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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Corporate Scrutiny Committee |
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Date |
6 July 2026 |
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Present |
Councillors Fenton (Chair), Merrett, Ayre, Coles, K Taylor, Fisher (Substitute) and Healey (Substitute) |
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Apologies
In Attendance
Officers Present |
Councillors Baxter, Nelson, Watson and Widdowson
Councillor Kent, Executive Member, Environment and Climate Emergency
Claire Foale, Chief Strategy Officer Shaun Gibbons, Head of Carbon Reduction James Parker, Scrutiny Officer |
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In the absence of the Vice-Chair of the Committee, Members voted for Cllr Merrett to act as Vice-Chair for the meeting.
9. Apologies for Absence (5:33pm)
Apologies were received and noted from Councillors Baxter, Nelson, Watson and Widdowson. Councillors Watson and Widdowson were substituted by Councillors Fisher and Healey respectively.
10. Declarations of Interest (5:34pm)
Members were asked to declare at this point in the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interests or other registrable interests that they might have in the business on the agenda, if they had not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests.
None were declared
11. Public Participation (5:34pm)
It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
12. Local Net Zero Accelerator (City Leap Accelerator) - Strategic Energy Partnership Options Appraisal (5:35pm)
Members considered the report of the Chief Strategy Officer and the Head of Carbon Reduction in relation to the strategic energy partnership options appraisal for the York and North Yorkshire Local Net Zero Accelerator project.
Members asked a variety of questions regarding the scrutiny process at the combined authority, the robustness of the systems in relation to the requirements of the authorities involved, future timescales, partnership working and risks, timetable for tangible results, sharing best practice, the delivery model and the possibility of centralising functions, possible impact of potential changes to administration post elections, working with other pilot schemes, benefits of working with N. Yorks and Combined Authority, alternative storage solutions.
Officers reported the following:
· The report was due to go to the scrutiny committee at the Combined Authority shortly.
· More detail would be explored at the Full Business Case stage including system robustness, suitable solutions for each authority and preferred delivery model.
· Tangible benefits would start to be seen at the FBC stage, delivery would not be until April 2027 at the earliest.
· There would be some compromises due to each authority having a different set of priorities; the energy strategy linked with national energy security which was a political issue.
· Officers had been working closely with the other pilot schemes and were active within the regional partnership.
· The project could be phased whilst building confidence if N. Yorks did not join, but there were significant advantages to delivering at scale, recognising the potential savings that could be made in terms of procurement etc.
The Executive Member in attendance highlighted that this project was externally funded and additional to the current CYC programme which was underway. Should the FBC prove to be viable this was a way to accelerate the programme, to deliver at scale and pace with better outcomes.
Resolved: That the report be noted and the approach approved.
Reason: To ensure that scrutiny had oversight of the proposals for the proposed Local Net Zero Accelerator programme.
13. City of York Council Boundary Commission – Phase 2 Ward Boundaries Council Submission (6:12pm)
Members considered the Council submission to the Boundary Commission, in relation to phase 2, Ward Boundaries.
Cllr Merrett, as Chair of the Boundary Commission Task and Finish Group gave a brief outline of the work undertaken by the group and commended their recommendations to the Committee.
Resolved: That the Committee endorsed the report which would be considered by Council at the July meeting.
Reason: The report represented the position of all groups present at the Boundary Commission Task and Finish Group.
14. Draft Scrutiny Annual Report (6:16pm)
The Scrutiny Officer presented the draft annual scrutiny report for Members’ consideration, noting that the reintroduction of an annual report was one of the recommendations from the Centre for Scrutiny and Governance. He also highlighted that the report followed the end of the first full year of the new scrutiny arrangements and work was ongoing to embed structures and processes.
Members noted the progress in developing task and finish groups and scrutiny’s greater involvement in early consultation and pre-decision scrutiny. They discussed the results of the member survey and asked for more detail from that to be included in the report.
Members put on record their thanks to Democratic Services officers for their work and professionalism, despite resource pressures.
Resolved: That the annual report be presented to Council, subject to the amendments discussed and following approval by the Chair and Vice-Chair prior to publication.
Reason: To keep Council informed of the work of Scrutiny.
15. Work Plan (6:34pm)
Members considered the draft work plan for the committee and the overview scrutiny work plan for the scrutiny committees.
Resolved: That the work plan be noted.
Reason: To ensure an overview of the scrutiny work plan.
Councillor S Fenton, Chair
[The meeting started at 5.32 pm and finished at 6.36 pm].