Agenda item

Any other business which the Chair considers urgent under the  Local Government Act 1972.

The Chair has agreed to consider under this item a report which responds to a resolution made by the Executive at their last meeting, on 21 October, requesting detailed project plans for specific actions to assist the City of York during the current period of economic downturn.

Note:   This agenda was republished on 31 October 2008 to include the project plans (annexes A to E  to the above report)

RESOLVED: That the Action Plans set out in Annexes A to E be endorsed, subject to the following additional requirements:

a)     The Action Plan for Nurturing Talent / Enterprising York (Annex A) to include measurements of:

·        The attendance and participation levels at the events listed

·        The number of start up companies and the proportion of employees in the City who are self employed.

b)     The Action Plan for the Credit Union community savings points (Annex D) to include measurements of:

·        The number of customers attending each community savings point (CSP) per month, and the global number of presentations across all CSPs

·        Number of new accounts opened per CSP each month

·        Average balance of the accounts operated through the CSPs

·        Number and value of loans issued through each CSP.

REASON:      As part of the Council’s response to the current economic situation and to ensure careful monitoring of actions so that effective use is made of resources.

Members considered a report which responded to a resolution made by the Executive at their last meeting (Minute 101 refers), requesting detailed project plans for specific actions to assist the City of York during the current period of economic downturn.  The Chair had agreed to deal with this item as urgent business, so as to avoid any unnecessary delay in progressing the actions agreed.

Action plans were presented for proposals to:

• Establish a York Enterprise Fund to support existing and new local business (Annex A)
• Develop enterprise, entrepreneurship and skills in young people across the City of York (Annex B)
• Sustain activities previously undertaken by the York City Centre Partnership Company Ltd. (Annex C)
• Extend York Credit Union services into those communities where they were most needed (Annex D)
• Produce and distribute information to help people reduce the cost of living, reduce debt, maximise income and seek further support (Annex E).

In relation to the Enterprise Fund, it was noted that an investment of £50k by the Council could be increased to £250k due to direct engagement with Norwich Union, York Professionals and York Business Development.

With reference to the recommendations to Council made at the last meeting regarding funding for these proposals (Minute 104 refers), the Chair confirmed that any item requiring ongoing expenditure would need to be the subject of a growth bid as part of the budget setting process for the 2009/10 financial year.

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

RESOLVED: That the Action Plans set out in Annexes A to E be endorsed,¹ subject to the following additional requirements:

a)     The Action Plan for Nurturing Talent / Enterprising York (Annex A) to include measurements of:

·        The attendance and participation levels at the events listed

·        The number of start up companies and the proportion of employees in the City who are self employed.²

b)     The Action Plan for the Credit Union community savings points (Annex D) to include measurements of:

·        The number of customers attending each community savings point (CSP) per month, and the global number of presentations across all CSPs

·        Number of new accounts opened per CSP each month

·        Average balance of the accounts operated through the CSPs

·        Number and value of loans issued through each CSP.³

REASON:      As part of the Council’s response to the current economic situation and to ensure careful monitoring of actions so that effective use is made of resources.