C I T Y O F Y O R K C O U N C I L

S U M M O N S

All Councillors, relevant Council Officers and other interested parties and residents are formally invited to attend a meeting of the City of York Council at The Guildhall, York, to consider the business contained in this agenda on the following date and time

Thursday, 18 September 2025 at 6.30 pm

A G E N D A

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1. Apologies for Absence

To receive and note apologies for absence.

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2. Declarations of Interest

At this point in the meeting, Members and co-opted members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest, or other registerable interest, they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

(1) Members must consider their interests, and act according to the

following:

Type of Interest	You must:

Disclosable Pecuniary Interests	Disclose the interest; not participate in the discussion or vote; and leave the meeting unless you have a dispensation.

Other Registrable Interests (Directly Related) OR Non-Registrable Interests (Directly Related)	Disclose the interest; speak on the item only if the public are also allowed to speak but otherwise not participate in the discussion or vote; and leave the meeting unless you have a dispensation.

Other Registrable Interests (Affects) OR Non-Registrable Interests (Affects)	Disclose the interest; remain in the meeting, participate, and vote unless the matter affects the financial interest or well-being: (a) to a greater extent than it affects the financial interests of a majority of inhabitants of the affected ward; and (b) a reasonable member of the public knowing all the facts would believe that it would affect your view of the wider public interest, in which case speak on the item only if the public are also allowed to speak, but otherwise not do not participate in the discussion or vote, and leave the meeting, unless you have a dispensation.

(2) Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member concerned or their spouse/partner.

(3) Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them. A failure to comply with these requirements is a criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

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3. Minutes (Pages 15 - 42)

To approve and sign the minutes of the Council meeting held on 17 July 2025.

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4. Civic Announcements

To consider any announcements made by the Deputy Lord Mayor in respect of Civic business.

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5. Public Participation

At this point in the meeting, any member of the public who has registered to address the Council, or to ask a Member of the Council a question, on a matter directly relevant to the business of the Council or the City, may do so. The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Tuesday, 16 September 2025.

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form. If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting please contact Democratic Services. Contact details can be found at the foot of this agenda.

Webcasting of Public Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this public meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The remote public meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

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6. Petitions

To consider any petitions received from Members in accordance with Standing Order B5. Notice has been received of two petitions to be presented by:

i. Councillor Taylor regarding parking restrictions on Manor Drive South.

ii. Councillor Orrell regarding a pedestrian and cycle crossing in Huntington.

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7. Report of the Leader and Executive (Pages 43 - 56)

To receive and consider a written report from the Leader on the work of the Executive.

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8. Questions to the Leader or Executive Members

To question the Leader and/or Executive Members in respect of any matter within their portfolio responsibility, in accordance with Standing Order B8.

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9. Scrutiny - Report of the Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee (Pages 57 - 58)

To receive a report from Councillor Fenton, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee, on the work of Scrutiny.

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10. Recommendations of the Audit and Governance Committee (Pages 59 - 64)

To receive and consider for approval the recommendation of the Audit and Governance Committee, as set out in the attached draft Part B minute.

Meeting

Date

Agenda

Audit and Governance Committee

3 September 2025

https://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=437&MId=15009&Ver=4

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a) Constitutional Changes - Updated Contract Procedure Rules and Planning Committee Changes (Pages 65 - 130)
	Members will consider the updated Contract Procedure Rules and proposed constitutional changes to the Planning Committees.

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b) Executive / Scrutiny Protocol for City of York Council (Pages 131 - 166)
	Members will consider the proposed revision to Article 8 of the Council’s Constitution to incorporate the Executive/Scrutiny Protocol for City of York Council.

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11. Publication of Member's Addresses (Pages 167 - 178)

Members will consider the Council’s approach to publishing Member’s addresses.

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12. Appointments and Changes to Membership (Pages 179 - 180)

To consider the appointments and changes to membership of committees and outside bodies set out on the list attached to this summons.

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13. Motions on Notice

i. From Cllr Steward

Planning Process Improvements

“Council believes with York now having a Local Plan and set to deliver much needed homes it is more important than ever that the planning system works with residents for residents, and it does not believe this is how many residents currently feel it to be the case.

Council notes there are set to be changes nationally in planning process and elsewhere on the agenda likely to be changes to committee working in York.

Council calls for a cross-party group to be set up to look at improvements to the planning and specifically the S106 process including the following:

· A review of outstanding S106 money and the plans to spend it (and absolutely ensure any risk of it needing to return it to developers is minimised)

· Improving the process of ensuring all consultees respond to S106 enquiries (noting for example a notable number of large applications which have received no NHS response)

· Creating a system for ward members to be consulted on S106 agreements

· Ensuring the monitoring of S106 agreements is rigorous and breaches are swiftly acted upon.”

ii. From Cllr Healey

Fair Funding for York

“Council notes that:

· The Government’s Fair Funding 2.0 consultation proposed major changes to the way local government funding is distributed, including a proposal to fully include the impact of mandatory discounts and exemptions in the measure of taxbase, which has not been updated since 2013/14

· In the Council’s official response, it has warned that the new funding model could increase York’s existing three-year budget gap by an additional £15 million.

· The Council also raised concerns that the new model risks locking the city into a position at the bottom of the funding league table

· When asked at Full Council on 17 July about representations made on York’s behalf, the Leader said “It is really hard to see exactly where we can lobby to have a positive impact for the benefit of York.”

Council believes that:

· The Government’s proposed changes, if implemented unamended, would leave York taxpayers paying more while getting less in return

· Local government finance must be based on fairness and need, not a system which unfairly punishes York

· It would have been desirable for the council’s response to the Fair Funding consultation to have been informed by input from Scrutiny

· Students deserve access to high-quality public services and should continue to benefit from the Class N Council Tax exemption. Local authorities with large student populations, however, should not have to disproportionately bear the cost of this exemption and any new or revised funding arrangements arising from the Fair Funding consultation must reflect this

· York’s funding settlement from Government must include granular detail demonstrating how the value of the Class N exemption has been accounted for

· Although the Council has no unilateral power to impose one, a Council Tax increase above the current 4.99% ceiling would hit residents hard at a time when many are already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis

· The council administration must do more to lobby Government on York’s behalf, in light of the devastating assessment of the Council’s Finance Officer

· All political parties should unite in defending York from these flawed and damaging proposals

Council resolves to Call on the Council Leader to:

· make a formal representation to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Chancellor of the Exchequer demanding that York is not left with a £15m shortfall under the new model

· rule out seeking powers to impose a Council Tax rise above the current 4.99% ceiling in any event

· engage with other local authorities with large student populations to make the case for funding allocations to fully take into account the impact of the Class N exemption

· re-engage with the F20 group of the least well-funded Councils to lobby the Government to introduce a truly fair funding system.

iii. From Cllr Baxter

Tackling Pavement Parking to Promote Safe, Accessible Streets for All

“Council notes:

· that pavement parking can obstruct pedestrian paths, endangering older people, those who’re visually impaired, wheelchair users, parents and carers with pushchairs and others using mobility aids, and at its worst, forces people onto roads, creating serious safety risks;

· the law is confusing and unevenly enforced - with criminal and civil rules varying significantly across England, often leading to weak enforcement, while only 5% of drivers are fully aware of the laws around pavement parking;

· in 2025, Hansard reported that 80% of blind or partially sighted people face pavement parking difficulties at least weekly, with some injured through being forced onto roads;

· that pavement parking damages surfaces, creating trip hazards and repair costs that councils and Council taxpayers can ill afford;

· Scotland has introduced a nationwide ban on pavement parking, supported by strong enforcement;

· that parking on pavements, with certain exceptions, has been prohibited in Greater London since 1974;

· Living Streets and its supporters have repeatedly called on the Government to respond to the 2020 consultation on pavement parking and to legislate for a clear nationwide ban, but progress has stalled.

Council believes:

· Pavements are for pedestrians, not vehicles, and should be safe, accessible, and free of obstructions;

· Current laws are both inadequate and poorly understood, undermining enforcement and public confidence in what is and isn’t permitted;

· The Council and the national Labour Government have a duty to lead on this issue, learning from good practice and legislation elsewhere;

· Stronger local and national measures, combined with public awareness-raising, are urgently needed.

Council resolves:

· to request the Executive Member for Transport writes to the Government, seeking publication of the long-overdue response to the 2020 pavement-parking consultation, undertaken by the previous Government, without delay and rapid subsequent action and/or legislation to include:

o national prohibition on pavement parking with sensible local exemptions only where genuinely necessary; and

o streamlining Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) procedures, making it easier, quicker, and less costly for local authorities to impose pavement parking restrictions where necessary; and

o sufficient funding and resources for local authorities to implement and enforce the changes, given the significant initial resource burden;

· to empower council officers to explore the use of TROs on key streets suffering from excessive pavement parking, while noting the TRO process is currently lengthy and expensive;

· to support Living Streets’ recommendation to accompany any new pavement parking law with a targeted national awareness campaign explaining the dangers and legal changes to the public;

· to work collaboratively with local organisations such as Living Streets, Walk York, York Civic Trust, York Disability Rights Forum and other walking and disability advocacy groups to co-produce accessible guidance and communications on pavement parking rights and responsibilities, to raise greater awareness of the challenges pavement parking can cause;

· to write to both Members of Parliament for York and to the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, seeking their support in urging the Secretary of State for Transport to publish the Government’s pavement parking consultation response as soon as possible, to demonstrate its commitment to act on this important issue.”

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14. Urgent Business

Any other business which the Chair considers urgent under the Local Government Act 1972.

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Democracy Officer

Jane Meller

Contact details:

· Telephone – (01904) 555209

· Email democratic.services@york.gov.uk

Reasonable Adjustments and Alternative formats statement
To request reasonable adjustments or to provide this document in an alternative language or format such as large print, braille, audio, Easy Read or BSL, you can:
	Email us at: cycaccessteam@york.gov.uk
	Call us: 01904 551550 and customer services will pass your request onto the Access Team.
	Use our BSL Video Relay Service: www.york.gov.uk/BSLInterpretingService Select ‘Switchboard’ from the menu.
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