Minutes Template

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70. Declarations of Interest (6:40 pm)

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, any prejudicial interests or any disclosable pecuniary interests they might have in the business on the agenda. None were declared.

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71. Minutes (6:41 pm)

Resolved: That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 22 February 2024 be approved and then signed by the Chair as a correct record.

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72. Civic Announcements (6:41 pm)

The Lord Mayor acknowledged his year in office and his last two fund raising events, a murder mystery evening taking place in the Mansion House on 22 April 2024 and the Lord Mayor’s Ball taking place on 18 May 2024 in the Guildhall. He also noted that it had been his privilege, along with the civic party, to promote York as a City of Sanctuary and a City of Human Rights.

He also announced that since the last meeting he had attended York Mosque to share in the iftar and had joined York’s Jewish community and many others at the annual commemoration of the tragic event that took place on 16 March 1190.

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73. Public Participation (6:45 pm)

It was reported that six people had registered to speak at the meeting under the council’s Public Participation Scheme.

All speakers referenced Agenda Item 5, Petitions, particularly in relation to calling for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.

Imam Ammar Sacha spoke on community cohesion recognising the ongoing genocide and crisis in Palestine and the need to call or an immediate permanent ceasefire as well as the need for sanitarian and humanitarian aid.

Rabbi Elisheva Salamo also spoke on community cohesion highlighting some lived experiences, noting that antisemitism and antisemitic incidents had increased. She also addressed the situation in Gaza and recognised the need for peace, humanitarian aid and a call for a ceasefire.

Dr Richard Murgatroyd addressed York's status as a City of Human Rights and a City of Sanctuary in light of the crisis in Gaza and called for the council to support justice for Palestine and the need for a ceasefire.

Professor Mohamed El-Gomati called for a ceasefire in Gaza, restoration of all food supplies and other amenities as well as exchange of all detainees on both sides.

Mr Chris Brace called for a robust and unequivocal demand for a ceasefire. He acknowledged how the council could support an end to the siege in Gaza.

The remaining registered speaker did not attend the meeting.

The Lord Mayor thanked all public participants for their contributions.

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74. Petitions (7:07 pm)

Under Rule B5 2, the following petitions were presented for reference to the Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee, in accordance with the Council’s petition arrangements:

i. A petition presented by Cllr Mason, on behalf of businesses in the city, regarding pavement cafes and the city centre economy.¹

ii. A petition presented by Cllr Warters, on behalf of local residents, regarding Tranby Avenue parking problems.²

iii. A petition presented by Cllr Warters, on behalf of local residents, in relation to reducing the HMO thresholds.³

iv. A petition presented by Cllr Myers, on behalf of local residents, in relation to calling for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.⁴

v. A petition presented by Cllr Waller, on behalf of local residents, regarding resurfacing of Foxwood Lane between the junctions with Huntsman’s Walk and Askham Lane to complete the resurfacing which had been done in the section leading from Gale Lane to Huntsman’s Walk.⁵

vi. A petition presented by Cllr Waller, on behalf of local residents, regarding resurfacing of Corlett Court road surface following the increasing number of potholes to follow on from repairs to Walker Drive and Spurr Court.⁶

Action Required

1. Add the petition regarding pavement cafes and the city centre economy to the petitions log for referral to CSCCSMC.
2. Add the petition regarding Tranby Avenue parking problems to the petitions log for referral to CSCCSMC.
3. Add the petition regarding reducing the HMO thresholds to the petitions log for referral to CSCCSMC.
4. Add the petition calling for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and Israel to the petitions log for referral to CSCCSMC.
5. Add the petition regarding resurfacing of Foxwood Lane between the junctions with Huntsman’s Walk and Askham Lane to complete the resurfacing which had been done in the section leading from Gale Lane to Huntsman’s Walk to the petitions log for referral to CSCCSMC.
6. Add the petition regarding resurfacing of Corlett Court road surface following the increasing number of potholes to follow on from repairs to Walker Drive and Spurr Court to the petitions log for referral to CSCCSMC.

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75. CYC Scheme of Member Allowances: Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel (7:13 pm)

Council received a written report from the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer which presented the final report and recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) in relation to the allowances payable to Members.

The Lord Mayor thanked the Panel for their hard work and commitment in producing their report and he invited the Chair of the IRP, David Dickson, to address the meeting prior to the recommendations being formally moved. In doing so, Mr Dickson outlined the work carried out by the panel members and explained the principles underlying their final recommendations. He also thanked all the officers and Members that had supported them in undertaking their review.

The following recommendations contained in the report were then moved by Cllr Douglas and seconded by Cllr Steward.

“Council is asked to:

(i) consider the report and recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel;

(ii) agree the proposals set out at paragraph 5 of the report;

(iii) request the Monitoring Officer to make any consequential changes to the Scheme of Allowances for Members, as set out in the Constitution; and

(iv) agree that paragraph 1.3 of Appendix 20 to the Constitution will not apply for the period 1 April 2023 to 7 May 2023 and for the 2024-25 Municipal Year.

Reason: To ensure the Council meets it statutory requirements relating to the independent review and provision of

Members allowances.”

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

Resolved: That the above recommendations be approved.¹

Action Required

1. To note approval of the recommendations in the CYC Scheme of Member Allowances: Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel and take the appropriate action.

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76. Report of Executive Leader, Questions, and Executive Recommendations (7:34 pm)

A written report was received from the Executive Leader, Cllr Douglas, on the work of the Executive.

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:

Free School Meals

From Cllr Fenton: Under the approach being pursued by the administration, can you please confirm your latest estimate when the rest of York’s primary schools can expect free school meals to be offered to all pupils?

Response: It’s been really heartening to work with the steering group and the front faces of the campaign, the Archbishop of York and the Captain of the York Valkyries, to help us to get going with the fund raising. We are in the process of going out to the high value donors within the city who can really start to bring in some substantial funding alongside smaller amounts that we will go live with later in the year. As far as a timeline goes, we will move towards getting the meals out to other schools. We are first of all putting it into areas of disadvantage and deprivation, so Westfield and Clifton, who are very much in need of free school meals. We are testing out what works. It’s been interesting to look at the differences between free school lunches and breakfasts. So far headteachers have been very supportive of the breakfast idea. Bringing children into school early to eat together in a calm environment, we have persistent absentees back in school.

Supplementary from Cllr Fenton: In terms of the fund raising efforts as they stand, can you give us a quick update on where you are at the moment in terms of the level of funding that has been secured?

Supplementary Response: The work of the steering group has been requested to go to scrutiny later in the year. Budget funding from the council is enough to provide breakfasts at Burton Green and we also recently secured a commitment from our public health partners. We are moving into the next stage. I have been speaking to a fund raiser who has a great deal of contacts within the city on the high net worth elements, so we hope to accelerate that but we are doing it in a financially responsible way.

Supplementary from Cllr Warters: Is the council funding being supported by third-party contributions, and if so, by how much?

Supplementary Response: As far as the businesses and community fund raising goes, we wanted to bring in the amount to get the pilot going. That has been done and funding has been secured for two years at Burton Green Primary School, which is around £40,000. We also have the funding for Westfield Primary School as well, which is ongoing, and committed to through the medium term financial strategy for the period of our administration. The health funding is for a period of one year at this point in time. We are doing silent fund raising from the community at University of York. We are starting in a proper and appropriate way. It’s looking very positive but it’s not easy. It’s a city wide approach and our partners in the University of York and University of Leeds are looking at the different models, the lunches versus the breakfasts, how it works and the best approach to take, so we can move forward in a measured way.

Security Barriers

From Cllr Rowley: The security barrier placed on the main arterial route of Spurriergate to Low Ousegate has not functioned at all for the last 6-8 weeks. When will that be working and how serviceable are the other barriers we have in the city?

Response: It has been rather disappointing and frustrating for all of us to see that they are not working quite as well as we would have been expecting. My understanding is that they work as a system and not all of them are connected up yet. Not until that is done can they all work independently. Cllr Kilbane tells me that it is in process but at this point in time we don’t have a definitive date. We can get you more information on that.

B – Executive Recommendation

Cllr Douglas moved, and Cllr Kilbane seconded, the following recommendation contained in Minute 101 of the Executive meeting held on 20 February 2024.

Minute 101 York Tourism Strategy

Recommended:

i. Thanked the Tourist Advisory Board (TAB) for their work in preparing a new York Tourism Strategy and recommended the strategy to Full Council so that it can be adopted on behalf of the city.¹

Reason: To recognise the work undertaken by TAB and industry partners in preparing the strategy, and to support the growth of the York economy and the Council’s priorities of affordability, environment, equalities and human rights, and health and wellbeing.

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

Resolved: That the above recommendation be approved.¹

[An adjournment took place between 8:08 pm and 8:26 pm]

Action Required

1. To note approval of the recommendation regarding the York Tourism Strategy and take the appropriate action.

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77. Report of Deputy Leader and Questions (8:26 pm)

A written report was received from the Deputy Leader, Cllr Kilbane. Members were then invited to question the Deputy Leader on his report. Questions were received from the floor from the following Members in relation to the subjects listed, and replied to as indicated:

Deputy Leader Report

From Cllr Rowley: What is the process to have your report removed from the agenda?

Response: It’s not a question I can answer I’m afraid. I’ve no idea where we are up to with the constitutional reform.

From Cllr Ayre: Why didn’t you bring a constitutional change to yesterday’s Audit and Governance Committee to have it taken out.

Response: This is a helpful suggestion and we could bring it to the next one.

Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review

From Cllr Widdowson: Why are we changing the senior management structure now rather than waiting for the conclusions and recommendations from the peer review?

Response: The changes that are currently underway also come from a LGA review, so it’s pretty much part of the same process.

Budget Setting Process

From Cllr Fenton: As we know the government provided some additional money. Can you set out some of the considerations that the Executive made about how York’s share of that money could be used in terms of its assignment to reserves rather than to be used for adult social care and children, in order to free up other money that had been assigned to address those pressures that could have potentially averted some of the cuts elsewhere.

Response: If you care to give a written question addressed to Cllr Lomas, I’m sure an answer will be provided to you.

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78. Motions on Notice (8:32 pm)

(i) Making York a Trauma Informed City

Moved by Cllr Whitcroft, seconded by Cllr Steels-Walshaw.

“Council notes:

· Trauma can be experienced through exposure to emotionally distressing experiences. This could be a single incident, or prolonged exposure to difficult and upsetting circumstances. Sources of trauma can be varied and complex;

· Understanding of trauma and the impact it has on survivors is well established, highlighting that its effect can be significant, wide-ranging and affect many aspects of people’s lives;

· 47% of children in the UK will experience at least one Adverse Childhood Experience, such as physical or sexual abuse or neglect, and 1 in 10 people in the UK will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some time in their life;

· Trauma can result in increased likelihood of a range of negative outcomes including lower life expectancy, increased likelihood of being diagnosed with a mental illness and a heightened risk of death by suicide;

· Certain groups, including people experiencing socio-economic disadvantage, women, those who’re care-experienced, minority ethnic groups, people with disabilities and the LGBTQ+ community are disproportionally affected by trauma;

· Organisations that adopt Trauma-Informed approaches provide more positive experiences for trauma survivors;

· Scotland, Humber & North Yorkshire Health & Care Partnership, numerous NHS Trusts and many local authorities have adopted Trauma-Informed approaches as best practice;

· Under the Humber and North Yorkshire Health & Care Partnership, there are four phases to becoming Trauma-Informed: Trauma Aware, Trauma Sensitive, Trauma Responsive and Trauma-Informed;

· Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) used their own Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) protocol up until 2018, which identified people exhibiting many types of typical trauma responses under the label of BPD+, despite this not being a nationally recognised diagnosis.

Council believes:

· People who have, or who are experiencing, trauma can experience many barriers when accessing services. These can be complex and sometimes misinterpreted by professionals;

· Services or organisations can unintentionally retraumatise or cause additional trauma to service-users. Implementing a Trauma-Informed framework reduces the risk of this occurring;

· Trauma-informed approaches benefit both trauma survivors and frontline staff;

· Service users and staff must have a voice in the decision-making process of the organisation and its services;

· Consistent and thorough implementation of a Trauma-Informed approach is an important way for schools and education settings to better understand and respond to the needs of children and young people;

· Successful implementation of Trauma-Informed approaches in the city will require a multi-agency approach and buy-in from external organisations;

· The use of the BPD+ protocol in the city by TEWV NHS Trust meant many people with severe trauma were provided with inadequate care. Though TEWV stopped officially using the BPD+ protocol in 2020, many residents accessing services more recently continue to report - through Healthwatch York and other voluntary and community sector organisations - the use of processes linked to the BPD+ protocol.

Council resolves:

· To take steps to become a Trauma-Informed City and commits to working in partnership to embed Trauma-Informed frameworks across services and partner agencies, working in co-production with trauma survivors;

· To ask the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care and Executive colleagues to explore the introduction of a Trauma-Informed framework across Council services;

· To request the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care explore the introduction of training for staff and councillors, including e-learning modules, that enables City of York Council to become a Trauma-Informed organisation;

· To work with partner organisations to implement a city-wide approach to raising awareness of the impact of trauma and how becoming Trauma-Informed can help to support trauma survivors;

· To consider the implications of making it a requirement in commissioned contracts and services that partner organisations can demonstrate they have, or are implementing, a Trauma-Informed framework;

· To recommend the Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee request a report from TEWV NHS Trust on its prior application and progress in moving beyond the use of the BPD+ protocol, an assessment of current staff understanding and the outlining of any trauma-informed approaches it is implementing.”

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED unanimously, and it was

Resolved: That the above motion be approved.¹

(ii) Safeguarding future library provision

Moved by Cllr Fisher, seconded by Cllr Knight.

“Council notes:

· The decision by Budget Council to reduce funding for York Explore by £300,000 in 2024/25

· The petition signed by 3246 residents, presented at Budget Council on 22 February 2024, expressing opposition to this cut

· The statement made by the Chief Executive of York Explore at Budget Council on 22 February 2024, on behalf of the Board, which set out the positive difference that York’s libraries make to communities across the city

· The significant investment the previous Lib Dem led administration put into our library services and buildings

· The 18 January 2024 independent review of English public libraries that held up York’s 15 year contract with Explore as an exemplar in long term planning to other local authorities

· The 26 October 2017 motion “Library Services in York” that urged the executive to commit “that there will be no reduction in the total number of staffed libraries across the city.

Council believes:

· That York’s libraries are much more than ‘books and cake’ – they provide a range of services and support which benefits people of all ages and all backgrounds

· That City of York Council must adhere to its contractual obligations in respect of its relationship with York Explore, and all other organisations with whom it has contracts

· That there is considerable concern as to what impact the cut in funding for York Explore agreed for 2024/25 and proposed for 2025/26 will have on the scope and type of services that York Explore will be able to provide in future years.

Council resolves:

· To ask the relevant Executive Member to engage proactively in the next three months with York Explore, service users and, through Scrutiny, elected members of all parties in order to ensure that future library provision in York continues to meet residents’ needs and expectations

· To ask the Executive to work with York Explore to ensure that there will be no reduction in the total number of staffed libraries across the city

· To ask the Executive to work with York Explore to ensure that the mobile library will not be cut.”

Cllr Coles then moved, and Cllr Lomas seconded, an amendment to the above motion, as follows:

“ Under Council Notes:’

- insert the following new 1st bullet point:

· The £34 million black hole in council finances up to 2027 and the very real risks to future Library Services should the council ever have to issue a Section 114 notice;

- In the 1^st bullet point (now the 2^nd) after ‘2024/25’ insert ‘in order to protect the long-term financial stability of the Council;’

- In the 4^th bullet point (now the 5^th) after ‘buildings’ insert ‘with capital investment maintained and continued by the current Labour administration;’

- Insert the following new 6^th bullet point:

· Significant changes to the financial landscape of Local Authorities that saw a real terms cut to York of 50% in Government Grant/its Business Rates retention replacement between 2011 and 2024;

In the 5^th bullet point, (now the 7^th)

- delete ‘independent’ and insert ‘national’

- After ‘libraries’ insert ‘led by Conservative Life Peer, Baroness Sanderson of Welton,’

- After ‘Explore’ insert ‘- signed in 2019 -’

- After ‘ local authorities’ insert ‘yet made scant reference to local authority funding that libraries depend on;’

Under ‘Council believes:’ 1^st bullet point

- After ‘books and cake’ delete ‘they provide a range of services and support which benefits people of all ages and all backgrounds’ and insert ‘and there is an opportunity to develop the range of services and support they offer to reduce health inequalities across the city, address digital exclusion and tackle loneliness and isolation for people of all ages and backgrounds;’

Under ‘Council resolves’

In the 1^st bullet point,

- After ‘Executive Member’ insert ‘and council officers’.

- After the first ‘to’ insert ‘continue’

- Change ‘engage’ to ‘engaging’

- After ‘expectations’ insert ‘including reforming the mobile library service and retaining the number of staffed libraries and library services, including to outlying areas not covered by Gateway or Explore libraries across the city;’

- Add in the following new 2^nd bullet point

· To request the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care and the Leader of the Council write to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Arts Council, to clarify the council’s financial position and to reassure them of the council’s commitment to York’s libraries and archives;

- Delete the last two bullet points ‘To ask the Executive to work with York Explore to ensure that there will be no reduction in the total number of staffed libraries across the city’ and ‘To ask the Executive to work with York Explore to ensure that the mobile library will not be cut.’”

On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared CARRIED.

The motion, as amended, now read as follows:

“Council notes:

· The £34 million black hole in council finances up to 2027 and the very real risks to future Library Services should the council ever have to issue a Section 114 notice;

· The decision by Budget Council to reduce funding for York Explore by £300,000 in 2024/25 in order to protect the long-term financial stability of the Council;

· The petition signed by 3246 residents, presented at Budget Council on 22 February 2024, expressing opposition to this cut;

· The significant investment the previous Lib Dem led administration put into our library services and buildings, with capital investment maintained and continued by the current Labour administration;

· Significant changes to the financial landscape of Local Authorities that saw a real terms cut to York of 50% in Government Grant/its Business Rates retention replacement between 2011 and 2024;

· The 18 January 2024 national review of English public libraries, led by Conservative Life Peer, Baroness Sanderson of Welton, that held up York’s 15 year contract with Explore - signed in 2019 - as an exemplar in long term planning to other local authorities, yet made scant reference to local authority funding that libraries depend on;

· The 26 October 2017 motion “Library Services in York” that urged the executive to commit “that there will be no reduction in the total number of staffed libraries across the city.

Council believes:

· That York’s libraries are much more than ‘books and cake’ and there is an opportunity to develop the range of services and support they offer to reduce health inequalities across the city, address digital exclusion and tackle loneliness and isolation for people of all ages and backgrounds;

· That City of York Council must adhere to its contractual obligations in respect of its relationship with York Explore, and all other organisations with whom it has contracts;

Council resolves:

· To ask the relevant Executive Member and council officers to continue engaging proactively in the next three months with York Explore, service users and, through Scrutiny, elected members of all parties in order to ensure that future library provision in York continues to meet residents’ needs and expectations, including reforming the mobile library service and retaining the number of staffed libraries and library services, including to outlying areas not covered by Gateway or Explore libraries across the city;

On being put to the vote, the amended motion was declared CARRIED unanimously, and it was

Resolved: That the above motion, as amended, be approved.²

(iii) Affordable Housing Motion

Moved by Cllr Steward, seconded by Cllr Rowley.

“Council notes:

1. The continuing, unacceptable, reality of too many people unable to afford to buy homes.

2. That many reasons for this are beyond Local Authorities’ remits but there remain big influences they can still have.

Council notes ongoing progress on the Local Plan and believes getting a valid Plan signed off remains the biggest step forward for the council to help meet housing demand, including further formalising Affordable Housing policies.

Whilst in no way undermining the policies in the Local Plan, council believes there is always more that can and should be done to help people own homes. To further this, council believes the relevant officers, scrutiny and executive should examine elsewhere in the county and look to broaden the affordable housing criteria to be based on residents paying no more than a set percentage of their incomes in mortgages, rather than houses be valued at a more traditional reduced level of market value.”

An amendment to the above motion had been moved by Cllr Pavlovic and formerly accepted by the Conservative Group as follows:

“Under ‘Council notes’:

- Point 1, after ‘homes’ insert ‘nor rent homes in the private rented sector, placing increased pressure on the social housing waiting list;’

- Insert a new point 2 as follows,

· ‘That unaffordable housing impacts on York’s future prosperity as fewer young professionals, families and essential workers can access suitable accommodation;’

- In the 2^nd bullet point (now the 3^rd) delete ‘That many reasons for this are’ and insert ‘That the property market remains predominantly market-driven and therefore’

In the final paragraph,

- Split the two sentences into two separate paragraphs.

- In the last sentence, after ‘council,’ delete the word ‘believes’ and insert ‘resolves:’ then insert a bullet point and add before ‘the relevant officers’ ‘That following adoption of York’s Local Plan’

- after the word ‘examine’ insert ‘examples’

- change ‘county’ to ‘country’ and insert after ‘country’ ‘that seek to make housing more affordable for their residents, including through any powers available at Mayoral Combined Authority level;’

- Then insert a second bullet point:

- delete ‘and look to’ and insert ‘This should include consideration of’

- add ‘ing’ to ‘broaden’

- after ‘criteria to’ insert ‘include’ and delete ‘be based on’

- Insert a full stop after ‘mortgages’ then insert ‘It should also compare such an approach with existing council policy of homes for sale’

- delete ‘rather than houses be’

- insert after ‘market value’ ‘arising from s106 developer contributions’.

- Insert the following additional third bullet point:

· ‘Further, to request Executive reviews the council’s policy on developer social housing contributions, with an assessment of whether adding new council homes through this mechanism would improve the supply and quality of nationally-defined affordable homes to York residents.’”

On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared CARRIED.

The motion, as amended, now read as follows:

“Council notes:

1. The continuing, unacceptable, reality of too many people unable to afford to buy homes nor rent homes in the private rented sector, placing increased pressure on the social housing waiting list;

2. That unaffordable housing impacts on York’s future prosperity as fewer young professionals, families and essential workers can access suitable accommodation;

3. That the property market remains predominantly market-driven and therefore beyond Local Authorities’ remits but there remain big influences they can still have.

Whilst in no way undermining the policies in the Local Plan, council believes there is always more that can and should be done to help people own homes.

To further this, council resolves:

• That following adoption of York’s Local Plan, the relevant officers, scrutiny and executive should examine examples elsewhere in the country that seek to make housing more affordable for their residents, including through any powers available at Mayoral Combined Authority level;

• This should include consideration of broadening the affordable housing criteria to include residents paying no more than a set percentage of their incomes in mortgages. It should also compare such an approach with existing council policy of homes for sale valued at a more traditional reduced level of market value, arising from s106 developer contributions;

• Further, to request Executive reviews the council’s policy on developer social housing contributions, with an assessment of whether adding new council homes through this mechanism would improve the supply and quality of nationally-defined affordable homes to York residents.”

On being put to the vote, the amended motion was declared CARRIED unanimously, and it was

Resolved: That the above motion, as amended, be approved.³

(iv) My Vote, My Voice

Moved by Cllr Baxter, seconded by Cllr Rose.

“Council welcomes the My Voice, My Vote campaign promoting the right to vote and the removal of barriers to voting for the 1.5m learning disabled and 700,000 autistic adults living in the UK.

It notes:

40% of the population don’t know these groups have an equal right to vote;

80% of people feel that polling stations are inaccessible for disabled people as a whole;

only 12% of disabled voters were aware of their legal entitlements during the 2023 local elections, including available polling station support, in the wake of new rules around voter identification;
the excellent work of council officers in ensuring relevant council teams and contracted services working with vulnerable adults explain how they can register to vote.

Council believes everyone should have a right to vote and disability and difference should be no barrier to voter participation.

Further, it believes democracy is best exercised when all groups are represented and that low turnout for one demographic indicates disenfranchisement.

Council resolves to request the Returning Officer:

· considers the city’s polling stations for any accessibility improvements;

· considers how greater awareness of voting rights through social media activity can be advanced, particularly for hard-to-reach groups;

· provides as much detail as possible on the different roles for which individuals stand for election, to encourage greater voter participation, subject to relevant legislation.

And requests the Chief Operating Officer write to the relevant Minister within the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on:

· ways to make registering to vote easier, while maintaining the integrity of the electoral process, in order to increase voter participation.”

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED unanimously, and it was

Resolved: That the above motion be approved.⁴

Action Required

1. To note approval of the motion on making York a trauma informed city and take the appropriate action.
2. To note approval of the motion on safeguarding future library provision (as amended) and take the appropriate action.
3. To note approval of the motion on affordable housing (as amended) and take the appropriate action.
4. To note approval of the motion on my vote, my voice and take the appropriate action.

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79. Questions to the Leader or Executive Members (9:36 pm)

Members were invited to question the Leader or Executive Members. Questions were received from the floor from the following Members, and replied to as indicated:

Questions to Cllr Kilbane, Executive Member for Economy and Transport

From Cllr Crawshaw: The unanimous position of the Planning Committee was that the ring road should be dualled but that it was absolutely imperative that we capture all the additional benefits in terms of taking traffic out of the city centre and out of the villages but also all of the active travel elements and public transport benefits that could be found as well. Unfortunately, the committee was unable to condition those within the approval and so we added an informative to be agreed by myself and the vice-chair. I’d really like to hear the ways in which you will work to ensure all of those benefits will be delivered?

Response: Thank you to everybody on the Planning Committee. There are things that you can and can’t do within planning law. We inherited the scheme and we took it forward as we promised we would do. We addressed the issues that Active Travel England had raised with the scheme and the things missing from it. We took it as far as we could without unnecessarily delaying it further. The Local Plan, which is going through adoption, is contingent on the dualling of the ring road. What we have to do now is to take the results of the city wide local transport consultation, and they have been overwhelmingly in support of our sustainable travel in the city, and make sure that we use the opportunity that dualling the ring road brings to tie in the advantages of moving to a more sustainable means of travel. We need to make sure it takes traffic out of the city centre and it will be down to this authority, the subsequent authority, and the new incoming elected Mayor to ultimately maximise the benefits.

From Cllr Fenton: I have been in correspondence with an officer recently regarding a grit bin review that’s ongoing in terms of the location of grit bins around the city. Will Councillors have the opportunity to engage in that review?

Response: Absolutely.

Supplementary from Cllr Fenton: Are you able to set a timescale on when that opportunity might arise?

Response: If you can email me the details of the officer concerned I will then respond to that email.

From Cllr Nicholls: There was a trial agreed some months ago for 20mph speed limits, any updates on that implementation?

Response: The parish council in Bishopthorpe, and the local councillor, submitted a request for 20mph speed limits around the whole village, which I was very happy to grant. It will be used as a trial to see what the impact is on the village. If it works in the village then it could be rolled out to other areas who are requesting them. We need to act on this now. If you could email me, and I will pick this up with officers.

Supplementary from Cllr Rowley: Dunnington also requested that 20mph trial as well, so can I assume that Dunnington will be high on the list of priorities?

Response: Yes, Dunnington and Poppleton are in the queue like most villages. The issues we are dealing with is that we are not sure when the new plans for drivers comes out from your administration and whether they will allow 20mph zones to cover whole areas, so if you could do some lobbying on behalf of residents that would be great. There are also issues around enforcement and highway processes that we are working through, and part of the Bishopthorpe trial is to make sure we have worked through them properly before we roll it out further.

Questions to Cllr Kent and Cllr Ravilious – Executive Members for Environment and Climate Emergency

From Cllr Healey: Following the trial to improve air quality on Gillygate, can you please confirm if this trial found that air pollution issues merely moved to other parts of the city as standing traffic increased on Lord Mayor’s Walk and other nearby roads. Will you please commit to sharing the information obtained through the trial and what plans are now to be taken forward?

Response: It was a very short trial and we couldn’t draw conclusions from it. It was just for two weeks so there is no way we can say if that would change the air quality on Gillygate. It was simply a test of whether altering the traffic signals had an adverse effect on other roads in the city and what we found was that we could alter the traffic signals on Gillygate and not have an adverse effect on other roads in the city, so it showed that we could try to do that to see if we can then improve the air quality. We are now looking as if we can roll this out into a longer trial and we will include increase monitoring on other roads to see if air quality changes across, not just Gillygate, but other roads in the surrounding area. We will also be looking at health impacts with the Director of Public Health to see on particularly poor pollution days whether there are increases in hospital admissions. We are going to do a really thorough study to see if we can improve the poor air quality on Gillygate, which can’t carry on.

From Cllr Kelly: Can you tell us what’s happening with York’s climate commission and what direction you expect it to take going forward?

Response: On 11 January 2024 over 100 organisations, partners, businesses and voluntary groups came to the Merchant Adventurers Hall. It was hosted for free by them and they are committed to their own climate action plan, which includes a ground floor heat pump and solar panels. It was a fantastic collaborative day that allowed people to put themselves forward and to take their organisations to join the city to meet our net zero and nature recovery targets. Out of that day, 10 working groups emerged ranging from waste, energy, environment, food and nature recovery. Several have already met and each group had set their own actions to take place over the remainder of this year to support and go even further than the council. It’s a work in progress and is a co-design, and so far it’s been a really encouraging productive collaborative partnership. We will be meeting again in January next year to celebrate the progress been made and steps taken.

Question to Cllr Webb, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education

From Cllr Whitcroft: I’d like to welcome the new home for children in care in the Fishergate Ward that was opened by this administration on Friday. What’s happening with the Together We Can programme and what’s the plan for children in care in York in the future?

Response: Thank you to all the Members across the chamber that took the time to visit our home on Friday and to all the council officers who had been working incredibly hard to progress policy and make the changes that we need to see in our city for the better. We are working with our colleagues in health to deliver the Together We Can programme for our young people. It’s about helping them to thrive, supporting their development and wellbeing. We are going to have council staff working from the home. There will be no labels, there will be people who are supporting young people in that home. Those young people will know them, they will know the council workers who are in there with them. It provides a home for people who are really vulnerable and helps them stay in York. I do really welcome everyone’s support for this and long may it continue.

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<AI11>

80. Report of Executive Member (9:54 pm)

A written report was received from Cllr Pavlovic, Executive Member Housing, Planning and Safer Communities.

Members were then invited to question the Executive Member on his report. Questions were received from the floor from the following Members in relation to the subjects listed, and replied to as indicated

Homeless Strategy

From Cllr Widdowson: In the now scrapped report into what happened with the Salvation Army, it states that you didn’t want the contract to end, is that the case?

Response: I have offered both Cllr Vassie and Cllr Myers the opportunity to input into the Homeless Strategy before it goes out for consultation. It’s immaterial whether I did or didn’t support the decision. The decision to end the Salvation Army contract was a legal decision that was made on the advice of our statutory officers who said that the contract should have ended in November 2022 and it was extended to 31 March 2023, and that it could not therefore be further extended. We were given very clear guidance by our legal officer and by our Section 151 Officer that it could not be extended and that is why the decision was made by those Executive Members responsible for finance, and that decision had to be supported.

Supplementary from Cllr Widdowson: The report then went on to say that you subsequently found a prejudicial interest and you excused yourself. Is it true that you didn’t have a current prejudicial interest and that you didn’t want to be present?

Response: It was not a case of whether I wanted to be present or didn’t want to be present. The decision was given on the advice of the officers that a legal process had been started and therefore that had to be seen through. My prejudicial interest, which I had sort of declared at numerous housing scrutiny meetings during the last administration when the Salvation Army came up, was that I was part of the resettlement process.

Supplementary from Cllr Crawshaw: In future, if you were dealing with a long term contract for a supplier to deliver services for the homelessness and you were aware that the contract was coming towards the end of its time, do you believe that you would enter into a re-procurement process in a timely way to ensure that the contract does not need extending and does not come to an end in any way that is detrimental to the people of the city?

Response: The last administration had two years of planning for a new resettlement strategy. They did not reach any sort of consensus about any services including those that were commissioned nor did they have a viable strategy that they could agree with and therefore, had they spent the two years whilst that contract was still ongoing we wouldn’t be in this position now.

Gypsy and traveller provision

From Cllr Rowley: It’s now nearly five years since an evicted family from the Osbaldwick travellers site were instructed by a City of York Council officer to take residence in a layby on public highway meaning that North Yorkshire Police could do nothing to move them on. What advice do I and Cllr Warters say to the residents of Dunnington and Holtby who are now five years into this fiasco?

Response: There is a gypsy and traveller provision within the Local Plan and they will just have to wait for that to take its course. We have just gone through the Local Plan hearing in respect of gypsy and traveller provision and we expect the inspectors report anytime soon. We will then look at the options depending on what they say.

Supplementary from Cllr Warters: Given the recent Local Plan hearings into the gypsy and traveller matters, what conclusion do you envisage?

Response: I very much hope that we will have a Local Plan that will be ready for adoption shortly. We are dependent on the inspectorate report on gypsy and traveller provision which was lacking in the draft submitted Local Plan. The draft Local Plan was submitted in 2018, 6 years and counting with still no resolution. It isn’t the Plan we would have brought forward but we have to work with what we were given. I very much hope that they will come back with a sound assessment that leaves us no longer in open season for speculative development.

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81. Scrutiny - Report of the Chair of the Customer & Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee (10:05 pm)

A written report was received from Cllr Fenton, Chair of the Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee, on the work of the committee.

</AI12>

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82. Police, Fire and Crime Panel Amendments (10:07 pm)

The following recommendation contained in the report of the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer at page 90 of the agenda papers was moved by Cllr Douglas and seconded by Cllr Kilbane.

“That Members agree the revised Arrangements for the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel as provided at Appendix A to the report.

Reason: The Panel must have Arrangements setting out its legal role and responsibilities and which accurately reflect the shifting accountabilities from Commissioner to Mayor, from 7 May 2024. The council is therefore requested to agree the revised Arrangements ahead of this transition.”

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

Resolved: That the above recommendation be approved.¹

Action Required

1. To note approval of the recommendation in the report regarding the Police, Fire and Crime Panel Amendments and take appropriate action.

</AI13>

<AI14>

83. 2024/25 Corporate Calendar (10:07 pm)

The following recommendations contained in the report of the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer at pages 107 and 108 of the agenda papers was moved by Cllr Douglas and seconded by Cllr Pavlovic.

“That:

i. The Corporate Calendar of meetings for 2024/25, attached as Annex A to the report, be approved.

ii. That the Director of Governance be authorised to make any changes to the Calendar as may prove necessary from time to time.

Reasons:

i. To provide a framework for the democratic and decision-making functions which will underpin delivery of the Council’s corporate priorities.

ii. To ensure that the calendar of meetings is implemented to assist with the forward planning and better management of meetings.”

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

Resolved: That the above recommendations be approved.¹

Action Required

1. To note approval of the recommendations in the report regarding the 2024/25 Corporate Calendar and take the appropriate action.

</AI14>

<AI15>

84. Proposed Changes to the Composition and Quorum of Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee (10:08 pm)

The Lord Mayor invited the Monitoring Officer to address the meeting prior to the recommendations being formally moved. In doing so, the Monitoring Officer confirmed the recommendation had been endorsed by Audit and Governance Committee on Wednesday 20 March 2024 and he drew Members attention to a typographical error in table 5 on page 135 of the agenda pack in that ‘Lose 1’ should appear in the Labour column rather than the Conservative column.

The following recommendation contained in the report at page 128 of the agenda papers was then moved by Cllr Douglas and seconded by Cllr Kilbane.

“Subject to endorsement by Audit and Governance Committee, Council is recommended to approve the amendment to the Constitution through the inclusion in Article 11 of the proposed additional wording as set in paragraph 6 of the report, as below

1.3 The Committee shall comprise five members and shall have a quorum of three members.

Reason: In order to remedy an error in the Constitution, to ensure that the Council can lawfully and expeditiously carry on its business.”

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

Resolved: That the above recommendation be approved.¹

Action Required

1. To note approval of the recommendation in the report regarding the proposed changes to the composition and quorum of Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee and take the appropriate action.

</AI15>

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Cllr Cullwick

LORD MAYOR OF YORK

[The meeting started at 6.33 pm and concluded at 10.18 pm]

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Acomb Ward	Bishopthorpe Ward

Lomas Rose	Nicholls
Clifton Ward	Copmanthorpe Ward

D Myers Wells	Steward
Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Ward	Fishergate Ward

Fenton Mason Widdowson	Whitcroft Wilson
Fulford and Heslington Ward	Guildhall Ward

Ravilious	Clarke Melly Merrett
Haxby & Wigginton Ward	Heworth Ward

Cuthbertson Hollyer Pearson	Douglas Webb
Heworth Without Ward	Holgate Ward

Ayre	Kent Steels-Walshaw Taylor
Hull Road Ward	Huntington and New Earswick Ward

Baxter Kelly Pavlovic	Orrell Runciman
Micklegate Ward	Osbaldwick and Derwent Ward

J Burton Crawshaw Kilbane	Rowley BEM Warters
Rawcliffe and Clifton Without Ward	Rural West York Ward

Wann Waudby	Hook Knight
Strensall Ward	Westfield Ward

Fisher Healey	Coles Nelson Waller
Wheldrake Ward

Vassie