Agenda item

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Monday 3 June 2013.  Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the committee.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

It was reported that there had been five registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme, and a number of Members of Council had requested to speak on a number of items as set out below:

General Remit – Cabinet Governance

Gwen Swinburn spoke to congratulate Cabinet on the web casting of the meeting which she fully supported. She asked Members to consider extending this to cover Council and Task Group meetings to further engage residents. Reference was also made to the possibility of allowing residents to send in written questions in advance of Cabinet meetings to Cabinet Members. Suggesting that these could then be answered during the meeting to encourage increased attendance at meetings.

General Remit – Webcasting

Cllr Warters also expressed his support for the filming of the Cabinet meeting and the webcasting of all the authorities’ public meetings.

5. Council Plan Review and Forward Look

Cllr Steward spoke to refer to the list of positive comments and excellent progress made in delivering the Council Plan. He questioned if there were any instances when things could have been done better?

6. Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community in York

Cllr Warters also spoke to raise his concerns at the production of a Strategy and Action Plan for the Traveller Community and to the cost implications. He referred to recent public meetings held in respect of Local Plan allocations for new gypsy and traveller sites in the area and to increases in levels of petty crime and rubbish disposal adjacent to existing sites. Suggestions were made for robust policing of these sites.   

Christine Shepherd spoke as Chief Officer of the York Travellers Trust, a small voluntary organisation working with the travelling community in York. She spoke of a need to alleviate the social exclusion of travellers and making better opportunities to bridge the gap between travellers and the settled community. Reference was made to the Trust’s achievements in helping travellers to gain access to services, training and paid employment. Working closely with the local authority she welcomed the Trusts involvement  and expressed support for the Strategy and action plan which it was hoped would have a real impact.

Stephen Pittam spoke as a Trustee of the York Travellers Trust reaffirming the earlier speaker’s comments and supporting the adoption of the Strategy. He made reference to the problems of prejudice and exclusion against gypsies and travellers and the need for a holistic approach to assist the community to enable them to gain a voice and independence. His only concern related to the reference, in the implications section of the report, to no cost in respect of the delivery of the strategy.

7. Community Engagement Scrutiny Review Final Report

Gwen Swinburn reported the views of The Groves Residents Association in relation to the community engagement final report. Confirming that the Association saw the resulting recommendations as a positive step in the right direction. However there was a void in inner city wards, affecting a small proportion of the population.

Cllr Steward referred to the radically different report which had resulted from this review from that originally proposed. Reference was made to the ethos of the work of the Parish Councils and Residents Associations as referred to in the report and to the subsequent lack of Officer attendance at Parish Council meetings to expand on the draft Local Plan proposals. 

9. Rights and Responsibilities for Customer Contact

Cllr Steward spoke in relation to the Policy Statement at Annex B of this report, put forward for approval. In particular to the process for restricting contact and references to ‘should’ which he felt should be replaced by ‘must’ and other changes he felt were required. He pointed out that a number of views had not been taken on board when drafting these documents together with those of the Audit and Governance Committee.

10. Update on the Council’s Elderly Persons’ Homes Modernisation Programme

Denise Craghill, representing the Green Party, referred to last year’s citywide public consultation during which 86% of consultees had indicated that they wished the Council to continue running its own elderly persons’ homes, thereby retaining existing staff. Pointing out that this report now proposed going out to tender for these services. Reference was also made to the lower terms and conditions in the private sector which would affect the quality of care in the longer term.

Heather McKenzie, speaking on behalf of Unison, confirmed the earlier speaker’s comments. Expressing disappointment that the elderly persons’ programme did not include an in house provider nor had this been examined as an option. Members were asked to undertake further consultation together with an examination of an in house option for inclusion in the procurement process.

13. City of York Trading Ltd Business Development

Heather McKenzie, speaking on behalf of Unison, also spoke to express her serious concerns regarding the setting up of this company thereby developing a two tier workforce. Following previous good work with employees she asked that, if approved, employees were brought back to CYC terms and conditions at the earliest opportunity.

At this point the Chair clarified a number of the earlier speaker’s comments in relation to the parishing of areas, webcasting of meetings and written questions.