1.         Declarations of Interest 

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

2.         Minutes  (Pages 1 - 22)

To approve and sign the minutes of the Budget Council meeting held on 25 February 2021.

3.         Civic Announcements 

To consider any announcements made by the Lord Mayor in respect of Civic business.

4.         Public Participation 

At this point in the meeting, any member of the public who has registered to address the Council, or to ask a Member of the Council a question, on a matter directly relevant to the business of the Council or the City, may do so. 

Please note that the deadlines for registering to speak at our meetings have changed to two working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at remote meetings. The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Thursday, 18 March 2021.

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form. If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting please contact Democratic Services. Contact details can be found at the foot of this agenda.

Webcasting of Remote Public Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this remote public meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission.  The remote public meeting can be viewed live and on demand at

www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

During coronavirus, we've made some changes to how we're running council meetings.  See our coronavirus updates at www.york.gov.uk/COVIDDemocracy for more information on meetings and decisions.

5.         Petitions 

To consider any petitions received from Members in accordance with Standing Order No.15.  Notice has been received of one petition to be presented by:

·     Cllr Webb, on behalf of the York Must Act campaign group, calling on the council to pledge to re-locate asylum seekers from the Aegean Islands hotspot camps.

6.         Report of Executive Leader and Executive Recommendations and Questions  (Pages 23 - 32)

To receive and consider a written report from the Leader, to ask questions on the work of the Executive, and to consider the Executive recommendations for approval, as set out below:

7.         Report of Deputy Leader and Questions  (Pages 33 - 40)

To receive and consider a written report from the Deputy Leader, and to question the Deputy Leader thereon.

8.         Motions on Notice 

To consider the following Motions on Notice under Standing Order 22:

Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Standing Order 22.1

(i)           From Cllr Pavlovic

Protecting Jobs, Investing in our Communities and Transparency in the Planning System

“Council recognises the importance of the planning process in achieving balance between residential and commercial development and in ensuring communities derive benefit from such development through developer contributions.

Council further recognises:

·        York as a vibrant city centre needing a strong business and commercial heart for the city to maintain its competitiveness;

·        the significant loss of office space through office-to-residential conversions following the Government’s extension of permitted development rights (PDRs) in 2013, and the associated flight of higher paid jobs out of our city;

·        the critical importance and democratic role of the local planning authority in determining where conversions are appropriate and where they are not - a power lost through PDRs;

·        the current loss of community benefit through developer contributions such as open space and affordable housing provision in cases of office to residential conversions;

·        existing opaqueness in the seeking of, decision making around and subsequent spending of developer contributions (through the Section 106 mechanism);

·        the need for transparency and democratic accountability in how millions of pounds of developer contributions are spent each year in York.

Council believes the loss of significant amounts of office space - both sustained to date and anticipated in the future - risks hollowing out the city and systematically reducing better paid career opportunities in York for both the current and the next generation of York workers. 

Council believes it is imperative that democratically-elected local representatives retain the tools and flexibility to adapt to changes in order to protect the character of the city and support the local workforce as we emerge into a post-pandemic world.

Council resolves to request that Executive:

·        explore options for pursuing Article 4 Direction powers to suspend Permitted Development Rights (under The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015) on conversions that continue to threaten the viability of York’s economy through the loss of both retail and office space;

·        develop a system whereby all developer contribution agreements with the council are publicly available in an easily accessible format, including trigger points for the release of those funds, and a record of any unspent monies returned to developers;

·        facilitate improved Ward Councillor involvement in the S106 process, such that the priorities of individual communities are taken into account prior to opening negotiations with developers (whilst not hindering adherence to statutory deadlines);

·        request that Planning Officers roll-out a programme of high-level training on the S106 process, including its current limitations, for all councillors.”

(ii)         From Cllr Vassie

York’s Pension Investment in a Sustainable Future

“Council notes:

·        More and more pension funds are divesting from fossil fuels both in the UK and across the world. Globally $14.56 trillion is now committed to divestment. It is clear that pension funds across the UK and around the world no longer view fossil fuel production as a wise or a long term investment.

·        The York and North Yorkshire Pension fund still has holdings in fossil fuels, thought to be around £33 million in total.

·        On 5^th March 2021 the York & North Yorkshire Pension Fund signed up to a new strategy, which would see the reduction of the fund’s holdings in equities from 57% to 50%, and the creation of a new investment portfolio in infrastructure (10% or £450 million of the total fund). The fund’s new strategy commits to investing £200 million in infrastructure this year.

·        City of York Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019 and is currently drawing up a zero carbon pathway to deliver a zero carbon York.

·        City of York Council and North Yorkshire County Council have declared the joint ambition to become the country’s first carbon negative region.

·        Council is working with the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and North Yorkshire County Council to bring to life our Zero Carbon Strategy for the region, recognising both the strategic value of doing this and the significant positive benefit in terms of developing new skills and jobs.

Council commends this change in strategy and the Pension Fund's decision to support sustainable infrastructure.

Council believes that investment in green infrastructure is one of the keys to transition to and a zero carbon future and the creation of green jobs.

Consequently, Council resolves:

·        To call on the York and North Yorkshire Pension Fund to commit to invest £120 million of the infrastructure portfolio in green infrastructure, to be split equally between the region, the UK, and global projects.”

(iii)        From Cllr Melly

Becoming a Trans Inclusive Council

“Council notes:

·        The CYC staff survey shows that only 76% of council staff think that the council respects individual differences.

·        Fewer than 50% of Health and Social Care staff nationally think their employers meet their responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty to eliminate discrimination towards, and advance equality for LGBT people.

·        33% of local LGBTQ+ survey respondents experienced negative attitudes within the previous 12 months towards their sexuality or gender identity when trying to access public health and social care services in York.

·        25% of LGBTQ+ people have experienced barriers to accessing health and/or social care services as an LGBTQ+ person in York.

·        A high proportion of transgender respondents to a York LGBT Forum survey gave examples of incidences of completely inappropriate or distressing treatment and questioning when accessing sexual health and contraceptive services

·        that the percentage of transgender children is unclear with limited research having been carried out to date, however the Equality Act 2010 does recognise transgender children and prohibits discrimination against them in places of learning.

·        62% of transgender people have alcohol dependency or abuse issues

·        10% of transgender people have been an inpatient at a mental health unit at least once

·        1 in 3 homeless people are LGBTQ+

·        A CYC survey of older people found that more than 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ people say that it is somewhat, very, or extremely important to them that they live with other members of the LGBTQ+ community in their later years.

Council believes:

·        That transgender men are men, transgender women are women, and non-binary genders are equally valid.

·        That the new CYC LGBTQ+ staff network is welcome and should be supported

·        That transgender people may require specific support to overcome barriers to access services without facing discrimination, and that all council services must be equipped to provide appropriate service and good customer care to suit transgender people.

·        That there are transgender people in York of all ages, and that the need for better understanding and acceptance of what it means to be transgender is an inter-generational issue.

Council resolves:

·        To provide “Free to be Me” or equivalent training, available to all council and council service provider employees annually.  To encourage take-up of the training, especially for team managers and staff who have contact with the public.

·        To encourage staff to make small gestures that make it clear that transgender people are welcome and valued, and that normalise things like talking about pronouns. For example, adding pronouns to email signatures.

·        To fly the trans pride flag twice annually, on trans day of remembrance and trans day of visibility.

·        To ensure that the service level agreements for council commissioned family planning and contraceptive services include awareness training of transgender matters.

·        To ensure that all local authority schools and local academies are aware of their responsibilities and duty of care for trans children and respecting of their pronouns.

·        Introduce a code of acceptance for all foster carers.

·        Work with partner organisations who work to combat homelessness and support people experiencing homelessness to ensure that transgender people are not marginalised or discriminated against while accessing homelessness support.

·        Work with older people’s accommodation providers to ensure services are LGBTQ+ friendly and to factor the LGBTQ+ community into decisions about residential placements.”

(iv)        From Cllr Mason

Fair Funding Deal for Police and Fire Services

“The Council acknowledges and commends the hard work of the North Yorkshire Police Force and North Yorkshire Fire Service in what has been a particularly difficult year.

Council notes:

·        The Home Office is allocating £73 per head more for police services in London than Yorkshire in 2021/22.

·        Government has further pushed the responsibility to fund these crucial services on local communities in the form of increased council tax precepts.

·        In real terms North Yorkshire Police are now £18 million a year worse off than they were in 2010. In the last two years alone they’ve been under pressure to slash £10m from their budget and make staff redundant.

·        Over the last ten years the number of police officers in the country has been cut year on year by more than 20,000 and one third (12) of North Yorkshire’s police stations have been closed.

·        £1.8m in annual funding has been cut by the government for fire and rescue services in North Yorkshire since 2016.

·        Fire Brigades Union (FBU) estimates that the combined threats of climate change-related events such as flooding and wildfires, pandemics, terrorism, and the post-Grenfell Tower building safety crisis will require immediate funding for at least 5,000 additional firefighters nationally in 2021.

·        Despite Police and Fire Service budgets being slashed, in the last four years, costs of the PFCC office have risen by 27%.

·        Funding and staff shortages have seen police and fire services suffer, particularly when it comes to neighbourhood policing, frontline support and the ongoing concerns over 101 response times. 

Consequently, Council resolves:

·        To thank all of York and North Yorkshire’s police and fire service staff alongside all key workers for their ongoing efforts in what has been a particularly difficult year.

·        To lobby the Government to carry out a comprehensive funding review of fire and police services in North Yorkshire, in order to futureproof sustainable service provision, including long-term improvements to the 101 service.

·        To call on the Government to provide additional resources to Neighbourhood Policing Teams in order to strengthen the working relationships between the Force and local communities in the city.”

9.         Questions to the Leader or Executive Members 

To question the Leader and/or Executive Members in respect of any matter within their portfolio responsibility, in accordance with Standing Order 20.

10.      Report of Executive Member  (Pages 41 - 50)

To receive a written report from the Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning and to question the Executive Member thereon, in accordance with Standing Order 19.

11.      Scrutiny - Report of the Chair of the Customer & Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee  (Pages 51 - 54)

To receive a report from Councillor Crawshaw, Chair of the Customer & Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee, on the work of the Committee.

12.      Pay Policy 2021/22  (Pages 55 - 76)

To receive for approval the council’s Pay Policy Statement for 2021/2022.

13.      Joint Standards Committee - Annual Report  (Pages 77 - 80)

To receive a report on the work of the Joint Standards Committee in 2019/20.

14.      Joint Standards Committee - Changes to Parish Council Membership  (Pages 81 - 92)

To receive a report of the Monitoring Officer which provides details of the ballot held by the Yorkshire Association of Local Councils to fill the vacant Parish Council position on the Joint Standards Committee, and seeks approval for revisions to the committee’s terms of reference to allow the nomination to be accepted.

15.      Appointments and Changes to Membership  (Pages 93 - 94)

To consider the appointments and changes to membership of committees and outside bodies set out on the list attached to this summons.

16.      Urgent Business 

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

Democracy Officer

Fiona Young

Contact details:

·        Telephone – (01904) 552030

·                    Email fiona.young@york.gov.uk

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For more information about any of the following please contact the Democracy Officer responsible for servicing this meeting:

·        Registering to speak

·        Business of the meeting

·        Any special arrangements

·        Copies of reports and

·        For receiving reports in other formats

Contact details are set out above.