C I T Y O F Y O R K C O U N C I L
S U M M O N S
All Councillors, relevant Council Officers and other interested parties and residents are formally invited to attend a meeting of the City of York Council at The Citadel, Gillygate, York, YO31 7EA to consider the business contained in this agenda on the following date and time
Thursday, 21 September 2023 at 6.30 pm
|
A G E N D A
|
1. Declarations of Interest |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
At this point in the meeting, Members and co-opted members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest, or other registerable interest, they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.
An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.
(1) Members must consider their interests, and act according to the following:
(2) Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member concerned or their spouse/partner.
(3) Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them. A failure to comply with these requirements is a criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
|
||||||||||||||
|
2. Minutes (Pages 3 - 38) |
|
|
|
To approve and sign the minutes of the Special Council meeting and the Ordinary Council meeting held on 20 July 2023.
|
|
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. The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Tuesday, 19 September 2023.
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 Public Meetings Please note that, subject to available resources, this 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
During coronavirus, we made some changes to how we're running council meetings. See our 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 B5. Notice has been received of one petition to be presented by:
(i) Cllr Hollyer, regarding opposing cuts to the ward committee budgets.
|
|
6. Report of Executive Leader, Questions, and Executive Recommendations (Pages 39 - 44) |
|||||||
|
|
To receive and consider a written report from the Leader and 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 45 - 46) |
|
|
|
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 B13:
Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Standing Order 22.1
(i) From Cllr Kent
Improving York’s Air Quality
"Council notes:
· recent scientific research backing the World Health Organization (WHO’s) updated 2021 Global Air Quality Guidelines on air quality;
· the research on particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide making clear the overwhelming body of evidence accumulated over the past two decades demonstrates the damaging health effects of air pollution at every level of exposure, affecting nearly all organ systems of the human body; and the importance of implementing measures to reduce average exposures of all people to maximise health benefits.
· the UK government’s recently published new air quality strategy for England https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-air-quality-strategy-for-england, laying out a strategic framework for local authorities and other partners, and setting out their powers, responsibilities, and the further actions the government expects them to take;
· air quality is considered by the UK Government to be “the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK” “with children, the elderly and the already vulnerable most affected”; Public Health England (2019) estimated there are 28-36,000 premature deaths a year in the UK attributable to human made air pollution (pro-rata for York circa 85 -130 deaths a year):
· poor air quality also has consequences for crop yields and, particularly in the case of ammonia and oxides of nitrogen (NOx), significant impacts for the natural environment and biodiversity;
· the UK Government’s new air quality targets for England as much less stringent than the WHO’s health-based targets;
· Research published in 2022 that demonstrates the WHO interim target for air quality could be achieved across most of the UK by 2030 (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/school-public-health/environmental-research-group/research/modelling/pathway-to-who/).
· local authorities’ duties around air quality and work in recent years including the very welcome ‘Air Map’ in York showing street exposure to 5 different pollutants with effects across the city (see https://yorkairmap.org/);
York’s last 5 year Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP3) expired in December 2020 and Council believes it now needs to fulfil its statutory duty to adopt a new AQAP given on-going health-damaging exceedances of the UK annual NO2 limits in parts of the city centre, largely relating to high traffic levels on main roads and the effects of building enclosure, notably in Gillygate.
This Council resolves to request Executive:
· urgently completes and consults on a draft Air Quality Action Plan 4 in parallel with the emerging draft Local Transport Plan 4, taking into account the Council’s Climate Change and Health and Well-being strategies given the significant inter-relationships for some key pollutants;
· includes within this work the WHO principle of progressively reducing average exposures to air pollution in York and to set its own interim WHO-based targets for pollutants within the authority’s influence, such as PM10 and NO2.
· ensures York prioritises actions that will end exceedances of the current English statutory air quality targets as soon as possible within the AQAP 4 period;
· Works together with York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and other counterparts to address regional sources of air pollution.
and Council resolves in writing, with copies to York’s MPs, to call for the Government to:
· adopt site-specific targets with the aim of improving air quality in vulnerable locations such as schools, hospitals, care homes, sites of special scientific interest and similar other ecologically vulnerable sites;
· address the shortcomings of the National Planning Policy Framework and Building regulations with respect to air pollution from buildings including construction projects, gas boilers, solid fuel fires and stoves, from poor ventilation of buildings and from the impact on air quality of transport emissions associated with new developments and from agricultural practices;
· address the shortcomings in other legislation with regard to household furnishing, cleaning and other products used in residential and workplace settings which can adversely affect indoor air quality.”
(ii) From Cllr Widdowson
Green waste collection “Council notes that: · The Executive intends to explore the potential for generating income through charging for all green waste collection, with the suggestion of a charge of £43.50 per household per year · Such a charge would in effect represent a 2.5% increase in council tax for Band C household · It is estimated by officers that between 45% and 75% of households will give up their green bin rather than pay a charge for collection · In the York Labour 2023 local election manifesto there was no mention of exploring the introduction of charging for all green waste collection · When Labour were last in power in York (2011 to 2015) there were plans to introduce charging for all green waste collection, but following Labour’s defeat in the 2015 council elections, these plans were reversed through the July 2015 emergency budget implemented by the Conservative / Liberal Democrat administration
Council believes that: · At a time when many households are struggling with the cost of living crisis, the imposition of a regressive tax on green waste collection would be inappropriate · The imposition of charging would be at odds with the council’s plans to tackle climate change – for example there would be a likely increase in green waste being burnt, or being flytipped, or being transported across the city in private vehicles to household waste disposal sites, all of which would have adverse environmental consequences · No thought appears to have been given to the impacts of a significant reduction in the amount of separated green waste being collected and more of it being disposed of through the general waste stream
Council resolves that: The Executive is to instruct officers to immediately cease any work on exploring the potential for generating income through charging for all green waste collection.” (iii) From Cllr Myers Get Me Home Safely
“Council notes:
Council believes that:
· Greater numbers of trained staff and stronger enforcement of the law against sexual assault and harassment on public transport are urgently needed.
Council resolves to:
· Fully support Unite's "Get me Home Safely" campaign;
· Request that through the Purple Flag Working Group, officers work with partners to help implement the aims of this campaign;
·
Support the introduction of legal requirements for training
transport workers on preventing gender-based violence, sexual
assault and harassment on public transport and private hire
vehicles; · Publicly call for improvement to late night and off-peak transport service provision to provide extra night services, as well as work with employers to discuss funding for supplementary taxi travel;
· Publicly call for the lowering of bus fares and opposition to any cuts to public transport funding and write to our two Members of Parliament to outline the Council’s support for the Get Me Home Safely campaign and ask them to use their positions to achieve these aims and resolutions;
(iv) From Cllr Fenton Supporting people living with epilepsy “Council notes that: · Research carried out by the Office for National Statistics shows that just over a third (34%) of people who identified epilepsy as their “main” health condition are in employment and that the only people that have a lower employment rate are those people who have “mental illness or other nervous disorders” (29%) and “severe or specific learning difficulties” (18%) · By comparison, the overall rate of employment in the UK is around 76%. This means that just over three quarters of working age people have a job and people with epilepsy are more than twice as likely to be out of work than the national average · Research carried out by the Trades Union Congress shows that people with epilepsy in work are paid on average 11.8% less than non-disabled workers · Epilepsy Action is campaigning to change attitudes of employers and improve the employment support available to people with epilepsy
Council believes that: · The low rate of employment for people with epilepsy is very concerning, given that there are very few jobs someone with epilepsy cannot do · No one living with epilepsy should be discriminated against in hiring processes and in employment · Increased knowledge about epilepsy can make a huge difference to people with the condition, and their ability to find and stay in work · By taking simple steps to help support people with epilepsy, employers can help to create a more inclusive workplace
Council resolves to: · Request that the Executive Members in whose portfolios Economy and Inclusion sit to use all available opportunities to engage with groups such as the Federation of Small Businesses, Chambers of Commerce, York BID, Hospitality Association York and the York High Street Forum to raise awareness with employers about what more they can do to support people living with epilepsy in work · Request that the Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion ensures that City of York Council is doing all that it can to be an employer that supports current and potential future staff who live with epilepsy.”
|
|
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 B11.
|
|
10. Report of Executive Member (Pages 47 - 66) |
|
|
|
To receive a written report from the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, and to question the Executive Member thereon, in accordance with Standing Orders B9 and B10.
|
|
11. Scrutiny - Report of the Chair of the Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee (Pages 67 - 68) |
|
|
|
To receive a report from Councillor Fenton, Chair of the Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee, on the work of the Committee.
|
|
12. Hessay Parish Council - Use of Reserve Powers of Principal Council (Pages 69 - 74) |
|
|
|
This report invites Council to consider the appointment of Councillors Anne Hook and Emilie Knight to Hessay Parish Council under powers conferred by S91 of the Local Government Act 1972 in order that the Parish Council becomes quorate and can continue to function.
|
|
13. Appointments and Changes to Membership (Pages 75 - 76) |
|
|
|
To consider the appointments and changes to membership of committees and outside bodies set out on the list attached to this summons.
|
|
14. Urgent Business |
|
|
|
Any other business which the Chair considers urgent under the Local Government Act 1972.
|
|
Democracy Officer
Louise Cook Contact details: · Telephone: (01904) 551031 · Email: louise.cook@york.gov.uk
|
|
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.
|
