Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

Cllr Runciman declared a personal interest in agenda item 7 (Theatre Royal Funding Agreement), as a Trustee of the Theatre Royal.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 25 March 2008.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 25 March 2008 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Executive’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Monday 7 April.

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Dan Bates, Chief Executive of York Theatre Royal, spoke in relation to agenda item 7 (Theatre Royal Funding Agreement).  He outlined the Theatre’s achievements over the period of the last Service Level Agreement (SLA), during which audience numbers had increased and reliance on public subsidy had reduced, and highlighted plans for the coming year.  He urged Members to support the recommendation for a 4-year SLA, as set out in Option 3 in the report.

To receive details of those items that are listed on the Executive Forward Plan for the next two meetings.

Members received and noted details of those items that were currently listed on the Forward Plan for the next two Executive meetings.

This report presents the minutes of the most recent meeting of the Economic Development Partnership Board and asks Members to consider the advice given by the Board in its capacity as an advisory body to the Executive.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the recommendations of the EDPB be noted.

REASON:      In accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Constitution in relation to the role of the EDPB as an advisory body to the Executive.

                        (ii)        That, arising from Resolution (ii)(c) under Minute 28, the reservation of three seats on the new Board for Council Members be supported.

REASON:      To ensure the representation on the Board of the three main political groups making up the Council.

Members considered a report which presented the draft minutes of the Economic Development Partnership Board (EDPB) meeting held on 11 March 2008.  The draft minutes were attached as Annex A to the report.

Members’ attention was drawn in particular to the Board’s resolutions under Minute 28, which related to the future membership of the EDPB.  These recommended:

·        That the Board become a Partnership body

·        That an Economic Development Forum be established under the Board

·        That the Learning City York Partnership be invited to appoint a representative to the new Board

·        That the number of business representatives on the Board be set at 6 and that the number of Councillor representatives be set at 2.

Having noted the advice of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the recommendations of the EDPB be noted.

REASON:      In accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Constitution in relation to the role of the EDPB as an advisory body to the Executive.

                        (ii)        That, arising from Resolution (ii)(c) under Minute 28, the reservation of three seats on the new Board for Council Members be supported.

REASON:      To ensure the representation on the Board of the three main political groups making up the Council.

This report, deferred from the Executive meeting on 25 March, asks Members to approve a new Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Theatre Royal. 

Note:  The agenda was  re-published on line, on 31 March 2008, to include an additional annex to the above item (Annex B), containing the further information requested by Members at the last meeting.  On 3 April 2008, it was re-published again to include a revised version of Annex B.

RESOLVED: That Option 3 be approved (SLA to run for 4 years) but that Officers be asked to advise the Theatre that, while every attempt will be made to provide an annual increase in grant in line with inflation, the Executive is unable to bind the decisions of future Councils on this issue.

REASON:      To provide a programme at the Theatre that meets the Council’s objectives and to secure the additional investment of the Arts Council England.

Members considered a report, deferred from the last meeting, which sought approval for a new Service Level Agreement (SLA) with York Theatre Royal, to come into effect after expiry of the current SLA, on 31 March 2008.

The Theatre Royal had been through a period of change during the past three years, with an increase in Youth Theatre provision, outreach project work and new work in the Studio.  It currently had one of the broadest social mix of audiences in the country and its financial position was good.  The Arts Council England: Yorkshire had indicated that it would increase its funding of the Theatre by nearly £47k over the next three years, subject to the Council not reducing its investment during the same period.  Under the previous SLA, an inflationary increase had been allocated which would mean an increase of £6,860 (2.3%) on the Council’s current allocation of £298,200.  This would mean diverting resources from other areas of the Arts and Culture budget.  However, if the SLA were to run for four years, the Theatre would accept a ‘standstill’ award this year and inflation increases in future years.

The proposed SLA was attached as Annex A to the report.  Members were asked to consider the following options:

Option 1 – SLA to run for 2008/09 only, with no inflationary increase, enabling the Council to review future funding levels in the light of the overall budget.

Option 2 – SLA to run for 3 years, with no inflationary increase.

Option 3 – SLA to run for 4 years (1 April 2008 to 31 March 2012), with no inflationary increase in 2008/09 but with inflationary increases guaranteed for the following three years.  This was the recommended option.

Since deferral of this item on 25 March, the further information requested by Members at that meeting had been obtained and published as an additional annex (Annex B) to the report.

Having noted the advice of the Shadow Executive on this item and the comments made under Public Participation, it was

RESOLVED: That Option 3 be approved (SLA to run for 4 years) but that Officers be asked to advise the Theatre that, while every attempt will be made to provide an annual increase in grant in line with inflation, the Executive is unable to bind the decisions of future Councils on this issue.¹

REASON:      To provide a programme at the Theatre that meets the Council’s objectives and to secure the additional investment of the Arts Council England.

This report asks Members to consider a number of proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution, with regard to the size of the Executive, Standing Orders, terms of reference for the Urgency Committee, clarification around working groups, Champions, and expansion of the role of the Standards Committee.

RECOMMENDED:(i) That the proposed amendments to the Constitution listed A to G in the report be approved, but with clarification that the titles for the three affected Executive Member positions, arising out of proposal D, should read:

·        Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services

·        Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services

·        Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion

(ii)That the Monitoring Officer be instructed to make the necessary amendments to the written Constitution document.

REASON:                              To give effect to legal requirements and Members’ wishes in respect of amendments to the Constitution.

Members considered a report which set out a number of proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution.  These related to the size of the Executive, Standing Orders, terms of reference for the Urgency Committee, clarification around working groups, Champions, and expansion of the role of the Standards Committee.

Details of the proposed amendments were listed as items A to G in paragraphs 6 to 24 of the report.  They included:

A - Expanding the role of Standards Committee to undertake local assessments of complaints against Members of the Council

B - Various changes to Standing Orders

C - Expansion of Urgency Committee functions to include staffing matters

D - Reducing the size of the Executive from 9 to 7 Members

E - Removing the Economic Development Partnership Board from the Constitution

F - Amendments to the list of Member Champions

G - Amendment of Article 10 to include the list of standing Working Groups

A briefing note prepared by the Head of Civic, Legal and Democratic Services, outlining the impact on Executive arrangements of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, was circulated to Members at the meeting.

Having noted the advice of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RECOMMENDED:(i) That the proposed amendments to the Constitution listed A to G in the report be approved, but with clarification that the titles for the three affected Executive Member positions, arising out of proposal D, should read:

·        Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services

·        Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services

·        Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion

(ii)That the Monitoring Officer be instructed to make the necessary amendments to the written Constitution document.

REASON:                              To give effect to legal requirements and Members’ wishes in respect of amendments to the Constitution.