Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Members were asked to declare any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that they might have in respect of the business on the agenda. Cllr Mason declared a personal interest in relation to agenda item 3 (Introductory Presentation on Customer Interface, Operational Practice & Outcomes, and Commercial Estate) as a Council appointee to the Make it York Board.

It is at this point in the meeting that members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Tuesday 27 June 2017. Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the Committee. To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast, or recorded,  and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission. The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting. Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting. Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting. The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present. It can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_f

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It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Members will receive an introductory presentation on Customer Interface, Operational Practice & Outcomes, and Commercial Estate

The Corporate Director of Economy and Place explained that the role of the committee is to act as a critical friend, and monitor and challenge where necessary, operational practice, performance and outcomes.

He also confirmed the new Assistant Director Transport, Highways and Environment had been assigned as Lead Officer to the committee.

The Committee received presentations from each of the Assistant Directors on their respective service areas and their operational performance priorities. The Assistant Director for Planning and Public Protection highlighted the following:

·     An expected increase in major planning applications as the local plan develops.

·     Improved mobile working as a result of the optimisation of efficient electronic working and increased channel shift of customers to website and e-form usage.

·     Greater opportunities for sharing resources with other LA’s in the future and the integration of more volunteers into service delivery.

Consideration was given to examining building regulations and fire risks following recent events and it was agreed that a briefing should be added to the work plan.

The Assistant Director for Planning and Public Protection confirmed the current areas of risk were building regulations, licensing, customer satisfaction and the planning fee uplift.

The Assistant Director for Regeneration and Asset Management highlighted the following:

·     Regeneration and asset management was largely strategic and therefore outside of the remit of the committee. 

·     The only ongoing major project currently in delivery was the Guildhall on which the Committee might choose to receive a progress update.

·     There were twelve members of staff in the asset management team.

·     The greatest areas of risk were the extension of estates, fire risk, and commercial estate delivery.

The Assistant Director for Regeneration and Asset Management suggested the following as possible areas of focus for the committee:

·     The fire safety of the Council’s estate  e.g. of the Shambles and other medieval buildings.

·     The rolling programme of the academisation of schools and the transfer of those assets on long leases.

·     The delivery of good landlord services to commercial tenants & the progress of commercial activity.

·     The maintenance of retained assets.

The Director Transport Highways and Environment explained his role and gave an overview of his service areas, confirming they were largely operational with a focus on meeting customer expectations and delivering services well.   He went on to propose the following areas of work for the committee:

·     The new Park & Ride contract  - The Corporate Director of Economy and Place commented that there are some questions regarding its roll out which the committee could look at.

·     The delivery of resident’s parking.

·     Improving ward based emergency planning and collaboration with other services e.g. the military and emergency services.

In response to a question from the Chair, the Assistant Director, Transport, Highways and Environment, stated that the greatest area of risk was making the Park and Ride contract work.

The Lead Officer for Programmes and Economic and Place Policy 

summarised the key areas of focus ongoing to deliver the Council priority “A Prosperous City for all”. The Corporate Director of Economy and Place Neil  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

This report provides Members with the first update on the implementation of recommendations (Appendix A) arising from the previously completed Protection of Grass Verges Scrutiny Review.

Members considered the implementation update on the recommendations arising from the previously completed scrutiny review on the Protection of Grass Verges.

In regard to recommendation vii, Members suggested  that the  menu of options needed to include statistical feedback.

Some Members confirmed they had used their ward funding to repair grass verges in their wards, and queried whether the list of contractors was ever reviewed and the Corporate Director of Economy and Place undertook to find out.

Resolved:             That:

·     The implementation update be noted.

·     Recommendations i – iv, and vi be  signed off as fully implemented.

·     A further update on recommendations v & vii be provided in six months.

Reason:                        To raise awareness of those recommendations which are still to be fully implemented.   

In the light of possibilities identified for the new Committee, Members will begin to compile a preliminary work plan for 2017/18

The Committee considered the draft work plan for the 2017/18 municipal year and queried why it included an update on a previous Arts & Culture Review.  It was confirmed that the focus of that scrutiny review was to examine the opportunities for economic development brought to the city by arts and culture, and therefore that it was within the remit of the committee. 

Having agreed a number of revisions, the Committee recognised that the workplan would need be further updated once the Task Group had met to consider the areas of  priority identified earlier in the meeting.

Resolved:           That the work plan be initially revised as follows:

·          The inclusion of an update on building control and fire risks at its next meeting in August 2017.

·          The biannual update on CYC’s flood defences action plan be slipped to the meeting in October 2017

Reason:              To ensure that the Committee had an agreed programme of work in place.