Agenda item

To receive and consider a written report from the Leader and ask questions on the work of the Executive, and to consider the Executive recommendations for approval, as set out below:

Before presenting her written report on the work of the Executive, Cllr Douglas paid tribute to two long serving council employees, Richard Douglas and Beverley Hills, who had sadly passed away.

Members were then invited to question the Leader on her report. Questions were received from the floor from the following Members in relation to the subjects listed and replied to as indicated:

Improved support offer for Care Leavers

From Cllr Clarke: How has the council’s approach to supporting those in care changed so that it warrants praise from OFSTED? 

Response: It has been very important and heartwarming to see the improvements in children’s services over the past two years and particularly over the past 18 months. I’d like to thank Martin Kelly and his team for all the work they have done. Cllr Webb has been working very closely alongside them, particularly around corporate parenting where we’ve seen improvements in the housing offer that’s available to young people as they leave care. There will no longer be a cliff edge on the council tax support that was previously for one year. It will now be phased over 3 years, which is what the young people asked for as care leavers. A big part of the improvements is listening to care leavers and taking into account what they feel they need and delivering on that for them. Council employees and councillors are all corporate parents and should be working and thinking about our care leavers and our young people in care in the same way that we would want for our own children. I’d like to thank you all and encourage you to really take note of what is going on and how you can support that.

Supplementary from Cllr Rowley BEM: Can I ask the Leader to look at the possibility of giving a place on the Corporate Parenting Board to the Conservative Group?

Response: I am more than happy to take that away and look at it.

Supplementary from Cllr Clarke: What do you see as the council’s responsibilities as a corporate parent?

Response: I think I may have answered that previously. We all have our responsibility in that area, and it is to make sure that young people who have come into our care and leave the care of the City of York Council can go off into adult life with the skills, the confidence and with the amenities and services that they need to transition into adult life in whatever route that they take. It’s ongoing work and is tremendously important.

Combined Authority and Regional

From Cllr Warters: Regarding partnership working between the Combined Authority, City of York, and North Yorkshire Councils, why is it necessary to have three separate senior staff hierarchies at each authority costing taxpayers a fortune? Surely the current arrangements offer us the opportunity to investigate and hopefully instigate shared service delivery?

Response: It does give the opportunity for shared services where it is appropriate, and if it is to the benefit of both local authorities and the region then I am always open to that, and I know other officers are. There are conversations going on about where that can benefit us, but the Combined Authority doesn’t do everything for us. There are many services that quite rightly will continue to remain in the constituent local authority. It is really important that we are efficient at the same time and where it is appropriate that the Combined Authority leads on certain initiatives and projects that they do. It’s early days and conversations are ongoing, and we may over time see some changes in how our authority and the Combined Authority interact.

Haxby Station Project

From Cllr Widdowson: The Labour government has pulled support for it; can you explain what steps you have taken to try and save the Haxby Station Project?

Response: The Labour government hasn’t pulled the project at all and Cllr Kilbane through the Combined Authority and his role on TNF is still pushing very hard for that. It is an important part of our economic growth plans for the region. It’s important to the coastal community, particularly Scarborough, that we get a half hourly train service over into York to open up economic opportunity for them, North Yorkshire are very keen on that. We’ve been pushing hard to make sure that Haxby Station remains on the plan. We will continue to do that and so will the Mayor, David Skaith and also the leadership of North Yorkshire. It is a joint effort to get that in place because it benefits everybody.

Supplementary from Cllr Ayre: Has there been a request to the Mayor to put funding in if necessary and if so what quantum of funding is likely to be available?

Response: The first approach is going for government funding. The focus at the moment is to make sure that the business case is absolutely watertight, and I know that the Mayor has already spoken to the Secretary of State for Transport about this very issue. We’re not giving up on the government funding by any means. I think there is a really strong argument for it, and we will have to see where it takes us. I’ll keep you updated as information comes through.

B – Executive Recommendation

Cllr Douglas moved, and Cllr Kilbane seconded, the following recommendations contained in Minute 14 of the Executive meeting held on 18 July 2024 and Minute 27 and 35 of the Executive meeting held on 12 September 2024. 

Minute 14, Capital Programme Outturn

Recommended:

i. Recommend to Full Council the restated 2024/25 to 2028/29 programme of £421.368m as summarised in Table 3 and detailed in Annex 1 to the report;

Reason: To enable the effective management and monitoring of the council’s capital programme.

Minute 27, Capital Programme Update Monitor 1

Recommended:

i.             To recommend to Full Council the adjustments resulting in a decrease in the 2024/25 budget of £81.72m as detailed in the report.

Reason: To enable the effective management and monitoring of the council’s capital programme.

Minute 35, Safer York Partnership Community Safety Strategy

Recommended:

i.    Recommended to Full Council for approval in accordance with the council’s Constitution.

Reason: To progress the strategy to approval at Full Council and note the council’s role in delivery of the strategy.

On being put to the vote, the recommendations were declared CARRIED, and it was

Resolved:  That the above recommendations be approved.^1,2,3