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 any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda. No interests were declared.

The Chair welcomed Kirsten England the City of York Council’s new Chief Executive to her first Executive meeting.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 22 September 2009.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 22 September 2009 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 a matter within the Executive’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Monday 5 October 2009.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

To receive details of those items that are listed on the Forward Plan for the next two Executive 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 recommendations of a task group set up to consider the scope to develop “green jobs” within the City, following a question asked at Council in January of this year.

RESOLVED:       (i)               That the recommendations of the Green Jobs Task  Force, as set out in Annex A to the report, be endorsed for further consultation.

(ii)              That further consultation on the recommendations be carried out primarily through the Without Walls Local Strategic Partnership and its constituent thematic partnerships.

(iii)             That the Task Force be requested to continue to meet to consider the outcome of the further consultation and to develop an action plan to take forward agreed recommendations.

(iv)             That a further report be received on this action plan, including a programme for implementation.

REASON:                  To develop an action plan to enable more locally based jobs to be created in the city focussed on environmental technologies.

Members considered a report which presented the recommendations of the task group set up to consider the scope to develop ‘green jobs’ within the City.

The Green Jobs Task Force had been convened at the request of the Executive Leader in response to a question asked at Council in January of this year.  Its final report, setting out recommendations for action to stimulate the further development of ‘green jobs’ in the City, was attached at Annex A.

Members were invited to decide whether to accept, reject or carry out further consultation on these recommendations.  The latter option would enable the development of an action plan to implement the recommendations.

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

RESOLVED:       (i) That the recommendations of the Green Jobs Task  Force, as set out in Annex A to the report, be endorsed for further consultation.

(ii)That further consultation on the recommendations be carried out primarily through the Without Walls Local Strategic Partnership and its constituent thematic partnerships. ^1.

(iii)That the Task Force be requested to continue to meet to consider the outcome of the further consultation and to develop an action plan to take forward agreed recommendations.

(iv)That a further report be received on this action plan, including a programme for implementation. ^2.

REASON:                  To develop an action plan to enable more locally based jobs to be created in the city focussed on environmental technologies.

Note: Resolution (iv) has now been amended following re-consideration of the above decisions at a meeting of the Executive (Calling In) on 27 October 2009.  For details, click on the link below:

http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=601&MId=4349&Ver=4

This report invites Members to discuss and recommend to Full Council the revised Financial Regulations, consideration of which was deferred at the Executive meeting on 21 July 2009.

RESOLVED:        That Directors retain evidence of delegated decisions made in consultation with Executive Members which will be recorded within the financial management system at the point of transfer.

REASON:               To ensure that an audit trail of all decisions is maintained.

[See also under Part B Minutes]

Members considered a report which invited them to discuss and recommend to Full Council the revised Financial Regulations, consideration of which had been deferred from the Executive meeting on 21 July pending further refinements.

The virement tables in the revised Regulations had now been amended to ensure that all Officer decisions that might affect the Council’s policy framework were referred to Full Council.  Otherwise, the Regulations, attached as Annex A to the report, were the same as those presented in July. 

The revised Regulations were intended to be more flexible and concise, maintaining the key principles of the current regulations, whilst reflecting the more devolved decision making system adopted by the Council.  The current Procurement Regulations had been separated into a devolved set of regulations and re-named the Contract Procedure Rules (CPRs).  The Financial Regulations and CPRs were underpinned by a set of supplementary guidance documents, as listed in paragraph 7 of he report.  Key changes to the regulations were detailed in paragraph 8.  The revised CPRs were still in draft format and would be presented to Executive in November.

The Chair confirmed that it was vital that there continued to be public accountability for accounting changes. Consultation with members would be required and for a record of this to be retained for any subsequent challenges or scrutiny.

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

RESOLVED:        That Directors retain evidence of delegated decisions made in consultation with Executive Members which will be recorded within the financial management system at the point of transfer. ^1.

REASON:               To ensure that an audit trail of all decisions is maintained.

This report responds to a motion approval by Council on 9 July 2009 asking the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture & Social Inclusion to bring to the Council meeting in October a report addressing a range of issues in relation to swimming facilities in York.

Note:  Copies of the above report have also been circulated to Members of Council who do not receive a printed copy of the Executive agenda.  Those Members who are in receipt of the Executive agenda are kindly requested to keep their copy for use at the Council meeting on 15 October.

RESOLVED:            That the Executive agrees to:

·                    Continue its commitment to the partnership with the University of York to deliver a publicly accessible competition standard pool on the new campus;

·                    Ask officers to continue to work with the University to develop a funding plan for the University pool;

·                    Continue to plan for a future city centre pool beyond 2015 by developing an affordable delivery model.

REASON:                  To meet the city’s identified need for swimming facilities.           

[See also under Part B Minutes]

Members considered a report which had been prepared in response to a motion approved by Council on 9 July 2009 and addressed a range of issues in relation to swimming facilities in York

The Council’s current swimming facilities strategy had been confirmed in October 2007, following an analysis of supply and demand for swimming facilities in York.  Since then; Yearsley pool had been extensively refurbished and modernised, a new community swimming pool had been constructed at Oaklands (due to open in early December), free swimming had been introduced for the under 16s and over 60s, and the University Pool Steering Group had drawn up plans for a 25m competition standard pool on the new University campus, to be delivered in partnership with the Council. 

With regard to the specific points in the Council motion, it was reported that:

• The work of the Steering Group had been completed and implementation of its final report now rested with the University;
• A completion date of 2011 for the University pool was contingent upon the business plan delivering financial balance;
• The £4m funding gap for the pool remained, and the University and the Council had begun a review to evaluate potential funding arrangements;
• The provision of a competition standard pool in the city centre was not a realistic option, as there was no site available, it was not affordable and it would compete directly with the pool that the University were required to build under the s106 planning agreement.
• A city centre pool could more realistically be seen as a longer term option, to provide the additional swimming capacity needed beyond 2015.

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

RESOLVED:            That the Executive agrees to:

·                    Continue its commitment to the partnership with the University of York to deliver a publicly accessible competition standard pool on the new campus;

·                    Ask officers to continue to work with the University to develop a funding plan for the University pool;

·                    Continue to plan for a future city centre pool beyond 2015 by developing an affordable delivery model.

REASON:                  To meet the city’s identified need for swimming facilities.          

Note: The above decisions have now been altered following re-consideration of the above item at a meeting of the Executive (Calling In) on 27 October 2009.  For details, click on the link below:

http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=601&MId=4349&Ver=4

RECOMMENDED:               That Council approve the changes to the revised Financial Regulations as set out in Annex A of the report.

REASON:                              To gain approval that the revised Financial Regulations are appropriate in improving and maintaining the integrity of the council’s financial arrangements and the concerns of the Shadow Executive are met.               

[See also under Part A Minutes]

Members considered a report which invited them to discuss and recommend to Full Council the revised Financial Regulations, consideration of which had been deferred from the Executive meeting on 21 July pending further refinements.

The virement tables in the revised Regulations had now been amended to ensure that all Officer decisions that might affect the Council’s policy framework were referred to Full Council.  Otherwise, the Regulations, attached as Annex A to the report, were the same as those presented in July. 

The revised Regulations were intended to be more flexible and concise, maintaining the key principles of the current regulations, whilst reflecting the more devolved decision making system adopted by the Council.  The current Procurement Regulations had been separated into a devolved set of regulations and re-named the Contract Procedure Rules (CPRs).  The Financial Regulations and CPRs were underpinned by a set of supplementary guidance documents, as listed in paragraph 7 of he report.  Key changes to the regulations were detailed in paragraph 8.  The revised CPRs were still in draft format and would be presented to Executive in November.

The Chair confirmed that it was vital that there continued to be public accountability for accounting changes. Consultation with members would be required and for a record of this to be retained for any subsequent challenges or scrutiny.

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

RECOMMENDED:               That Council approve the changes to the revised Financial Regulations as set out in Annex A of the report.

REASON:                              To gain approval that the revised Financial Regulations are appropriate in improving and maintaining the integrity of the council’s financial arrangements and the concerns of the Shadow Executive are met.               

RECOMMENDED:   That Council note the Executive’s decision to:

a)     Continue its commitment to the partnership with the University of York to deliver a publicly accessible competition-standard pool on the new campus;

b)     Ask Officers to continue to work with the University to develop a funding plan for the University pool and sports facilities;

c)      Continue to plan for a future city centre pool beyond 2015 by developing an affordable delivery model.

REASON:                  To meet the City’s identified need for swimming facilities.

[See also under Part A Minutes]

Members considered a report which had been prepared in response to a motion approved by Council on 9 July 2009 and addressed a range of issues in relation to swimming facilities in York

The Council’s current swimming facilities strategy had been confirmed in October 2007, following an analysis of supply and demand for swimming facilities in York.  Since then; Yearsley pool had been extensively refurbished and modernised, a new community swimming pool had been constructed at Oaklands (due to open in early December), free swimming had been introduced for the under 16s and over 60s, and the University Pool Steering Group had drawn up plans for a 25m competition standard pool on the new University campus, to be delivered in partnership with the Council. 

With regard to the specific points in the Council motion, it was reported that:

• The work of the Steering Group was complete and implementation of its final report now rested with the University;
• A completion date of 2011 for the University pool was contingent upon the business plan delivering financial balance;
• The £4m funding gap for the pool remained, and the University and the Council had begun a review to evaluate potential funding arrangements;
• The provision of a competition standard pool in the city centre was not a realistic option, as there was no site available, it was not affordable and it would compete directly with the pool that the University were required to build under the s106 planning agreement.
• A city centre pool could more realistically be seen as a longer term option, to provide the additional swimming capacity needed beyond 2015.

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

RECOMMENDED:   That Council note the Executive’s decision to:

a)     Continue its commitment to the partnership with the University of York to deliver a publicly accessible competition-standard pool on the new campus;

b)     Ask Officers to continue to work with the University to develop a funding plan for the University pool and sports facilities;

c)      Continue to plan for a future city centre pool beyond 2015 by developing an affordable delivery model.

REASON:                  To meet the City’s identified need for swimming facilities.