Attendees:
Melanie Sealey (Chair), Keir Duffin, Chris Shears, Heather Hillman, Andrew Wood, Chris Fuller, Andrew Elliot, Chris Parsons, Alex Lessware, Dominie Dunbrook, Neil Blaney, Patrick Rafferty, Paul Britton, Liz Payne, Sarah Jane Mackenzie-Shapland, Sean Anstee, Hannah Dixon (Minutes)
Apologies:
Chris Brook, Ian Collinson, Jamie Hulland, Richard Marsh, Sean Kearney, Adrian Welsh, Alan Denby, Alison Hayward, Andrew Collier, Catherine Turner, Chris Bartlett, Claire Cushion, Dave Harwood, David Lang, Iain Masters, Jody James, Kevin Mills, Laura Jayne Haynes, Leroy Venn, Mathew Chetwynd, Mike Deaton, Tim Child
1. Minutes from the Previous Meeting
1.1 Minutes from the previous meeting agreed as an accurate record.
2. MHCLG update – Chris Parsons
2.1 Chris spoke to slides, which have been circulated to all attendees.
2.2 A new ministerial team is in place including:
- Steve Reed MP – Secretary of State
- Miatta Fahnbulleh – Parliamentary Under-Secretary
- Alison McGovern – Minister of State
2.3 Key Announcements & Funding Updates
- Pride in Place: £20m over 10 years + £1.5m Impact Funds over 3 years. Southwest received limited support, with no funding for Devon or Devon Districts prompting calls for stronger advocacy and communication with MPs.
- Local Regeneration Fund: Consolidation of existing funding streams including Levelling Up, Town Deals, and Pathfinder Pilots.
- New Towns: 12 announced, including Bristol, Plymouth, and East Devon.
- Growth Mission Fund: £240–£250m for emerging projects, driven by MPs.
- Other Funds Mentioned:
- Common Ground Resilience Fund
- National Wealth Fund
2.4 Policy & Strategy
- Steve Reed reaffirmed commitments to:
- Fairer funding for local authorities
- Building 1.5 million homes
- Expanding affordable/social housing
- Supporting devolution
- Consultation underway on home buying/selling reform.
- Local Government Reorganisation remains on the agenda.
2.5 Budget & Future Funding
- Autumn Budget scheduled for 26 November.
- No direct replacement yet for UKSPF/REPF. MCA model may be the future route, but Southwest is disadvantaged with only one MCA (Bristol). Partners on the call suggested an urgent need for policy clarity and inclusion of non-MCA areas.
- Discussion around Devon’s engagement with central government compared to other regions.
3. UKSPF /REPF update – KD / All
3.1 KD provided an overview of the current financial position and spending plans for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund for 2025/26, including allocation priorities and available funding. Action: A more detailed update to be scheduled for the next meeting.
4. CCA Update – Sean Anstee
4.1 Action: SA to share the slides of his presentation.
4.2 Local Transport Authority
An options appraisal, divided into nine workstreams, is being prepared for the November CCA Board meeting. The Board will need to decide on a preferred approach. The appraisal will be published on 13 November. The aim is to ensure the chosen approach is compliant and ready by April 2026, aligning with developments in Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and Devolution.
4.3 Devon and Torbay CCA Corporate plan
A corporate plan is being developed, supported by four enabling documents, including the Local Growth Plan. Additional enabling plans will sit beneath these. The aim is to establish a solid policy foundation before progressing to delivery.
5. AOB
5.1 SJMS will send an email out to colleagues re: mapping assets.
Future Meetings Dates
Wednesday 21st January 2026
Wednesday 15th April 2026
Wednesday 15th July 2026
Wednesday 21st October 2026