Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

15/12/2022

Delivering Effective Customer Services to York Residents

Council resolves to request that the Executive, including as part of its current budget preparations:

·         publicly acknowledges the hard work of customer services staff and the impact of increased workloads on their ability to meet resident expectations, and apologises for the council’s ongoing inability to effectively respond to residents’ issues in a timely way;

·         commits to reinstate the customer services call-back service to residents once current vacant positions are filled and new staff have been trained;

·         commits to reviewing the functioning of the relevant council services as a priority, with a focus to include: staffing and operating hours of the customer call centre;

·         ensuring access to non-digital council services is an easy, straightforward process;

·         categorisation of services on, and user-friendliness of, a council website a significant number of residents struggle to navigate;

·         a more effective and simpler system for monitoring and recording of abusive calls to staff, including a clear structure for escalation, response and staff well-being support.

Pauline Stuchfield

Call- back service on track to be back in place by early summer 2023. Regarding abusive calls the steps being taken, monitoring and a team stress risk assessment approach were all outlined at Customer & Corporate Management of Scrutiny Committee on 6th March 2023. All other elements will be built into a coproduced Customer Strategy for approval in 2024.

 

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

15/12/2022

York Opposes Voter ID Requirements

Council therefore resolves to:

·         Request the Chief Operating Officer writes to the Cabinet Office to express the Council’s serious concern as to the introduction of mandatory Voter ID in any UK elections.

Ian Floyd / Bryn Roberts

Letter sent on 03/03/2023 to Government from West Yorkshire Chief Executives, which York supports, aimed at raising significant concerns relating to the implementation of the requirement for electors to show photographic identification in the polling station from 04/05/2023.

 

 

·         Request a report is brought to a public meeting of the council’s Executive outlining: the plans and update on preparations to introduce mandatory voter ID for the May 2023 local election in York

 

Ian Floyd / Bryn Roberts

Report to be tabled at March’s Executive Meeting. 

 

 

 

·         the potential cost as well as consideration of any practical issues involved in issuing postal vote application forms to every eligible voter on the Electoral Register in York.use the council’s communications function to regularly promote postal voting, and frequently in the months prior to an election.

Ian Floyd / Bryn Roberts

Ongoing

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

15/12/2022

Introduction of Council Tax Premium for Second Homes

Council therefore resolves to:

· Request officers to bring a paper to a meeting of the Executive outlining the implications and options for implementing a 100% council tax premium of second homes in York, with a view to implementing the policy once national legislation has been granted Royal assent.

Pauline Stuchfield

 

 

 

·         Request the Chief Operating Officer to write to relevant Minsters on behalf of the Council in support of the introduction of the council tax premium for second homes and seek assurance that loopholes that could see second home owners avoid the payment of the premium will be addressed.

Pauline Stuchfield/Ian Floyd

 

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

23/03/23

Care Leavers’ Transport Costs

Council therefore resolves to request that following May’s elections, the new Executive consider what additional offer could be made to Care Leavers including assessing the feasibility of also offering care leavers the option of:

·         Financial assistance with annual bus travel, a 16–25 rail card and discounted access to the TIER e-cycle/ e-scooter scheme up to the age of 25;

·         Free urban cycle skills training;

·         A contribution towards a bicycle and appropriate protective clothing and through working with partners, find ways to cover the full costs of a new bicycle and appropriate accessories.

New Administration /

Martin Kelly 

 

 

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

23/03/23

 

Return to Community Policing

The Council consequently resolves to:

·         Request that Group Leaders write to the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner calling for a reversal of the current freeze in PCSO recruitment and commitment to significantly increase the number of PCSOs in the region.

Group Leaders / James Gilchrist / Jane Mowat 

NOT OFFICERS

 

 

 

·         Request that Council officers work with the North Yorkshire Police to produce a report to the Executive Member on how neighbourhood improvement plans can be developed, which review how best to holistically design out anti-social behaviour in the area.

James Gilchrist / Jane Mowat

To be discussed with the new Executive once the Safer York Partnership Strategy has been completed.

 

 

 

·         Invite the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to a public meeting to answer councillor questions and set out plans to improve community policing in York.

Bryn Roberts

 

                                                 

 

·         Call on Safer York Partnership chair to explore best ways to embed Community Safety Officers within the Community Safety Hub.

James Gilchrist / Jane Mowat

 

Working ongoing between the Police (who chair Safer York Partnership) and Council and other partners to best deliver the strategy.

 

 

 

·         Request that the Safer York Partnership representatives engage and consult ward councillors in the development of the Community Safety Strategy 2023-2026.

James Gilchrist / Jane Mowat

 

For the First Time it is proposed that the Community Safety Strategy developed by the Council and partners is approved at Executive and Council.

 

 

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

23/03/23

 

Removing Barriers to an Education and Educational Attainment

Council resolves:

·         to request the Executive commits the council to a policy of working with external organisations to provide FSM to all primary school pupils, starting with those schools most in need;

 

 

 

 

·         to write to all York secondary schools, highlighting the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) ‘Cost of the School Day’ project to ask that students eligible for FSMs are able to use their allowance at any time during the school day, and to agree to the rolling over of any unspent money to be used in the future;

Martin Kelly / Maxine Squire / Pauline Stuchfield

York Schools and Academies Board have adopted poverty proofing as one of their priorities for 2023-24.

 

 

·         to commit to a twin track approach of working through the LGA on FSM automatic enrolment as well as expanding eligibility for FSM by increasing the income threshold, and through the NEU on ensuring FSM provision becomes universal for every primary school child;

Martin Kelly / Maxine Squire / Pauline Stuchfield

Auto enrolment has been piloted with two primary schools in September 2023.  The council is continuing to work with the Fix Our Food Project to scale up auto enrolment to include all schools in 2023-24.

 

 

·         to write, through the Corporate Director for Children’s Services, to all local authority-maintained schools and academy schools:

-        requesting information on how they are meeting Government statutory guidance on keeping school uniform affordable, and keeping branded items to a minimum, to reassure Council that schools are not excluding students based on income and are genuinely open to all;

-        inviting all schools to work with the local authority in developing a York protocol which describes ‘What should be ordinarily available’ for pupils with SEND ensuring there is a fair and consistent application of the SEND Code of Practice by schools to protect the rights of these pupils.

Martin Kelly / Maxine Squire

A letter has been sent to all schools reminding them about government statutory guidance on school uniform.  Schools are following this guidance when reviewing uniform.  A large number of the city’s schools have implemented school uniform exchange schemes.

 

Ordinarily available provision for SEND guidance has been drafted and published via the SEND local offer.  The new guidance document is being launched with all schools at the SEND conference on 20th November.

 

 

 

 

 

     

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

23/03/23

 

Council Backs Haxby Station Project

The Council therefore resolves to:

·         Endorse and commit to the Haxby station project, and fully back it to ensure its success.

 

 

 

 

·         Request that all group leaders send a joint letter to the Department for Transport and Network Rail supporting the project and urging for the remaining Government funding to be released from the Restoring Your Railway Fund to enable to proceed with the project at pace.

Group Leaders

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

20/07/23

Safeguarding York’s future

The council resolves to request

·         that the Lord Mayor and Executive Members begin Full

Council, Executive meetings and Executive Member

Decision Sessions respectively by reminding Members of the

remaining days until 1st January 2030, by which time we

have pledged to be carbon neutral and requesting that

Members keep this at the forefront of their minds when taking decisions;

 

 

 

 

·         that the Leader writes to our local MPs urging them to sign

up to support the Climate & Ecology Bill, or thanking them for already doing so; and write to Zero Hour, and organisers of

the cross-party campaign for the Climate & Ecology Bill,

expressing its support;

Cllr Douglas   / Claire Foale

 

 

 

·         that the Executive develops a process that demonstrates

clear commitment to a strengthened York 10-year Climate

Change Strategy by exploring a series of intermediate

carbon reduction targets, following exploration of the topic at Corporate and Climate Scrutiny Committee and following

receipt of an options report to Executive;

Executive Members /

Claire Foale

Discussion to explore intermediate targets held at October 2023 Scrutiny, report going to EDMS in January 2024

 

 

·         that the Executive Member for Transport brings forward an

updated Local Transport Plan that reflects the latest science

and which includes ambitious targets in line with a

strengthened York 10-year Climate Strategy;

Cllr Kilbane /

 Neil Ferris /

James Gilchrist

Report went to October Executive 2023 with Policy Focus Areas, detailed consultation will take place during winter 2023/24 on detailed policies before adoption by Exec/Council in the Spring

 

 

·         that the Executive Members for Environment and Climate

Emergency take steps to implement the actions that deliver

on the Pollinator Strategy to achieve a measurable increase

in biodiversity.

Councillors Jenny Kent and Kate Ravilious

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

20/07/23

Highway Maintenance

Council resolves to request that the Executive:

·         Expedites the review of the Highways Safety Inspection

Manual.

 

To be considered as part of future review of Highway Infrastructure Asset Management. Being developed for devolution and the new Mayoral Combined Authority. The legal requirements for maintenance varies depending on the highways status.

 

 

 

·         Explores as part of this review, a change to the

‘investigatory level’ for potholes to 30mm vertical face depth is secured.

Neil Ferris /

 James Gilchrist

Report to Executive scheduled spring 2024 of the additional funding required for this.

 

 

·         Ensures that the relevant scrutiny committee and special

interest groups (such as those relating to cycling and

disability rights) are consulted to better understand the

impacts of the current approach to highway maintenance

as described in the Manual.

Neil Ferris /

 James Gilchrist

 

Adoption of the Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Plan will go through public decision making.  Scrutiny agenda topics are not within officer control, but it will be suggested to the chair as part of decision making.

 

 

·         That the strategic active travel network (as identified in the

draft LCWIP) is prioritised for highway maintenance

treatment and allocated a specific budget to complete

maintenance to a safe standard throughout the year.

Neil Ferris /

 James Gilchrist

 

To be considered as part of future review of Highway Infrastructure Asset Management. Being developed for devolution and the new Mayoral Combined Authority. The legal requirements for maintenance varies depending on the highways status.

 

 

·         Trials a more efficient use of the Ward Highways Budget

in 2023-24, reallocating it to establish a dedicated team

that will have the flexibility to patch larger sections of road

surface at a time, thereby delivering a longer lasting fix

and better use of limited resources.

Neil Ferris /

 James Gilchrist

 

Decision made at 20 July full council to suspend ward highway funding and spend on road repairs

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

20/07/23

Getting York Moving Fairly

For the next four-year administration, Council asks the Executive

to commit to:

1. Look wherever possible to improve the cycle network,

including better linking of villages

2. Reverse the City Centre Blue Badge ban

3. Rule out a Congestion Charge

4. Address the stalled work on the dualling of the A1237 by

working with stakeholders to deliver a scheme that meets the transport commitments within York’s Climate Change

Strategy and the emerging Local Transport Plan.

5. Calling on the new Mayoral Combined Authority, once

established, to make taking back control of our buses a

priority.

 

Executive Members

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

20/07/23

A city response to Food Insecurity

This council resolves to ask the Executive to:

·         write a letter to the Prime Minister and relevant ministers

about the importance of introducing auto-enrolment for those entitled to free school meals;

Executive Members /

Martin Kelly / Maxine Squire / Pauline Stuchfield

 

 

 

·         promote enrolment for free school meals to support children, young people and their families to help combat food

insecurity and shortage in York;

Martin Kelly / Maxine Squire / Pauline Stuchfield

 

The CYC admissions team promote FSM support for children as do schools.  The scale up of auto enrolment is designed to ensure all those eligible receive the entitlement.

 

 

 

·         encourage larger food providers in and around York to sign

up to York’s Good Business Charter, including paying the

Real Living Wage;

Martin Kelly / Maxine Squire / Pauline Stuchfield

 

 

 

 

·         work more closely with Parish Councils and groups like

Edible York and YACIO (York Allotments Charitable

Incorporated Organisation) to develop ideas for increasing

the number of public green spaces available for food

production by communities across York;

Martin Kelly / Maxine Squire / Pauline Stuchfield

 

 

 

 

·         request that the council’s scrutiny function undertakes a

review of community food growing opportunities and makes

recommendations to Executive to expand these

opportunities, including considering the prospects for

expanding an Edible York project in Tang Hall to other parts

of the city to bring more underused gardens into use for food

growing.

Martin Kelly / Maxine Squire / Pauline Stuchfield

 

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

21/09/23

Improving York’s Air Quality

This Council resolves to request Executive:

·          urgently completes and consults on a draft Air Quality Action Plan 4 in parallel with the emerging draft Local Transport Plan 4, taking into account the Council’s Climate Change and Health and Well-being strategies given the significant inter-relationships for some key pollutants;

Neil Ferris /

James Gilchrist / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

Air Quality Action Plan 4 has been drafted and has been considered at EPAT Scrutiny on 24 October 2023 and will go into a period of consultation over the winter

 

 

·         includes within this work the WHO principle of progressively reducing average exposures to air pollution in York and to set its own interim WHO-based targets for pollutants within the authority’s influence, such as PM10 and NO2.

Neil Ferris /

James Gilchrist / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

 

Air Quality Action Plan 4 has been drafted and has been considered at EPAT Scrutiny on 24 October 2023 and will go into a period of consultation. This includes details on statutory targets as well as aiming towards WHO targets

 

 

·         ensures York prioritises actions that will end exceedances of the current English statutory air quality targets as soon as possible within the AQAP 4 period;

Neil Ferris /

James Gilchrist / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

 

Political choice within the framework of emerging policies that officers will operate within. The consultation will inform future reports.

 

 

·         Works together with York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and other counterparts to address regional sources of air pollution.

Neil Ferris /

James Gilchrist / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

 

Air Quality Action Plan 4 has been drafted and has been considered at EPAT Scrutiny on 24 October 2023 and will go into a period of consultation. Already work with them through the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Pollution Advisory Group which includes Air Quality.  Part of the consultation on AQAP4 is to consult neighbouring authorities.

 

 

 

and Council resolves in writing, with copies to York’s MPs, to call for the Government to:

·         adopt site-specific targets with the aim of improving air quality in vulnerable locations such as schools, hospitals, care homes, sites of special scientific interest and similar other ecologically vulnerable sites;

Neil Ferris /

James Gilchrist / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

 

Executive/Political Assistant should be lobbying

 

 

·         address the shortcomings of the National Planning Policy Framework and Building regulations with respect to air pollution from buildings including construction projects, gas boilers, solid fuel fires and stoves, from poor ventilation of buildings and from the impact on air quality of transport emissions associated with new developments and from agricultural practices;

Neil Ferris /

James Gilchrist / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

 

Executive/Political Assistant should be lobbying

 

 

 

·         address the shortcomings in other legislation with regard to household furnishing, cleaning and other products used in residential and workplace settings which can adversely affect indoor air quality.

Neil Ferris /

James Gilchrist / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

 

Executive/Political Assistant should be lobbying

 

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

21/09/23

Get me home safely

Council resolves to

·         Fully support Unite's "Get me Home Safely" campaign;

 

 

 

 

·         Request that through the Purple Flag Working Group, officers work with partners to help implement the aims of this campaign;

Neil Ferris /

 Pauline Stuchfield

 

 

 

 

·         Ask the Licensing Committee to undertake policy consultation work on encouraging licence holders to offer free transport to workers for getting home safely after 11pm, with a view to this recommendation being added under ‘Night-time safety’ provisions when the Statement of Licensing Policy is next reviewed;

Executive Members /

Neil Ferris

 

 

 

·         Support the introduction of legal requirements for training transport workers on preventing gender-based violence, sexual assault and harassment on public transport and private hire vehicles;

Pauline Stuchfield

 

 

 

 

·         Publicly call for improvement to late night and off-peak transport service provision to provide extra night services, as well as work with employers to discuss funding for supplementary taxi travel;

Executive Members

 

 

 

 

·         Publicly call for the lowering of bus fares and opposition to any cuts to public transport funding and write to our two Members of Parliament to outline the Council’s support for the Get Me Home Safely campaign and ask them to use their positions to achieve these aims and resolutions;

Executive Members

 

 

 

 

·         Publicly call for the municipal ownership of buses to be actively considered and lessons learned from the experience of other cities and regions, including the bus franchising systems being pursued by Labour Metro Mayors in West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester, in order to lower prices and improve service provision, especially for night-time and off-peak services;

Executive Members

 

 

 

 

·         Make representation to appropriate sub-regional and national government to bring forward national minimum standards for taxis and private hire, as per the recommendations of the 2018 national Task and Finish Group, and in support of this motion and its demands on behalf of our local community.

Executive Members