of solar panels on the roof of their offices at Kilworthy Park, and noted a report on the Council's progress against the objectives of the Council Plan.

Economic Development Strategy

The Committee discussed a report on the Council's Economic Development Strategy. The meeting was told that good progress was being made on delivering the objectives in the plan. The Committee heard from officers that the Council is starting to be seen as the first point of contact for businesses in the area, with officers noting this as an indicator of their success in becoming embedded within the business ecosystem. The Committee was told that the Council had supported over 50 businesses as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) programme. They were also told that the Council has been working with a consultancy to help set up a Business Improvement District (BID) in Okehampton, following a successful ballot of businesses in the town. One Councillor expressed some scepticism about the projected £25,000 per year saving that officers had calculated would result from the installation of solar panels at Kilworthy Park.

Integrated Performance Management Report

The Committee considered a report on the Council's progress against the objectives and actions set out in the Council Plan. The meeting was told that the Council was making good progress on delivering its objectives. 87% of actions were reported to be either complete or on track. The meeting also heard about some of the key achievements during the reporting period. These included:

• The Council has leased three electric vehicles for use by its localities and parking teams.
• The Council has published its Housing Position Statement, which sets out the five-year supply of land for housing development in the Borough.
• The Council has delivered the Junior Lifeskills programme to schools in the area, teaching young people basic skills for their future.
• The Council has continued to see very good levels of performance with its waste and recycling collections. The Assistant Director – Strategy & Organisational Development told the meeting that the Council was attempting to recruit to the post of Head of Land and Property and that this role would be key to taking forward the development of the Council's Asset Management Strategy.

Household Support Fund

The Committee considered a report on the Household Support Fund (HSF), which is provided by the government to help residents who are struggling to pay their bills.

The report also provided an update on the Cost of Living activities undertaken by the Council in the past 18 months.

Officers told the meeting that a new Cost of Living and Financial Support Officer had been appointed by the Council. The meeting resolved to make a number of payments to residents from the HSF, including:

• £500 to all care leavers living in the Borough.
• £200 to all single person households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction.
• £200 to all residents living in system built properties ¹.
• £200 to single pensioners who are up to £20 above the income threshold for Pension Credit.
• £200 to pensioner couples who are up to £30 above the income threshold for Pension Credit. The meeting also resolved to make the balance of the funding available for residents to apply for through an open application process.

Alcohol Public Space Protection Orders

Councillor Johnson highlighted to officers that the Committee's consideration of the proposed introduction of an Alcohol Public Space Protection Order was becoming an increasingly urgent matter that had already been deferred a number of times. Councillor Elliott, the Lead Member for Health & Community Wellbeing, responded that the police saw the matter as a priority and that she was trying to get a greater level of feedback from residents and community groups before bringing the issue before the Committee.