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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Executive |
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Date |
14 April 2026 |
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Present |
Councillors Douglas (Chair), Kilbane (Vice-Chair), Kent, Lomas, Pavlovic, Ravilious, Steels-Walshaw and Webb |
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In attendance |
Councillor Ayre (Opposition Group Leader) |
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215. Chair's Opening Remarks
The Chair welcomed Richard Webb, Chief Executive, to his first Executive meeting.
216. Apologies for Absence
There were no apologies for absence.
217. Declarations of Interest
Councillor Douglas declared a pecuniary interest in relation to agenda item 7, York Christmas Market Operating Hours and Economic Impact, in her capacity as a Director of Make it York Limited. She left the meeting during the consideration of this item and did not vote.
218. Reordering of Agenda Items
The Chair advised that there was to be a change to the agenda running order. Agenda item 7, York Christmas Market Operating Hours and Economic Impact, was to be considered before agenda item 6, York Carers Strategy 2026-2032.
219. Public Participation
The Leader of the Council reported that nine written representations had been submitted in advance of the meeting. The representations were all in relation to agenda item 7, York Christmas Market Operating Hours and Economic Impact. These had been taken into account and published on the Council’s website.
It was reported that there had been five registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Flick Williams spoke remotely in relation to agenda item 7, York Christmas Market Operating Hours and Economic Impact. Flick welcomed the proposal to close the Christmas Market for one day a week. That it was essential to give blue badge holders access to banks and building societies during the six-week period to avoid them having to drive significant distances to other towns and cities to obtain in-person financial services. It would also mitigate pernicious social isolation, the effects of which were exacerbated during the festive season. It was felt that the clamour of business interests ready to oppose this initiative was unedifying. It showed a disregard for disabled and older people and was indicative of the many barriers faced in being regarded as customers of equal value.
Rob Collins spoke in relation to agenda item 7, York Christmas Market Operating Hours and Economic Impact. Rob was a local business owner and had a cafe on Parliament Street. He reported that he was very supportive of the Christmas Market and so were his customers that he spoke to. That the proposal to lose a day would be disastrous. Whilst he acknowledged the council's good intentions and the need to be inclusive there was some concern that no-one was asking the important questions for fear of being falsely branded as non-inclusive. That in 2025 the Christmas Market opened later at 10.30am to allow blue badge holders extra time to travel around the city. And the effect of that was massive. That proposed measures with far-reaching consequences must be supported with compelling data.
Louise Harris-Collins spoke in relation to agenda item 7, York Christmas Market Operating Hours and Economic Impact. Louise was part of the food and drink traders at the Christmas Market. It was reported that Make it York had worked hard to ensure that the majority of traders were York-based, local independent traders that employed local people and reinvested back into the city. That the impact of closing for a day went beyond the financial impact on traders. It would have a profound effect on staffing. Although it was a five-week Christmas Market, it was an all-year-round business for many traders. That the far-reaching impact of losing one of those seven days per week was not simply an inconvenience. It was truly terrifying. York was voted the best Christmas Market in the UK and remained a huge asset to the city. The Council needed to get behind and support it. That the suggested change would dramatically affect the reputation of the market and the city.
Simon Long spoke in relation to agenda item 7, York Christmas Market Operating Hours and Economic Impact. Simon was the owner of Shambles Kitchen, a proud York resident and one of the longest serving traders on the Christmas market. He was representing not just himself, but 30 permanent staff who relied on him for their income. He stated that he could not afford to lose a day’s trade knowing the impact on payroll for event staff long after the market had closed. That the Christmas Market had changed a lot over the years. Closing time used to be 9.00pm at the weekend. It had been reduced to 7.00pm in 2024 and very few people were aware of this. Visitors had driven miles to spend the night at the Christmas Market in York, only to find out it was closed. There was concern how people across the country were to be pre-warned not to come to York on specific days if they wanted to visit the Christmas Market.
Nick Miller spoke in relation to agenda item 7, York Christmas Market Operating Hours and Economic Impact. Nick was a food store operator and was on-site every day at the Christmas Market. He reported that last year his business received a record number of applicants wanting to work for them. He was proud to support new team members, giving them the opportunity to work and contribute at the Christmas Market. To close one day a week would stop the whole production and have a massive impact on the business and the amount of people that they could afford to employ on the shop floor and behind the scenes.
220. Minutes
Resolved: That the minutes of the Executive meeting held on
3 March 2026 be approved and then signed by the Chair as
a correct record.
221. Forward Plan
It was noted that at the time of agenda publication there were no items scheduled on the Forward Plan for the Executive Meetings in May and June 2026.
222. York Christmas Market Operating Hours and Economic Impact
Councillor Douglas left the meeting during the consideration of this item. Councillor Kilbane took the Chair. (Minute no. 217 refers)
The Director of City Development submitted a report which presented a strategic approach to events and accessibility of the city centre.
A copy of the Human Rights Equity Assessment (HREAT) was attached as an annex to the report.
The following officers were in attendance for this item:
- Garry Taylor, Director of City Development
- Ben Murphy, Head of City Development
- Bryn Roberts, Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer (remote attendance).
The Deputy Leader of the Council reported that late information had been submitted on the day of the meeting by North Yorkshire Police. The Monitoring Officer was invited to provide an update and advise on how best to proceed. The Monitoring Officer advised that the information set out a different interpretation of the advice that had previously been provided by counter terrorism policing. The information had an impact on the options presented in the report, particularly in relation to additional liability and risks. It was therefore recommended that the item be deferred to a future Executive meeting to enable proper consideration of the information that had been submitted.
Resolved (unanimously): That the item be deferred to enable the proper consideration of further information and advice received from North Yorkshire Police on 14 April 2026.
223. York Carers Strategy 2026-2032
The Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Integration submitted a report which sought Executive approval of the York Carers Strategy 2026–2032.
The following annexes were attached to the report:
- Annex A: York Carers Strategy 2026–2032
- Annex B: York Unpaid Carers Consultation Report
- Annex C: Human Rights and Equity Analysis Tool (HREAT).
The following officers were in attendance for this item:
- Michael Melvin, Director of Safeguarding Adults
- Harriet Smith, Integrated Commissioning Lead.
The Executive Member thanked all those involved in developing this piece of work. The consultation focussed on ensuring that unpaid carers had their voices heard and received the help and support they needed. That by taking part in the consultation, carers had directly influenced the support that was to be offered to those who provided care in York. Carers had explained the impact on their own health, their finances, their work and their ability to live their own lives. The aim was to make things as effective and supportive as possible.
It was reported that the consultation was open not only to carers, but also for the people they cared for, volunteers who supported carers, employers of carers and former carers. Their insight formed the basis of how to change, improve, and maintain the support that mattered most. Partners across the system were already beginning to formulate the new strategy that identified what support carers needed and how to strengthen and expand what existed.
Resolved (unanimously): That Executive approves the York Carers Strategy 2026-2032.
Reason: To provide a clear, co-produced framework for improving support to carers, aligned with statutory duties, corporate priorities and the Council’s improvement work following the CQC assessment.
224. Plan-making activity and Local Plan Review
The Director of City Development submitted a report which presented a revised and accelerated approach to refreshing York’s Local Plan.
The following annexes were attached to the report:
- Annex A: Plan-making Activity Schedule
- Annex B: Overview of Legislative changes
- Annex C: Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)
- Annex D: Statement of Community Involvement Consultation Statement.
- Annex E: Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA).
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The following officers were in attendance for this item:
- Garry Taylor, Director of City Development
- Alison Cooke, Head of Strategic Planning Policy.
The Executive Member highlighted the important development of the Local Plan. That it was a substantial piece of work which identified spatial growth and avoided speculative development. The review also ensured compliance with any changes in legislation and planning policy.
Resolved (unanimously):
That Executive
i) Approves and publishes the Plan-Making Activity Schedule, inclusive of the Local Plan Timetable (Annex A of the report);
ii) Approves formal notification of plan-making by June 2026 with delegated authority to the Director of City Development to issue the notification;
iii) Approves the Statement of Community Involvement (Annex C of the report);
Reason: To enable the Council to benefit from government funding for local planning authorities that commit to start their local plans by 30 June 2026 and complete Gateway 1 by 31 October 2026 in accordance with the requirements of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2026 and legislative framework.
iv) Delegates authority to the Director of City Development, in consultation with the Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities:
a) To approve and update, when necessary, a Local Plan Consultation and Engagement Strategy;
b) To approve updates to the Local Plan timetable, when necessary;
c) To approve and publish the statutory ‘scoping stage’ consultation;
d) To approve, publish and submit the required documents and statements for statutory Gateways 1, 2 and 3;
e) To approve all evidence documents, reports and supporting data and analysis for publication;
f) To formally submit the proposed City of York Local Plan for Independent Examination once Gateway 3 is successfully completed.
Reason: To ensure the efficient delivery of the local plan
programme and timely decision-making during the 30 months
preparation period and its submission following completion of the
formal stages of preparation.
v) Authorises Officers to prepare a work programme for discussing Local Plan preparation at Planning Policy Advisory Group.
vi) Instructs Officers to report to Executive for approval on the proposed Local Plan content and evidence for statutory consultations during the 30-month preparation period.
Reason: To ensure detailed political oversight and consideration at key stages of the local plan programme.
vii)Delegates approval of consultation strategies for non-statutory guidance to the Director of City Development.
Reason: To continue effective implementation of the adopted
Local Plan (2025)
225. Housing Delivery Programme Delivery Strategy
The Director of Housing and Communities and Director of City Development submitted a joint report which sought approval for a new long-term Delivery Strategy.
The following annexes were attached to the report:
- Annex A: Homes England Healthy Homes Standard
- Annex B: Human Rights and Equity Analysis
- Annex C: Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) Screening Checklist.
The following officers were in attendance for this item:
- Garry Taylor, Director of City Development
- Pauline Stuchfield, Director of Housing and Communities
- Zoe Dunn, Head of Housing Delivery.
The Opposition Group Leader expressed concern that there had not been an opportunity for scrutiny to consider the approach set out in the report. It was suggested that the item be referred to scrutiny to enable a full analysis of how housing was delivered on council sites, focussed on lessons learned from sites already delivered, best and worst practice from elsewhere, and a full and detailed options analysis.
The Executive Member reported that a previous procurement exercise had been unsuccessful. That there was a need to consider alternative strategies, which had resulted in the procurement of a strategic partner. The proposed approach involved the biggest council housing programme that had been seen in a generation. It provided 100% affordable housing to meet the needs of a hard pressed and growing population.
Resolved (unanimously):
That Executive
a) Approves the Delivery Strategy for the HDP, including an initial phase of five sites (Ordnance Lane, Castle Mills, Willow House, Lowfield Plot A and Manor School), via the appointment of a long-term Strategic Delivery Partner and client-side multidisciplinary professional team.
b) Agrees that the Delivery Strategy, subject to future Executive approvals, may be used to support the delivery of additional sites in the HDP, as well as strategic sites that may come forward through the Council’s wider asset programmes and One Public Estate partnership work, including major public‑sector land opportunities and significant brownfield regeneration schemes.
c) Approves that prior to entering into any major construction contract in the HDP, a business case will be brought back to Executive for approval.
d) Agrees to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Communities and/or the Director of City Development (as appropriate based on the site) (in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Governance) to take such steps that are necessary to procure and appoint the Strategic Delivery Partner, multidisciplinary professional team, and demolition of buildings at Willow House, and to determine the provisions of and enter into the resulting contracts (including any and all partnership agreements, pre-construction services agreements and early / minor / enabling / demolition works contracts) and any other necessary legal documentation (including any and all planning agreements and/or highways/land agreements as required; however, for the sake of clarity this delegation is not for any requirements of either the Local Planning and/or Highways Authority), and the provisions of any subsequent modifications and/or extensions thereto, in accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations set out in Appendices 10 and 10a of the Constitution (the “Finance Regs”), the Contract Procedure Rules set out in Appendix 11 of the Constitution (the “CPRs”) and (where applicable) the Procurement Act 2023 (the “Procurement Act”) and the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (the “PCRs”), within approved budgets and subject to the availability of funding.
e) Agrees to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Communities and/or the Director of City Development (as appropriate based on the site) (in consultation with the Directors of Governance and Finance) to agree and enter into any land assembly, access, highways, easement, wayleave, title regularisation, or minor freehold/leasehold disposal necessary to deliver individual schemes (and the provisions of any subsequent modifications and/or extensions thereto), where consistent with an Executive‑approved business case and statutory requirements.
f) Agrees to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Communities and/or the Director of City Development (as appropriate based on the site) to negotiate and enter into any Section 106, Section 278, Section 38, utilities, adoption, estate management, collaboration or development agreements required to implement schemes (and the provisions of any subsequent modifications and/or extensions thereto), following Executive approval of the relevant business case.
g) Agrees to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Communities and/or the Director of City Development (as appropriate based on the site) (in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Governance) to undertake feasibility and due diligence work on additional sites in the pipeline, and to bring forward scheme‑specific business cases to Executive for decision on inclusion in the Partnership.
h) Agrees to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Communities and/or the Director of City Development (as appropriate based on the site) (in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Governance) to determine the provisions of and enter into any resulting grant funding agreements and/or Memorandums of Understanding with any external funders, and the provisions of any subsequent modifications and/or extensions thereto, to ensure compliance with the Subsidy Control Act 2022, the Finance Regs and the CPRs.
i) Approved the change from the Passivhaus-certification requirement for new homes to the adoption of the core requirements within the Homes England Healthy Homes Standard, and Future Homes Standard, as well as consideration of enhancements.
j) Notes the availability of Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers, and to receive further reports (should they be required) in respect of any potential CPOs which may be required to facilitate the delivery of the schemes.
Reasons:
· To ensure any works and/or services are procured in compliance with the Finance Regs, the CPRs, and (where applicable) our statutory duties under the Procurement Act 2023 and the Public Contract Regulations 2015.
· To ensure that any grant funding arrangements are entered into in compliance with the Subsidy Control Act 2022, the Finance Regs and the CPRs.
· To approve the Delivery Strategy and associated appointments, providing a single, programme‑based route to secure capacity, continuity and best value through a Strategic Delivery Partner and client‑side multidisciplinary team.
· To confirm the inclusion of the first phase of sites within the Partnership, ensuring a clear and sequenced pipeline that can be managed efficiently on a programme basis.
· To enable early feasibility work on wider strategic development opportunities, including sites emerging through One Public Estate and major brownfield regeneration schemes, and to ensure that any proposal to include such sites in the Partnership is supported by a business case brought to Executive for decision.
· To endorse site‑by‑site contract awards and programme phasing, preserving CYC control and flexibility to respond to market conditions and affordability while maintaining delivery pace.
· To require updated scheme‑specific business cases for Executive approval prior to entering major construction contracts in the HDP, strengthening governance, affordability and risk management at each gateway.
· To enable the Council to assemble and manage land, infrastructure and property interests necessary for scheme delivery, ensuring legal, planning and operational readiness.
· To allow the Council to enter into grant funding, infrastructure, highways, utilities and development agreements needed to implement individual schemes efficiently and in accordance with statutory requirements.
· To support timely and coordinated delivery of the HDP by providing appropriate delegations to progress activity.
· To ensure that schemes can be delivered in line with Executive approved business cases, the Council Plan, and the wider objectives for affordable housing, regeneration, social value, economic inclusion and climate action.
· To adopt the Homes England Healthy Homes Standard and Future Homes Standard to maintain high-quality, low carbon design while ensuring schemes remain deliverable and financially sustainable.
226. 2026/27 Ward Funding Allocation
The Director of Housing and Communities submitted a report which asked Executive to approve the method of allocating ward funding.
The following annexes were attached to the report:
- Annex A: Ward Funding Model Options A-E
- Annex B: Detailed Ward Funding Allocation Models
- Annex C: Differing % for deprivation analyses on Model A
- Annex D: Differing %’s for deprivation analyses on Model D.
Pauline Stuchfield, Director of Housing and Communities, was in attendance for this item.
The Executive Member highlighted the importance of ward funding, which enabled local organisations to undertake positive work across the city. That it was right to prioritise funding based on levels of deprivation to provide greater levels of support to those who needed it most.
Resolved (unanimously):
That Executive approves
a) Model D (7) for implementation for the next financial year.
b) Enhancement of the ward funding arrangements as outlined in paragraph 30 of the report:
· Structured ward funding bid programmes held on a quarterly basis followed by City Wide Funding releases.
· Flexibility to carry forward projects and funding at year end:
1) To continue to allow approved projects not yet started to be carried forward into the new financial year (this has been in place since 2024/25); and
2) To allow 20% of the year’s budget to be carried over at the end of the financial year so if there is insufficient funding for an application at year end, it can be topped up from the following year.
3) Publication of all ward funding decisions on ward web pages to demonstrate to residents how the money had been spent each year.
Reason: To ensure that ward allocations meet Council Plan
priorities and methodologies around allocations and delivery are
transparent to residents and stakeholders.
227. Urgent Business
There were no urgent items of business to consider.
Councillor Douglas, Chair
(The meeting started at 4.30pm and finished at 5.55pm).