Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee (Calling In)	25 January 2021
Report of the Director of Governance

Called-in Item: Make It York – Impact of Covid-19

Summary

1. This report sets out the reasons for the call-in of one of the decisions made by the Executive on 15 December 2020 in respect of funding for Make It York. The report also sets out the powers and role of the Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee (Calling-In) in dealing with the call-in.

Background

2. An extract from the Decision Sheet published after the Executive meeting on 15 December 2020 is attached as Annex A to this report. This sets out all the decisions taken on the called-in item, with the decision that has been called in highlighted in bold. The original report to the Executive, together with its annexes, is attached at Annex B.

3. Resolution (iv) on the Decision Sheet has been called in for review by the Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee (Calling-In) by Cllrs Douglas, Lomas and Heaton, in accordance with the Constitutional requirements, for the following reasons:-

a) “The £1m guarantee over two years is an unacceptable financial risk to council taxpayers at a time when a new two year service level agreement (SLA) between City of York Council and Make it York is in the process of being drawn up and due to be agreed by March 2021;

b) The 2021-2023 SLA may not include all existing functions so the £1m guarantee should be halted for a short period ensuring that if and when agreed, it reflects the level of Make it York’s future council-commissioned activities;

c) The council needs to urgently develop a system for effective SLA monitoring before it can confidently commit such significant sums of public money, notional or otherwise, to any external organisation.”

Consultation

4.      In accordance with the requirements of the Constitution, the calling-in Members have been invited to attend and/or speak at the Calling-in meeting, as appropriate.

Options

5.      The following options are available to the CCSMC (Calling-In) in relation to dealing with this call-in, in accordance with the constitutional and legal requirements under the Local Government Act 2000:

a) To decide that there are no grounds to make specific recommendations to the Executive in respect of the decision called in. If this option is chosen, the original decision taken on the item at the Executive meeting on 26 November 2020 will be confirmed and will take effect from the date of the CCSMC (Calling-in) meeting; or

b) To make specific recommendations to the Executive on the decision called in, in light of the reason given for post-decision call-in. If this option is chosen, the matter will be considered at a meeting of Executive (Calling-In) to be held on 14 January 2021.

Analysis

6. Members need to consider the reason for the call-in and the original report to the Executive and form a view on whether there is a basis to make specific recommendations to the Executive in respect of the decision called in.

Council Plan

7. There are no direct implications for this call-in in relation to the delivery of the Council Plan and its priorities for 2019-23.

Implications

8. There are no known Financial, HR, Legal, Property, Equalities, or Crime and Disorder implications in relation to the following in terms of dealing with the specific matter before Members; namely, to determine and handle the call-in.

Risk Management

9. There are no risk management implications associated with the call in of this matter.

Recommendations

10. Members are asked to consider the reason for calling in this decision and decide whether they wish to confirm the affected decision or to refer it back for reconsideration and make specific recommendations to the Executive on the decision called in.

Reason:      To enable the called-in matter to be dealt with efficiently and in accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Constitution.

Contact Details

Author: Dawn Steel Head of Democratic Services dawn.steel@york.gov.uk Tel: 01904 551030	Chief Officer Responsible for the report: Janie Berry Director of Governance Tel: 01904 555385
	Report Approved	√	Date:		15 January 2021
Wards Affected:				All		√
For further information please contact the author of the report

Annexes

Annex A – Extract from the Decision Sheet produced following the Executive meeting on 15 December 2020, setting out the decisions made on the called-in item, with the called-in decision highlighted in bold.

Annex B – Report of the Chief Finance Officer and the Corporate Director of People to the Executive Meeting on 15 December 2020.