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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Executive |
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Date |
15 December 2022 |
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Present |
Councillors Aspden (Chair), Ayre, Craghill, D'Agorne, Mason, Runciman, Smalley, Waller and Widdowson |
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In Attendance
Officers in attendance |
Councillor Douglas
Ian Floyd – Chief Operating Officer Bryn Roberts – Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer Debbie Mitchell – Chief Finance Officer Neil Ferris – Corporate Director of Place Jamaila Hussain - Director of Prevention & Commission James Gilchrist – Director of Environment, Transport & Planning Tracey Carter - Director of Housing, Economy & Regeneration Claire Foale – Assistant Director, Policy & Strategy Vicky Japes – Head of Housing Strategy and Performance Andrew Bebbington – Housing Development Co-ordinator Laura Bartle – Principal Strategic Planning Policy Officer Steve Wragg – Flood Risk Manager Michael Howard - Senior Transport Project Manager
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Part A - Matters Dealt With Under Delegated Powers
60. Declarations of Interest
Members were asked to declare at this point in the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest or other registerable interest they might have in respect of business on the agenda, if they had not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests.
Cllr Aspden, Ward Councillor and Fulford Parish Councillor confirmed that he had an Other Registrable Interest in item 9, Germany Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme Update, this was due to the Parish Council being a landowner affected by the flooding. He confirmed that having spoken to the Monitoring Officer he was able to speak his view on the item then leave the room for that item.
61. Minutes
Resolved: That the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 22 November 2022 be approved and then signed by the Chair as a correct record.
62. Public Participation
It was reported that there had been six registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Libbie Waddleton spoke on Agenda Item 9 (Germany Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme Update), outlining the impact of flooding on the Germany Beck area which, during major floods, left residents stranded.
Flick Williams spoke on Agenda Item 10 (Bus Network Review), that a reduced schedule was better than losing bus routes altogether. She noted that buses should be run as a public service and not for profit and asked about the reopening of the Poppleton Bar Park and Ride which if opened could have reduced pressure on Christmas traffic.
Rob Gilbert spoke on Agenda Item 9 (Germany Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme Update), noting the flooding impacts on local residents and those traveling, such as school coaches which will use the route that currently floods.
Cllr Pavlovic spoke on Agenda Item 7 (2023-2028 Housing Asset Management and Energy Efficiency Retrofit Plan), raising concerns about the standard of Council homes. He also questioned the Council’s focus on projects such as building more expensive Passivhaus homes than focusing on more house building.
Cllr Fenton spoke on Item 10 (Bus Network Review), highlighting the challenges to maintaining the bus network and encouraged the Executive to support the recommendation due to the importance of securing an operator for the no.12 route which was due to be withdrawn by First Bus on 22 January.
Graham Collett spoke on behalf of York Bus Forum on Item 10 (Bus Network Review). He welcomed the reports recommendation and asked how BSIP funding would be used. He suggested that more marketing be undertaken to encourage bus use and the reopening of Poppleton Bar Park and Ride.
63. Forward Plan
Members received and noted details of the items that were on the Forward Plan for the next two Executive meetings at the time the agenda was published. The Executive requested that an update item on the Lowfield development site be added to the Forward Plan.
64. York 2032: The 10-Year Plan
[See also under Part B]
The Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Director, Policy & Strategy presented a report which invited Members to review and recommend to Council a 10-year plan entitled ‘York 2032: The City Plan.
The Plan, attached as Annex A to the report, was founded on the ambitions and goals set out in the three 10-Year strategies considered by Executive on 22 November 2022. developed by working closely with city partners, it comprised an overarching vision with agreed priorities, together with 5 pledges and a series of actions on which city partners would work together. It was not a fixed plan and would continue to evolve over the months and years ahead providing an opportunity for further consultation to maintain an effective plan.
Recommended: That Council approve and adopt the York 2032: 10-Year Plan on behalf of the city.
Reason: To engage partners, city leaders, businesses, stakeholders and residents to work together on key agreed priority areas and actions that aim to actively improve the quality of life for all York’s residents.
65. Financial Strategy 2023/24 to 2027/28
The Chief Finance Officer presented a report which provided background information for the council’s overall Financial Strategy, outlining some of the key challenges the Council faced which included an approximate £10 million gap in the Council’s current budget for 2023/24.
The Executive noted the challenges for Council’s across the country and the issues with finding further efficiencies after over a decade of cuts to funding. It was confirmed that consultation on the budget would be held at the January Finance and Major Projects Executive Member Decision Session. The servicing of debt and the capital programme was discussed and it was requested that future budget reports show a further breakdown of funds used in the capital programme.
Resolved:
i. That the financial challenges being faced by the council, and the high-level financial assumptions that feed into the forecast budget gap, be noted;
ii. That the budget consultation process, as outlined in paragraphs 20 to 28 of the report, be noted;
iii. That the decision-making process and timeline outlined in the report be noted.
Reason: To ensure that the Council has a robust, balanced budget.
66. 2023-2028 Housing Asset Management and Energy Efficiency Retrofit Plan
The Director of Housing, Economy & Regeneration presented a report which set out an investment of capital and revenue funding over 5 years to improve and increase council housing stock in York, together with a Retrofit Action Plan to support this asset management approach.
The Executive welcomed the report and the plan to have all Council homes raised to an EPC C in five years. The speed of tackling repairs, damp, and mould were discussed. Officers noted that during the pandemic some tenants had not taken up an option from tenancy choice and would be given the option again before the next schedule for the programme was started. With any Council tenants waiting significant time for repairs regarding standing water or damp Ward Councillors were encouraged by the Executive to raise these issues with Council officers.
Resolved:
i. That the Housing Asset Management approach for 2023-28, as outlined in the report, be approved, ensuring that the council invests well in its housing stock in order to provide safe, sustainable, affordable and good quality homes by:
a. continuing to deliver to the government’s Decent Home Standard;
b. adopting the enhanced York Standard;
c. continuing to identify and work to deal with damp and mould in homes;
d. adapting more homes to meet the needs of people with mobility difficulties, older and disabled people, including children with long term illnesses and complex conditions;
e. delivering homes for older people that support and enhance independence, safety and care; and
f. building new homes to a high standard to meet the growing and changing needs of the city’s residents.
ii. That the expected HRA business plan investment of around £53m over the next 5 years into the repair, modernisation and improvement of existing properties, with the ambition to increase this sum via the award of government grant and other funds to drive forward energy efficiency retrofit, be noted.
iii. That the Retrofit Action Plan at Annex A to the report, which provides a strategic framework to improving the energy efficiency and the thermal performance of both council houses and those in the private sector, be approved.
iv. That an annual report be brought to the Decision Session of the Executive Member for Housing & Safer Neighbourhoods describing performance against the ambitions of the Asset Management and Retrofit objectives outlined in the report, providing increased oversight and transparency for council house residents.
Reason: To provide a robust asset management approach to the council’s capital investments, ensuring council homes are safe, sustainable, affordable and good quality.
67. City of York Planning Policy Housing Delivery Action Plan (HDAP) Update and Local Development Scheme (LDS) Update
The Corporate Director of Place presented a report which sought approval for an update to the Planning Policy Housing Delivery Plan, prepared in response to the government’s publication of the 2021 Housing Delivery Test results, together with a Local Development Scheme setting out a planning work programme for the council from November 2022 to December 2024.
It was confirmed that the plan had been considered by the Local Plan Working Group. The Executive welcomed the work of the Housing Delivery Action Plan and noted the consent that had been provided to private developers and the challenges in seeing homes built in the private sector with many sites having permission but not being built on. The Council’s policies for building on Council sites was discussed in relation to the Council’s housing waiting list, the percentage of affordable homes that should be on a site verses the cost of building and the use of private sales of Council built properties.
Resolved:
i. That the update to the Housing Delivery Action Plan at Annexes A and B be approved, and that the continued implementation of the Plan across corporate teams be supported.
Reason: To ensure that the council complies with its duties within the NPPF and PPG (setting out appropriate actions for the council to consider and explore in the short, medium and long term in an attempt to increase housing supply and delivery), and to fulfil the council’s commitment within the 2019-2023 Council Plan to ‘creating homes and world-class infrastructure’.
ii. That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place to include within the Housing Delivery Action Plan the motion approved by Council on 22 October 2022 calling on Executive to action work concerning ‘controlling the concentration of short term and holiday lets’.
Reason: To acknowledge and reflect this stream of work in the Housing Delivery Action Plan.
iii. That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place to sign off the publication version of the HDAP.
Reason: To agree the presentation of the publication version of the HDAP.
iv. That the Local Development Scheme Update at Annex C be approved.
Reason: To ensure that the Council Complies with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011).
68. Germany Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme Update
Cllr Aspden noted the damage done by flooding to the area and the need for a flooding plan before leaving the meeting for the item as confirmed during Declarations of Interest, Cllr D’Agorne chaired this item.
The Director of Environment, Transport & Planning presented a report which set out progress to date on the development of a flood alleviation scheme in Fulford and sought approval to submit a planning application for the project.
The Executive noted the challenges for residents in Germany Beck with those living on Fordlands Road being isolated in past flooding events. The introduction of permeant flood prevention measures was welcomed alongside work across the city to reduce the risk of flooding such as the new Foss Barrier.
Resolved:
i. That the contents of the report, and the progress of the scheme to date, be noted;
ii. That approval be given to submit a planning approval application for the project and commence all further approvals based on work developed to date;
iii. That approval be given to undertake a procurement process to procure a contractor to carry out the construction phase and that authority be delegated to the Director of Place (in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment & Climate Change, the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Governance or their delegated officers) to take such steps as are necessary to procure, award and enter into the resulting contract, subject to the winning bid being within the budget set out in paragraph 37 of the report;
iv. That, in the event that the winning bid is in excess of the budget set out in paragraph 37 of the report, a further report be brought to Executive to seek approval to award the contract to the winning bidder.
Reason: To ensure that the flood alleviation scheme in Fulford can be delivered.
69. Bus Network Review
Cllr Aspden returned to the meeting and resumed as chair.
The Director of Transport, Environment & Planning presented a report which provided an update on actions taken so far and made furtherrecommendations to stabilise the local bus network. It was confirmed that the majority of York’s buses were run commercially with some routes which were deemed to not be profitable by private operators were commissioned by the Council and subsidised. It was also confirmed that the Council covers any concessionary bus fares to the operators. With the industry having shrunk to 80% of its pre-pandemic level operators were threatening to withdraw funding for some services.
The Executive noted the issues outlined regarding government funding currently running out in March 2023 and welcomed the Council’s successful securing of BSIP funding. It was confirmed that that the Council had gone out to tender for a new operator for the number 12 bus and were working with the LEP around driver training and nearby local authorities on cross boundary services. It was confirmed that the Council was looking where required, to move to fewer buses per hour rather than allowing some routes to end. It was noted that officers would review the results of changes which was hoped would result in more buses arriving on time and therefore while having less buses would create a more reliable service.
Resolved:
i. That the principle that maintaining the extent of the bus network is the key priority within the budgets available be agreed, and that preserving the routes takes priority over preserving bus frequency, to the extent that the council won’t fund current commercial services where a reduction in frequency is an option for the operator without significant impact on communities.
Reason: Keeping the bus network, even with a reduced frequency if necessary, gives a better basis to build back in the future. There is limited funding to deliver bus subsidy.
ii. That authority be delegated to the Director of Transport, Environment & Planning (in consultation with the Leader of the Council, Executive Member for Transport and the Director of Governance, Section 151 Officer or their delegated officers) to:
a. work with the Enhanced Bus Partnership to deliver bus support funding through the BSIP allocation;
b. reduce bus frequency requirements of subsidised bus services to maintain the network if the overall bus subsidy is greater than the budget;
c. work with all partners, Bus Operators, North Yorkshire County Council and the YNYLEP to identify ways of encouraging recruitment and driver training;
d. work with the Park and Ride Operator towards reopening Poppleton Bar Park and Ride and returning all other Park and Ride sites to pre-pandemic levels of service by Easter 2023.
Reason: To give officers the flexibility to act at pace and ensure the services are maintained.
iii. That the removal of the bus subsidy criteria for a period of one year be approve.
Reason: To give officers the flexibility to maintain services within the budget.
iv. That a report be brought to Executive in the summer providing an update on the Government funding situation, the current levels of bus usage, the progress of action identified in the current report and the impact on bus services.
Reason: To enable Executive to have oversight and to review the options and next steps.
Part B - Matters Referred to Council
70. York 2032: The 10-Year Plan
[See also under Part A]
The Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Director, Policy & Strategy presented a report which invited Members to review and recommend to Council a 10-year plan entitled ‘York 2032: The City Plan.
The Plan, attached as Annex A to the report, was founded on the ambitions and goals set out in the three 10-Year strategies considered by Executive on 22 November 2022. developed by working closely with city partners, it comprised an overarching vision with agreed priorities, together with 5 pledges and a series of actions on which city partners would work together. It was not a fixed plan and would continue to evolve over the months and years ahead providing an opportunity for further consultation to maintain an effective plan.
Recommended: That Council approve and adopt the York 2032: 10-Year Plan on behalf of the city.
Reason: To engage partners, city leaders, businesses, stakeholders and residents to work together on key agreed priority areas and actions that aim to actively improve the quality of life for all York’s residents.
Cllr Aspden, Chair
[The meeting started at 10.32 am and finished at 12.40 pm].