Agenda item

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 Cabinet’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Monday 9 January 2012.

It was reported that there had been two registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme. There had also been two requests to speak from councillors.

Cllr Warters spoke in relation to item 6 Minutes of Working Groups in respect of the Local Development Working Group minutes of 5 December 2011. He made reference to the role of Working Groups under the Council’s Constitution. In particular to the mechanism for reporting back to Cabinet which he felt had not been followed in respect of the Core Strategy Submission Draft report which had been presented direct to the Executive meeting by the Executive Member on 7 June 2011.

Cllr Warters also spoke on item 7 Revision to the Council’s Administrative Accommodation Strategy which was already the subject of a pre-decision call-in. He reiterated Cllr Scott’s expressed concerns at the timing for consideration of this issue as a report on the Future Use and Options for the Guildhall had been scheduled on the work plan of the Effective Organisation Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 28 February 2012.

Cllr Warters then went on to speak on item 8 Controlling the Concentration of Houses in Multiple Occupation Supplementary Planning Document. He confirmed his support for the control of HMO’s but felt that the proposed 20% threshold would have no effect and was not supported in his ward. He again referred to the under provision of student accommodation on campus and he urged the Cabinet to support Option 2 and consider an alternative approach to assessing concentrations of HMO’s.

Cllr Galvin spoke of his concerns in respect of the recommendations in item 7 Revision to the Council’s Administrative Accommodation Strategy. As the centre of governance for 600 years he supported the preservation of these historic links and the retention of the Guildhall for governance services. Reference was made to the lack of maintenance of the complex and the letting of any surplus accommodation on the open market as serviced office accommodation. He requested deferral of the item pending receipt of fully costed options with the final decision being made by all members of the authority.  

Janet Hopton also spoke in respect of item 7, and she confirmed her full support for the earlier speakers comments. She pointed out that her concerns related only to the Guildhall complex and requested members not to amend the current accommodation strategy. It was premature she felt to make any decision on the buildings without all the options being considered by all members.  

A Unison representative spoke in respect of item 10 The Review of City of York’s Elderly Persons Homes, in particular in respect of Annex A and the timeline for the Lowfield Care Village. She referred to the phase which would seek expressions of interest from organisations who had previous experience of designing and building (and running) care homes and care villages.  Members were asked not to forget the strong preference of both residents and staff for the council to run and staff the new care homes. Continuing consultation was also requested with the views obtained being taken into account.