Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Thornton Room - Ground Floor, West Offices (G039). View directions

Contact: Angela Bielby  Democracy Officer

Webcast: video recording

Items
No. Item

8.

Declarations of Interest

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.

 

Minutes:

Members were asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any personal interests, not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in respect of business on the agenda. Cllr Mason declared an interest as an appointee to the Make it York (MiY) Board. No further interests were declared.

 

9.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 99 KB

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2018.

 

Minutes:

Upon referring to compost available from Yorganics, a Member asked for clarification on whether green waste ‘was not of a sufficient quality to be sold’ as recorded under minute 55 of the meeting held on 26 June 2018. Furthermore, in response to an update on an action arising at that meeting, the Scrutiny Officer confirmed that a map showing CYC and privately owned shops in the city centre would be provided to the Committee.

 

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meetings of the Economy and Place Scrutiny Committee held on 26 June 2018 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

 

10.

Public Participation

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 Monday 23 July 2018. 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

or_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_201

60809.pdf

 

Minutes:

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme on general matters within the remit of the Economy & Place Scrutiny Committee.

 

11.

Attendance of the Executive Member for Environment pdf icon PDF 224 KB

The Executive Member will be in attendance to provide an update on his priorities and challenges for the 2018-19 municipal year.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Environment gave an overview of his priorities and challenges for 2018/19. He noted a number of points in addition to his report:

·        There had been a large continued interest in plastic recycling. He referred to the recent National Audit Office report on the packaging recycling obligations.  

·        With reference to air quality and particulates, there would be more investment in clean energy.

 

Members welcomed the update and in response to questions he commented that:

·        A report on waste in Autumn would include information on bulky waste charges for Bulky Waste Collections and how these can be reviewed in light of information coming from the Community Recycling Fund

·        The work on anti idling signage was in progress.

·        There were 28 HGV drivers employed for waste collection. The number of agency HGV drivers would be confirmed by officers.

·        In regard to single use plastics, there would be an analysis of where that waste stream would go in terms of its composition.

·        In respect of whether plastics could be used to fill in potholes, there was a need to have a durable repair on roads, which could be investigated.

·        He gave an update on how photo-voltaic schemes were being used.

·        The examination of hydro electric generation at the end of the river Foss had been requested as part of the Castle Gateway Project.

·        Concerning the missed household waste collections, he had made a request for in cab technology to address this by enabling information to go from the contact centre to the bin crews.

 

The Chair requested that future updates include an impact analysis of policies. The Scrutiny Officer clarified that an item on single use plastics would be examined by the Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee because there was a procurement element to the item.

 

The Executive Member undertook to email Members the link to the report on single use plastics when it was to be presented to the Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee. He was thanked for his update and it was:

 

Resolved:           That Members note the priorities and challenges for Environment 2018/19.

 

Reason:              To understand the priorities and challenges for Environment 2018/19.

12.

Attendance of the Executive Member for Transport and Planning pdf icon PDF 200 KB

The Executive Member will be in attendance to provide an update on his priorities and challenges for the 2018-19 municipal year.

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Transport and Planning gave an overview of his priorities and challenges for 2018/19. Following the update a number of points were discussed:

·        The installation of replacement street lighting was discussed in detail. Members highlighted a number of problems with this in their wards and the Executive Member undertook to pass on their comments to officers.

·        The number of insurance claims and costs for settling claims made to the Council as a result of damage caused to vehicles by the condition of roads was queried and the Executive Member agreed to check (to include insurance expenditure in respect of settling such claims).

·        A number of Members referred to delays in enforcement, citing unresolved cases in their Wards. The Executive Member noted that two more staff members had been employed to address this. Members noted the limitation of planning enforcement in view of national policy and it was suggested that the Committee could examine this at a future meeting.

 

The Executive Member for Transport and Planning was thanked for his update and it was:

 

Resolved:           That Members note the priorities and challenges for Transport and Planning 2018/19.

 

Reason:              To understand the priorities and challenges for Transport and Planning 2018/19.

 

13.

2017/18 Finance & Performance Outturn Report pdf icon PDF 186 KB

This report provides details of the 2017/18 outturn position for both finance and performance across the Economy and Place Directorate.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report that provided details of the 2017/18 outturn position for both finance and performance across the Economy and Place Directorate. The Principle Accountant gave an update, highlighting that the outturn position for the Economy and Place directorate was an underspend of £204k which was improvement from the Monitor 3 report. She further highlighted that  York scored particularly well against its regional comparator group in key benchmark indicators in the National Highways and Transport survey.

 

Following the update, Members raised a number of points concerning investment in enforcement, business rates refund for Marygate car park and overspends in waste services. They asked if the figures could include information on comingling tonnage per year, the insurance costs for claims made to CYC, missed bins per 100,000. It was further requested that the One Planet York city scorecard be brought to a future meeting.

 

Resolved: That the 2017/18 outturn position for finance and performance across the Economy and Place Directorate be noted.

 

Reason:     To update the Committee of the latest finance and performance position.

 

 

 

14.

Scoping Report on Economic Health of York City Centre pdf icon PDF 96 KB

This scoping report presents the Economy and Place Scrutiny Committee with information on the economy of York city centre and themes that can be investigated to influence the city centre economy.

 

Minutes:

Members considered a report that presented information on the economy of York city centre and themes that could be investigated to influence the city centre economy.

The Head of Economic Growth outlined the aim, objectives and timeframe for the proposed remit of a full Committee review into the economy of York city centre.  Members supported the proposal for the review and it was suggested that the review could include information on:

·        The support given to small businesses to develop

·        The way that York’s business rate relief was distrivuted to businesses

·        How supported the city centre and surrounding areas were during the York Central development, including changes made to improve security.

·        Changes to the types of availability for business premises.

 

It was suggested that external speakers from comparator cities could be invited to speak to the Committee and Head of Economic Growth noted that the initial work could include identifying comparator cities.

 

In response to a question from the Scrutiny Officer, it was agreed that a minimum of three Committee members would be available to attend additional sessions outside the committee meetings to provide flexibility in progressing the review. Members agreed the   timeframe over the next three meetings for the review in order to  in a position to make recommendations after those three meetings.

 

Resolved:  That a full Committee review into the economy of York city centre be undertaken.

 

Reason:     To help the focus on supporting a thriving York city centre

 

15.

Work Plan 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 144 KB

Members are asked to consider the Committee’s work plan for the municipal year.

Minutes:

The Committee considered the draft work plan for the 2018/9 municipal year and agreed the following additions to the workplan for future meetings :

 

25 Sept 2018

·        Update on recycling and comingling

·        Economic Health of York City Centre [Establish an evidence base – a briefing on the York city centre economy from the Economic Growth Team, existing key reports on city centres and retail space, consideration of York city centre as a location for employment and business growth and how York residents use our city centre]  

28 Nov 2017

·        Economic Health of York City Centre [Gather evidence from Make It York, York Business Improvement District and York Retail Forum and consider a retail study being commissioned from the Business Rates Pool fund]

29 Jan 2019

·        Economic Health of York City Centre [Consider a report summarising the above and making recommendations on key areas for the Council to focus on supporting a thriving York city centre]

Resolved: That the draft work plan for 2018/19, including the above amendments, be approved.

 

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

 

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