|
City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
|
|
Meeting |
Decision Session - Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning |
|
|
Date |
28 June 2022 |
|
|
Present |
Councillor Mason (Executive Member) |
|
|
Officers In Attendance |
Tracey Carter, Director of Housing, Economy and Regeneration Simon Brereton, Head of Economy Rob Harrison, Principal Development Management Officer Becky Eades, Head of Development Services |
|
1. Declarations of Interest (10:00am)
The Executive Member was asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any disclosable pecuniary interests or other registerable interests he might have in respect of business on the agenda, if he had not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests. None were declared.
2. Minutes (10:01am)
Resolved: That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 25 May 2022 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Executive Member.
3. Public Participation (10:02am)
It was reported that there had been three registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Cllr Douglas spoke on agenda item 5, York Economic Strategy and Economic Partnership. She noted the delay in progressing the Economic Strategy and she focused on two of the strategy themes; thriving workforce and an economy driven by good business. She made reference to a Public Health report that outlined gaping health inequalities in York. She highlighted the findings, noting that there was a 10 year life expectancy gap between the most and least affluent wards in York and that 40% of health inequalities were caused by low pay, low household incomes and poverty. She highlighted her disappointment that there was no mention of health inequalities and the economic causes in the Strategy.
She also requested that the Executive Member ensured that all council owned companies were members of the Good Business Charter.
Mrs Pressland spoke on agenda item 4, Planning Enforcement Cases Update. She confirmed the residents of The Residence, formally Terry’s Chocolate Factory, had been waiting for over 6 years for PJ Livesey construction to build the necessary bike and bin storage. She stated that a previous enforcement application from 2019 was acknowledged by the council but no action was taken and residents were extremely frustrated about the lack of provision. She confirmed that residents would welcome enforcement support to provide the provision of bin and bike stores and other original planning requirements.
Cllr Kilbane spoke on agenda item 4, Planning Enforcement Cases Update and agenda item 5, York Economic Strategy and Economic Partnership. He noted residents frustrations when planning applications were approved and then not built to the specification submitted. Although he acknowledged that there had been some resource issues within the enforcement team, he asked the Executive Member to now prioritise enforcement.
He also highlighted the health inequalities in York that had not been addressed within the council’s Economic Strategy 2022-2030 and noted that the Public Health report findings should be considered within the Strategy.
4. Planning Enforcement Cases Update (10:12am)
The Executive Member considered a report that provided an update on planning enforcement cases and the current issues facing the enforcement team.
The Head of Development Services provided an update, noting that:
· In 2021 there were 606 new planning enforcement cases and 648 were closed. 7 Enforcement Notices were served and 107 cases were not expedient to pursue. 28 cases were found to be permitted development and 169 were found to be not in breach of planning control. 68 breaches were rectified following work undertaken by the enforcement team and 7 were granted planning permission.
· There was currently 36 enforcement cases awaiting the outcome of a planning application.
· A total of 496 investigations remained open.
· Three new Enforcement Officers had been recruited and cases were now being progressed.
The Executive Member acknowledged the workforce challenges over the last 12 months and welcomed the new recruitments to enable the team to be in a stronger position.
In response to the speaker’s comments, Officers confirmed they were progressing to resolve the issues at The Residence.
Resolved: That the contents of the report be noted.
Reason: To ensure the Executive Member was aware of the work currently being undertaken in Planning Enforcement.
5. York Economic Strategy and Economic Partnership (10:16am)
The Executive Member considered a report that presented the draft Economic Strategy 2022-2030.
The Director of Housing, Economy and Regeneration and the Head of Economy provided the background to the draft strategy, the challenges faced and the ambitions to be achieved within the five core themes; York as a global city, a greener economy, a thriving workforce, thriving businesses and an economy driven by good business.
The Executive Member noted that:
· The Strategy was an updated version of the council’s existing Economic Strategy 2016-2020. It articulated the previous themes in terms of measures, actions and objectives.
· The points made by the speakers would come into clear focus when the Strategy was considered at a series of scrutiny committees to be held in July and increasing wage levels, helping people into work and developing skills levels would support the embedded issues of poverty and health inequalities.
· A rigorous consultation process with contributions from key organisations, businesses and stakeholders from across the City, as well as York residents, had taken place. This resulted in the development of a robust Economic Strategy that also supported or ran in parallel with other council strategies, legislation, polices and initiatives.
· The challenges within part-time working, the net zero ambitions and recruitment would remain a continued focus, as well as growing the bioeconomy, insurance, technology, digital, creative and rail sectors.
· There would also be a focus on the high volume sectors within the City, retail, hospitality and social care, to drive up productivity and wages and to recognise and support microbusinesses.
· Despite some of the challenges, York’s economy was thriving, with pay and productivity the highest in Yorkshire and there was continued high level employment in the city, with high level skills amongst the workforce.
· York’s Economic Partnership would be responsible for implementing and monitoring the new Economic Strategy and supporting a broad spectrum of sectors. It was proposed that the Board would meet bi-annually and may establish sub-groups for more detailed work under the five themes of the Strategy.
The Executive Member welcomed the Strategy and in answer to his questions, officers confirmed:
· The Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee and the Health and Adult Social Care Policy and Scrutiny Committee would support refining stronger health inequalities links within the Strategy at its joint meeting on 13 July 2022.
· They would invite the council’s shareholders to join the Good Business Charter.
Resolved:
i) That the draft Economic Strategy be approved.
ii) That the next phase of consultation for the Strategy be initiated.
iii) That the draft terms of reference for the Economic Partnership be approved.
Reasons:
i) To support the content and purpose of the next Economic Strategy for York.
ii) To agree that all key required elements of the Strategy were present.
iii) To allow for preparation of a complete Strategy for final approval Executive in October 2022.
Cllr Mason, Executive Member
[The meeting started at 10.00 am and finished at 10.30 am].