UPDATED COUNCIL PLAN ACTION TRACKER MARCH 2021
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Core outcome theme WELL-PAID JOBS AND AN INCLUSIVE ECONOMY
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ACTION - 1. Develop a new Economic Strategy, with a focus on inclusive and clean growth, alongside the creation of a new Economic Partnership to oversee the strategy.
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UPDATE - A revised timeline and detailed engagement plan has been agreed for the Economic Strategy and Skills Plan, with engagement planned over the summer of 2021 and the Strategy scheduled to be presented to Executive in December 2021. The Business Leaders Group has continued to meet monthly, with fortnightly meetings of key partners (FSB, BID, Chamber, IoD, Indie York, MiY), and is beginning the transition towards an Economic Partnership model. The Skills and Employment Board is meeting monthly to oversee the development of the Skills Plan, with a short-term plan for the coming year agreed by the Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning, and the longer-term plan due for completion in September and adoption with the Economic Strategy in December.
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ACTION - 2. Review the Council’s approach to Financial Inclusion and continue to help energy companies target fuel poor or vulnerable households with energy efficiency measures.
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UPDATE - Activity has been prioritised to respond to the Covid-19 crisis both in terms of meeting immediate needs and planning for recovery. The Financial Inclusion policy review will be progressed through 21/22 taking into account the new Covid-19 landscape and recovery plans. The Digital Inclusion element of the emerging priorities has taken a step forward with Explore York taking leadership in partnership with the council - a cross city/sector network has been established.
The January 2021 lockdown has meant that many related services have remained in response. The focus has remained on delivering critical financial support to those in hardship during the pandemic. The Financial Inclusion Steering Group continue to monitor activity and review Covid impacts and partnership working. Digital network has met, planning is in development around sustainable and person centred support and also the delivery of a city wide Poverty Truth Commission which would feed into the drafting of the Financial Inclusion Policy. Shorter term 21/22 Winter Planning will include planning to seek to mitigate Fuel and Food Poverty impacts in particular and reduction in Covid related funding to families.
Work to reduce fuel poverty in the longer terms through better insulation and lower fuel bills is also ongoing via Housing initiatives. |
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ACTION - 3. Review the SLA with Make it York, aligning its business plan with the new Economic Strategy |
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UPDATE - A revised SLA was introduced during Covid response prior to full review for 2021-22 and beyond. A new SLA and Contract is to be considered by Executive in May 2021, informed by detailed consultation with stakeholders, residents and businesses. |
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ACTION - 4. Create a community business representative role to involve local businesses in the ward committee process and supporting traders’ associations and independent businesses throughout the city and renew our approach to being a Business Friendly Council |
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UPDATE - Much-increased business engagement throughout the pandemic has supported a more detailed understanding of business issues. This approach will be continued beyond the pandemic, and includes close work with Indie York and the independent traders groups across the city, a big boost in membership of the Federation of Small Businesses, and detailed survey work with micro businesses as part of the evaluation of grants schemes. The Business Friendly Council initiative continues to meet monthly, with Council and stakeholder teams sharing intelligence and plans for future work. |
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ACTION - 5. Develop sustainable and ethical procurement policies which promote local supply chains and support inclusive, clean growth |
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UPDATE – The Government recently published a Green Paper with the aims of encouraging the opening up of public contracts to more small businesses and social enterprises, to innovate in public service delivery, and meet the national net-zero carbon target by 2050. CSMC and the Executive Member agreed that updating the Procurement Strategy will follow the outcome of Green Paper. |
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ACTION - 6. Align the Adult Skills agenda with the new Economic Strategy, working with partners across the city to maximise the use and benefit from the Apprenticeship Levy and support Jobs Fairs. |
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UPDATE – (see also 1 above) Supported by education, training and employer partners in the city, the Skills Team led social media engagement during National Apprenticeship Week (8-14 February) and delivered a virtual York Apprenticeship Recruitment Event (17 March) in place of a physical one.
In addition to the 1:1 impartial advice provided by the Skills Team Business Engagement Officer, specific virtual events have been useful in raising awareness of apprenticeships with SMEs in certain sectors. In addition to supporting council colleagues and LA maintained schools to make the most of apprenticeships, the HR and Skills teams have worked with the council’s Apprenticeship Task Group to develop the council’s levy transfer policies and processes. From engagement with the Early Years sector, an opportunity to pilot the transfer process with a pre-school is being progressed. |
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ACTION – 7. Promote opportunities for vocational education and training in sustainable building, for both the existing city work force and people new to these professions |
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UPDATE – Whilst not limited to sustainable building, officers are continuing to work with colleagues to deliver Employment and Skills outcomes as part of our construction capital programmes. Currently, this includes working with Vinci on the Guildhall development and with the contractor for the Castle Mills project in future.
The ongoing Housing Delivery Programme and the Retrofit Strategy which will be brought forward this summer will also address sustainable building and the local supply chain. |
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ACTION - 8. Work across the region to secure devolution at a meaningful scale for the benefit of the whole of Yorkshire and contribute to the Local Industrial Strategy, which will help to shape our regional growth |
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UPDATE - A set of devolution asks were developed for York & North Yorkshire in collaboration with the County and District councils alongside the LEP. These were submitted to Government in December 2020. The Devolution White Paper has now been reframed as Levelling Up and is expected later in 2021. |
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ACTION - 9. Identify options for a Tourist levy |
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UPDATE – Given the context of recovery for the hospitality sector, it is not appropriate to progress this currently. |
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ACTION - 10. Create new commercial spaces for start-up businesses and small enterprises at York Central, Castle Gateway and the Guildhall. |
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UPDATE - Guildhall - Construction started in September 2019 and continued throughout the pandemic, with completion scheduled in autumn 2021. The general internal refurbishment is progressing well and the new entrance from the main hall to the glazed arcade has been formed. A lease to University of York for small business office space in the Guildhall has been agreed.
York Central - Enabling ground work commenced in early 2021. Work has started to explore the use of CYC land on York Central to support small businesses, in line with the wider occupier strategy. |
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Core outcome theme A GREENER AND CLEANER CITY
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ACTION - 11. Support a new Climate Change Policy and Scrutiny Committee, which will develop a set of recommendations to support carbon reduction, alongside additional officer capacity to drive progress |
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UPDATE - The Climate Change Policy and Scrutiny Committee has been established and continues to meet. It is in developing recommendations to support carbon reduction.
A Head of Carbon Reduction has been appointed and the delivery plan for the York Climate Change Strategy to progress our zero carbon city by 2030 ambition has been completed, with public engagement starting this month (May 2021) and the final strategy due to be published in November 2021. The strategy will include the net-zero roadmap and action plan, building on the report ‘Net Zero Carbon Roadmap for York’, published in December (2020). |
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ACTION - 12. Develop a plan showing the Council’s own road map to net zero carbon, enhancing the energy efficiency of Council owned buildings and assets, and increase the amount of energy generated from renewable sources on Council owned buildings and assets. |
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UPDATE - Work is also underway to update the council’s own carbon reduction plan in order to achieve zero carbon council by 2030.
The Council has secured over £1m of government funding through the Local Authority Delivery Scheme to complete energy efficiency improvements and install solar PV on our housing stock and we continue to look at decarbonisation solutions across our corporate and operational assets. |
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ACTION - 13. Prioritise street level service and the street environments, such as street cleaning and enforcement activity against litter, dog fouling and graffiti, through additional staffing and increased resources. |
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UPDATE - A new team focusing purely on graffiti removal has been created to include some private properties.
A review of how essential environmental services are managed is being undertaken to look at a neighbourhood community level focus.
Much activity has been tailored to Covid response and recovery with additional cleansing regimes to respond to the increasing number of street cafes with additional cleansing and waste removal of bagged waste on Sunday from city centre commercial premises. |
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ACTION - 14. Review waste collection to identify options to provide green bins to more houses, kerbside food waste collection and the range of plastics currently recycled |
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UPDATE - This was initiated at an Executive Member decision session and referred to Scrutiny. A city wide consultation on green waste collection is currently underway and will be considered by Executive in the coming months. |
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ACTION - 15. Ensure the emerging Local Plan, Biodiversity Action Plan, Tree strategy, Green Infrastructure Strategy and Local Transport Plans protect and enhance York’s built and natural environment |
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UPDATE - A report is due to Executive in May 21 setting out the next steps in the development of the Local Transport Plan.
Consultation currently taking place to create a community woodland on 194-acres of land acquired by the Council to the West of York (near Knapton) and to plant 50,000 trees by 2023. Detailed work on future targets for expanding York’s tree canopy has also commenced. |
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ACTION - 16. Develop supplementary planning guidance on zero carbon building |
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UPDATE - Work has been prioritised to concentrate on two SPDs ‘Green and Blue Infrastructure ‘ and ‘Carbon Reduction, Renewable Energy and Sustainable Design and Construction’ |
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ACTION - 17. Review how the Council can reduce or remove all single-use plastic in its operations. |
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UPDATE - Initial work delayed by focusing on response to Covid but work began in early 2021 to refresh the Procurement Strategy which will also take into account the recent Govt Green Paper.
Prior to the pandemic from July 2019 ‘Café West’ began using all Vegware for coffee cups/lids and the like which is collected to be made into compost. |
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ACTION - 18. Ensure emerging plans and strategies have appropriate emphasis on mitigation and adaptation to an increased prevalence of extreme weather events |
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UPDATE – The council is working closely with the Environment Agency on the ‘York Five Year Plan’ to deliver a range of improvements to the city’s flood defences. Some construction work is complete or underway. Site compound building has started at a number of sites and construction activity across several parts of the city will begin in early summer.
In addition, we are working with the Environment Agency on a catchment scale study to identify opportunities for wider interventions across the River Ouse catchment to further reduce future flood risks into the long term.
Flood responses were tailored this winter to be COVID safe and some lessons have been learnt and will be reviewed. |
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Core outcome theme GETTING AROUND SUSTAINABLY
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ACTION - 19. Review city-wide public transport options, identifying opportunities for improvements in walking and cycling, rail, buses and rapid transit, which lay the groundwork for the new local transport plan. |
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UPDATE - In response to COVID, a number of emergency decisions have been made to improve sustainable and active travel options. The temporary Active Travel measures have been formally considered and some removed, whilst others remain or are being considered for permanent implementation with consideration of permanent changes to footstreets due to be considered in the autumn. The Council has been successful in securing Active Travel Funding as part of the governments Covid response and these projects are being developed.
A cross-cutting consultation approach is being taken across a number of projects including the development of the next Local Transport Plan (LTP4) and the Economic Strategy, for example, to ensure a coherent approach and prevent duplication.
A Dft-approved E-scooter pilot is underway and has been recently expanded. |
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ACTION - 20. Lobby for investment and improvement in rail connectivity for York, as a significant rail hub in the north, including the re-establishment of a station in Haxby. |
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UPDATE - The Council continues to play an active role in lobbying for improved rail connectivity for York.
Haxby Station has been successfully included in a feasibility study funded by the national New Station programme. The project is progressing with an initial review of the business case and Network Rail are being commissioned to progress the scheme development.
Improvements have been made to the York-Harrogate line. |
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ACTION - 21. Explore and deliver opportunities to move the council’s vehicle fleet to low/zero carbon, while also promoting use of car sharing and cycling for work purposes |
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UPDATE - The fleet strategy was agreed in March 2020. The two new electric waste vehicles have arrived and are being tested. The smaller fleet is being replaced with 8 new electric vehicles in place, with training for drivers in April 2021. |
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ACTION - 22. Continue to expand York’s electric vehicle charging point network, including the construction of hyper hub facilities. |
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UPDATE - Hyperhubs and the roll out of new charging infrastructure is currently under construction, with a decision made to progress a Hyperhub at Union Terrace.
Work at Monks Cross Park and Ride is well advanced with an expected opening date in mid-June 2021. At Poppleton Bar Park and Ride, construction started in April 2021. |
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ACTION - 23. Continue working in partnership to deliver low/zero carbon public transport services and improved walking and cycling infrastructure |
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UPDATE – Twenty one new all-electric double-decker buses have been introduced by First to create the biggest zero emission park and ride fleet in the country. |
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ACTION - 24. Deliver new approaches using digital technology to enhance transport systems |
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UPDATE - The STEP (Smart Travel Evolution Programme) new Transport Model is in place and the live element of this project is the next step. The update of the real time bus information contract has commenced |
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ACTION - 25. Work with partners to develop sustainable travel for York Central and an interchange as part of York Rail Station frontage project |
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UPDATE - Planning permission for both York Central transport infrastructure and the Station Frontage are now in place. Initial site clearance has started on York Central and the utility diversions for Station Frontage are being commissioned. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government made a Housing Infrastructure award of £77 million towards York Central development. |
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ACTION - 26. Implement York’s first Clean Air Zone and continue to closely monitor air quality |
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UPDATE – The Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is in place, with monitoring ongoing. All buses entering the CAZ 5 or more times a day are low emission (electric or diesel Euro 6). Air quality has continued to improve to the point where almost all areas in York meet the health based air quality objectives.
Work to raise awareness of idling and its impact on air pollution ond health is ongoing.
The fourth Air Quality Action Plan is due in 2021 and will aim to meet new measures in the forthcoming Environment Act that will focus more on particulates and other emissions, due to their impact on health. |
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ACTION - 27. Review and deliver enhanced resident parking and pay-on exit at CYC car parks |
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UPDATE - Pay on Exit systems are now in place at Marygate and Piccadilly. Residents have received Minster Badge offers as part of COVID support and recovery. The new IT system for parking will be rolled out this year. A review of CYC parking provision will take place in 21/22. |
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ACTION - 28. Review the capacity and potential to extend operation of Park and Ride sites |
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UPDATE - Park and Ride has been significantly impacted by COVID and recovery discussions with First are ongoing as they gain an understanding of future service demands. |
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ACTION - 29. Work with bus operators and user groups to identify opportunities to make bus travel more convenient and reliable |
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UPDATE - Public transport has been significantly impacted by COVID, therefore efforts are currently focussed on recovery rather than further expansion. The Government have announced the National Bus Strategy and the Executive will shortly be considering a development of the City's already well-developed Quality Bus Partnership and a Bus Service Improvement Plan to continue to support the bus services and their operators. |
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Core outcome theme GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING
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ACTION - 30. Contribute to the development and delivery of Mental Health, Learning Disability and Health and Wellbeing Strategies |
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UPDATE - The Mental Health Partnership is leading the city’s drive to implement the Trieste Model, enabling people to gain the support they need for their mental health and wellbeing at home, or in the least restrictive environment possible.
The All Age Learning Disability Strategy was launched in October 2019 by the multi-agency Learning Disability Partnership (LDP). Covid interrupted progress but services have been maintained through the pandemic, shifting to alternative channels.
The Council's Mental Health Accommodation and Support Programme and the development of two housing services plus satellite accommodation and Housing First will be tendered in the first quarter of 2021/22.
The Council has been part of a successful Transformation Funding bid and a Programme Manager is to be appointed enabling the system to deliver a shared vision for Mental Health. A March 2021 update on the All Age Learning Disabilities Strategy outlined Covid-related delays in implementing proposals. The Learning Disability Partnership agreed that four priorities will be considered by the strategy sub-groups in the first half of 2021/22:
- Social isolation – how do we
reach out to people with little or no support |
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ACTION - 31. Improve mental health support, including mental health first aid, and encourage volunteering, including our People Helping People initiative to help improve mental health and tackle loneliness |
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UPDATE - The People Helping People strategy continues to provide the overarching framework for social action in the city, promoting impact volunteering initiatives, connecting citizens to city challenges (for example our Community Health Champions programme and the city’s response to Covid). York CVS have also developed a new Volunteering Directory complementing Live Well York. The Suicide Prevention Delivery Group is taking forward an action plan including looking at training for other agencies and individuals.
The council, working with partners, has successfully bid for Mental Health transformation funding. Through the Mental Health Partnership, this is supporting the development of a community-led approach to mental health through the northern quarter project, alongside the progression of the mental health accommodation project. |
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ACTION - 32. Use innovative strategies to support individuals’ independence, health and wellbeing, enabling people to stay in their own homes or communities for longer and significantly reducing admission rates to residential care. |
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UPDATE - The council uses a
‘good help’ model and stimulates innovation to find
what works best for people with diverse needs. It works closely
with health partners and the VCS to develop a whole system approach
to prevention, anticipatory care, building community capacity and
asset based community development (ADCD). We are connecting
social prescribing, local area coordination, community health
champions and health navigation to the development of Primary Care
Networks and Integrated Care Partnerships. Home First remains
a key strategic principle when planning care and we avoid making
new placements in care as far as that was possible. We support care
homes to care for people and avoid admissions to hospital when
appropriate. Our Asset-Based Community Development model has supported people and communities to remain resilient during the pandemic, ensuring that people remain connected and have trusted relationships at a time of crisis. The Council's volunteer management team has actively contributed to this alongside community hub arrangements and work with York CVS and wider VCSE.
Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic was informed and shaped by the commitment to supporting people to remain independent, with additional support to return to their own home from hospital or to their usual place of residence if that was a care home. Innovative services have been deployed to reduce unnecessary admissions to residential care and support people in their own homes and communities. These include rapid response hospital discharge services, increases in short term vs long term residential care, increases in intensive home services including live in care and use of innovative technology. Numbers of people residing in residential care remain lower than prior to the introduction of these measures. |
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ACTION - 33. Continue the roll-out of the older people’s accommodation programme, to provide accommodation for whole life independence; supporting and promoting the Age Friendly York programme. This seeks to create an environment enabling people to live healthy and active lives and encourages communities to treat people with respect, regardless of their age |
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UPDATE - The Age Friendly York Programme was launched in June 2019 and reports to the Health and Wellbeing Board Ageing Well Partnership. Around 100 people will be involved in a ‘Citizen Group’ to advise on the development of the programme.
The Older Person’s Housing assessment informed the priorities of the Older Person's Accommodation (OPA) programme which will deliver 900 high quality homes. The refurbishment of 20 apartments and the development of an additional 15 fully wheelchair accessible properties at Lincoln Court has been completed. The care home at Burnholme is complete and the first residents were welcomed in early 2021. The transfer of Haxby Hall care home to Yorkare Homes was completed on 31 March 2021. The residents and staff transferred which has enabled continuation of care and employment. Planning approval for the redevelopment and extension of the home has been obtained and work on this will begin in the Autumn. Work is progressing well at Marjorie Waite Court on 29 new extra care apartments and 4 bungalows and is due for completion in July 2021. Work is underway to procure a care home provider for the Lowfield Green site to provide extra care.
The programme is also working with a number of commercial developers to support the provision of age appropriate accommodation to meet the needs of our older residents as identified in our research in 2019. This includes the provision of bungalows in general needs development, open market extra care accommodation and plans for intergenerational living. Work is also underway to ensure that there is comprehensive information available about the older person’s accommodation options in the city. |
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ACTION - 34. Continue to support substance misuse services to improve public health and support some of the most vulnerable in our society |
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UPDATE- Substance misuse services continue to be delivered as a core public health service via the contract with Changing Lives. In addition the Better Care Fund is continuing to support through additional investment alcohol misuse and work continues to help reduce rough sleeping. |
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ACTION - 35. Invest in ward level social prescribing to tackle loneliness and isolation, and work with partners to make our communities dementia friendly This will include the continued expansion of our Local Area Coordinators and Talking Points, making them accessible to residents in all areas of the city |
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UPDATE - Our Local Area Coordinator (LAC) programme and Social Prescribing programmes continue to be at the forefront of national policy development. The expansion of LAC remains a priority for Adult Social Care reflecting our asset based approach, alongside the expansion of Talking Points. These continue to reduce waiting times for social care referrals and are connecting people to local solutions and activities through the LAC’s. The pandemic has highlighted successes of LAC, with its focus linking up individuals as well as organisations, sharing information quickly in a rapidly changing landscape –including making use of technology to connect safely with people.
Talking Points is the established method of having early conversations with people who have social care needs.
As part of the Coalition for Collaborative Care social prescribing and communities programme York has been a national demonstrator site, working with SCIE, Community Catalysts, National Association of Link Workers and NHS Alliance to help delivery of Universal Personalised Care programme to help recruit Link Workers effectively and share learning with Health on building community capacity
The LAC programme continues as planned through BCF. Social Prescribing through both Ways to Wellbeing practitioners and primary care link workers have played a major role in responding to the pandemic. Talking points have continued to operate virtually and are planned to open physically as part of the recovery plan. Work is underway on a dementia strategy for the city. |
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ACTION - 36. Open spaces will be available to all for sports and physical activity, including healthy walking, outdoor gyms and green spaces, which improve both physical and mental health and wellbeing. |
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UPDATE - A Healthy Weight Declaration has been signed by Executive Members and the Director of Public Health. Public Health are working with CYC’s planning team to develop supplementary documents as part of the Local Plan. The pandemic has highlighted need for open spaces. Throughout the pandemic period, safety and vigilance was paramount.
Consultation currently taking place to create a community woodland on 194-acres of land acquired by the Council to the West of York (near Knapton) and to plant 50,000 trees by 2023.
Throughout the pandemic public health has promoted the importance to physical and mental health of remaining active. This has involved regular communications, as well as initiatives such as putting into welfare parcels information on being physically active during lockdown. |
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ACTION - 37. Make York an ‘Autism friendly’ city by helping local businesses and facilities to achieve the Autism Access Award and support our communities to be Dementia Friendly. |
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UPDATE - An All Age Autism Strategy was published in addition to a Mental Health Strategy for York. There is also the All Age Learning Disabilities Strategy and a Carers Strategy. We have finalised a review of our Home Care services, with a focus on developing a Neighbourhood Model of care and support.
During the pandemic Dementia Action Alliance the co-ordinator in regular contact with both Dementia Forward, and Alzheimer's Society -welfare calls for over 400 people with dementia identified by their GP. |
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ACTION - 38. Support all areas of the Council to embed ‘Good Help’ principles in the services that they deliver |
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UPDATE – (see also action 41 below) The pandemic has seen a surge in interest to volunteers with cases across the city of groups and individuals working together to support the most vulnerable in society. Good Help principles embedded in Childrens and Young Peoples plan. Unfortunately the ‘Good Help’ bid to National Lottery was unsuccessful at the final stage.
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ACTION - 39. Ensure that effective safeguarding is made a priority for all Council services, in order to be sure people are safe across the city |
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UPDATE - Safeguarding remains the highest priority across services. As a direct response to the pandemic safeguarding team social workers appointed as link workers to all residential and nursing homes.
Commissioning compiled a list of all people with care and support needs who are not in supported living settings, who are either living with family or in single tenancies in the community. Adult Social Care have made contact by phone with all individuals on the shielding list and all who have a Direct Payment, to support their welfare and help resolve issues that have arisen during this period. Housing services made welfare calls to all vulnerable tenants, signposting to support services in their area.
A new Director of Safeguarding will be in post in the next few months (interviews in May 2021). This will strengthen capacity and ensure that we are able to continue to prioritise on going service development and improvement. CSC improvement board and plan remain in place and service improvement is on track. A peer review has been undertaken in adult services and a development plan and board will be in place by the end of May. |
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Core outcome theme SAFE COMMUNITIES AND CULTURE FOR ALL
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ACTION - 40. Enable communities to take ownership of improving their local area, through investing in community development and building on the Ward committee model. |
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UPDATE - The Council has invested an additional £250k into a Safer Communities fund, alongside additional highways funding to boost ward funding. Two new community involvement posts have been created to add more community development capacity, including one focussed on working with minority groups. However, since March 2020 the council has focussed intensively on meeting the needs of communities through the pandemic and in particular to providing support to those shielding and the clinically extremely vulnerable. |
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ACTION - 41. Expand the ‘People Helping People Scheme’ to encourage more volunteering which provides support for others in the city, embedding the principles of “Good Help”. |
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UPDATE –(see also action 38 above) The People Helping People strategy continues to provide the overarching framework for social action in the city, promoting impact volunteering initiatives, connecting citizens to city challenges.
Funding for the new CVS Volunteer Centre has been secured and the Centre launched in Jan 2021. The council collaborated with CVS in February through a focus group to inform a review of the People Helping People strategy. The councils Volunteer Management Team have continued to actively manage calls for volunteers during Covid continuing to supply volunteers to the community hubs, LAC team and social connections programmes, amongst other initiatives, to help address loneliness and isolation. |
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ACTION - 42. Explore social prescribing at a local level to tackle loneliness and isolation, alongside work with partners to make our communities dementia friendly. |
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UPDATE - The Ways to Wellbeing Service recruited a further five Social Prescribing Link workers providing complementary capacity focussing on mental health and supporting people living with dementia.
Volunteers have complemented both social prescribing and LAC during Covid, via the Covid monitoring call hub, which has been nominated for a national award. Social Prescribing impact report completed reflecting year 1 of GP Link Worker pilot, helping to inform extension of contracts for 5 years, through GP contracts.
BCF has continued to support the Ways to Wellbeing element of social prescribing, maximising cover for the city. Funding for the new CVS Volunteer Centre has been secured and was launched in January 2021. Collaboration with CVS will inform a review of the People Helping People strategy. The council’s Volunteer Management Team have continued to actively manage calls for volunteers during Covid continuing to supply volunteers to the community hubs, LAC team and social connections programmes, amongst other initiatives, to help address loneliness and isolation. |
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ACTION - 43. Work for an improved city centre for local residents, using the MyCityCentre activities to involve the community and city centre businesses in developing solutions, and working to secure Purple Flag accreditation in York. |
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UPDATE - The My City Centre project was paused through 20/21 due to the impacts of the pandemic. However, a report was agreed by Executive in April 2021 to develop a new council-wide approach to engaging residents that will bring different engagement activities together in a single cohesive resident engagement programme It will be pan-organisational, including matters such as transport, city centre access and parking, the economy and carbon reduction. It will consolidate feedback, share principles and assumptions, learn from previous engagement activity and reduce duplication to ensure conversations join up and inform emerging strategies.
The first meeting of a new Purple Flag Working Group, drawing together stakeholders and partners from across the night time economy, is scheduled in Q1 2021/22. It is hoped that a Purple Flag application for accreditation will be submitted later in the year. |
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ACTION - 44. Create more ways for everybody to enjoy York’s cultural offering, including a cultural entitlement for all young people and the development of significant community sporting experiences around the new Community Stadium. |
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UPDATE - The focus has been on supporting organisations through the impacts of Covid-19; however, the cultural entitlement for young people has been progressed with the provision of 'Bags of Creativity’ to vulnerable children and young people in the city. Many organisations have found innovative ways to provide cultural product during the pandemic including the ward funded Theatre Royal pantomime, reopening of museums using guided tours, live streamed events, outdoor events, etc. As the city centre opens up during spring and summer 2021 several events are being coordinated by MiY to encourage resident and visitor engagement. |
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ACTION - 45. Deliver on a cultural strategy that ensures that all York residents, irrespective of age or background, being proud to be engaged with York’s arts and heritage offer. |
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UPDATE – (see also action 66) The Cultural Strategy was launched on in December 2020 and was adopted by the council in February 2021. |
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ACTION - 46. Support investment in our cultural assets to be inclusive and accessible to all, and to provide outstanding experiences for visitors and residents alike. |
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UPDATE – The Covid response included assisting cultural organisations such as YMT. The Council continues to deliver the library capital programme, linking libraries with the wider network of community facilities to support the resilience of communities.
CYC has become a member of the York Music Venues Network.
The Community Stadium facilities are now fully open. Plans are progressing for new Explore libraries for Haxby, Acomb and Clifton. |
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ACTION - 47. Work with the police and others to tackle the priorities for making York safer, such as keeping vulnerable people safe from harm and tackling county lines, outlining these in a new Community Safety strategy. |
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UPDATE - A new three year Community Safety Strategy was approved by the Safer York Partnership Board in March 2020. Multi-agency groups have continued through virtual platforms to deliver against the priorities within the strategy. Focus has remained on supporting those most vulnerable communities and victims of crime and anti-social behaviour.
The Safer York Partnership refreshed the existing priorities in March 2021, adding additional actions in relation to Covid and the impact that this will have as the city reopens. All community safety services have continued to deliver throughout the lockdown and partners are engaged in making plans to mitigate any potential community safety issues arising from the lifting of restrictions. |
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ACTION - 48. Consider the Council’s current approach to equalities, including taking a more active role in tackling discrimination across York, and continue support of York Armed Forces Covenant |
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UPDATE - A new Community Involvement Officer has undertaken bespoke work with minority groups to better understand their experiences and aspirations.
A Hate Crime Working Group has been set up to produce an Action Plan. Further work to ensure that procedures are in place to support communities who struggle to access services such as translation services. A working group has been established to review and update the council's Gypsy and Traveller strategy.
The Group is developing local hate crime reporting centres together with appropriate training and support for victims. The centres will also support the collation of local intelligence about hate crime in the city.
A new Equalities Impact Assessment tool is now in place and being operated as a pilot.
Development of the York Armed Forces Covenant has taken place, including a relaunched forum who are taking forward actions to support the needs of this community. |
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ACTION - 49. Work to ensure a Community Hub is in every ward, with a map of services and funding available to support them to be sustained in the community. |
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UPDATE - To further develop Community Hubs, we set out what we wanted then to achieve, drawing on the learning from the last few years. We are also exploring accrediting and recognising community hubs which have been set up by other organisations or by communities themselves.
Building on the success of the Covid support virtual hubs we intend to ensure provision in each area of the city, after lockdown, with at least one community hub to be established for each ward. These will be tailored to local need and will offer a physical meeting place for local people to come together, filling in the gaps between existing community venues. We will continue to build relationships with those local organisations who have worked to support their communities through pandemic.
We developed primary care hub with system partners, maximising use of volunteers to maintain contact / wellbeing checks with people recovering from COVID-19 and at risk of deterioration –linking GPs and community health services to social prescribing volunteers.
The 5 emergency response hubs at Acomb, Tang Hall, Haxby, Clifton and Micklegate have demonstrated the benefits of CYC and local groups and organisations working together with a common purpose. We continue to operate 5 virtual hubs are now in a transition phase supporting the needs of communities up to the point where hubs proper can reopen for face-to-face contact. |
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Core outcome theme CREATING HOMES AND WORLD-CLASS INFRASTRUCTURE
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ACTION - 50. Deliver the Local Plan, the first plan in 48 years, with additional capacity to speed up supporting supplementary planning documents. |
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UPDATE - Phase 1 of the public hearings into the examination of the Council’s draft Local Plan took place in December 2019. The Council continues to be in contact with the Inspectors to clarify a number of issues following the Phase 1 hearings. Submissions of the Green Belt Annexes were made alongside preparation work for citywide consultation and virtual hearing sessions on the submissions. |
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ACTION 51. Deliver our significant capital programme and progress key developments such as the Community Stadium, York Central, Castle Gateway, the refurbishment and development of the Guildhall, and the first stages of the Housing Delivery Programme. |
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UPDATE - Castle Gateway - planning permission was granted for Castle Mills and St George's Field. Procurement of a contractor for Castle Mills is underway to undertake the RIBA stage 4 design and to provide a tender price for construction, with an Executive decision to proceed required in October 2021. A decision on whether to proceed with the multi-storey car park will also take place at that time based on the outcome of the strategic review of city centre access and parking. A planning application for public realm to replace Castle Car Park/Eye of York will be made in the summer.
Community Stadium - Stadium site development was completed and opened to the public in Dec 2020. Tenant fit-outs are ongoing during 2021, whilst the first tenant partners, the NHS, opened in March 2021 with sports facilities opening in April 2021 with further events as Covid guidance allows. Further tenants and units will open throughout 2021 dependent upon Covid regulations. The stadium will be a Rugby League World Cup host venue in November 2021.
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ACTION - 52. Deliver a greater number of affordable homes over the next four years, including Council-owned properties, using a range of models of delivery. |
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UPDATE - Social rent council bungalows now occupied at Newbury Avenue.
Construction work is progressing well at Lowfield Green where 40% of the homes will be affordable. These phase 1 homes are predominantly bungalows. The first social rent and shared ownership buyers are moving into Lowfield Green in the coming weeks. A further phase of homes including apartments for the over 55 and family houses will be complete and occupied during the summer.
Planning permission has been obtained for 83 homes at Burnholme and 34 homes at Duncombe Barracks – including 40% affordable housing. Work to procure a building contractor is underway. On site work is anticipated in early 2022.
Our second hand shared ownership programme has now closed. We have delivered 65 new shared ownership properties. This programme allowed buyers to choose their own home on the market, we purchased it utilising Homes England grant funding and converted it to shared ownership for the buyer.
Planning application for Ordnance Lane due to be submitted later in 2021. |
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ACTION - 53. Use the Council’s new Housing Delivery Programme Design Manual ‘Building Better Places’ as a standard for future developments including delivering 100% Passivhaus homes in zero carbon neighbourhoods on council sites. |
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UPDATE - The Design Guide is being used to support the delivery of low carbon, high quality and sustainable homes. IT has been utilised in developing the plans for the Duncombe Barracks, Burnholme and Ordnance Lane/Hospital Fields Road sites. These schemes will deliver over 220 homes which will be to certified Passivhaus Standards and net zero carbon in use.
The developments promote sustainable transport choice by creating connections through the site, through the provision of very high quality and quantity of cycle parking and by restricting car parking spaces to only those needed. The homes meet national space standards and each has access to private as well as public outdoor space. Streets have been designed to create community togetherness with lots of opportunities for play and communal plant/food growing. |
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ACTION - 54. Develop an ongoing programme of improvements to our 7,500 Council homes, reaching and exceeding the Decent Homes Standard and bringing all homes as close as possible to zero carbon by 2030. |
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UPDATE - All planned capital programmes have been substantially delivered, although the Tenants Choice (TC) programme was more seriously affected by pandemic than other work. The 21/22 programme, (incl. TC), has been re-profiled, focused on delivery of Decent Homes improvements and ensuring Consumer regulatory compliance. A new electrical testing contract is currently being evaluated, and due to go live in June, with a new electrical programme coordinator in place to ensure effective delivery. An Energy Accelerator pilot project to bring 60 homes up to EPC 'C', along with proposal to develop an Energy Efficiency Strategy for social housing was approved by Exec in Dec 2020. A Housing Energy Efficiency Board is now in place tasked with developing Energy Efficiency Strategy for housing and maximising funding opportunities and coordinating funding bids for The Green Homes Grant Local Authority Distribution. The Council has made a successful bid with sub-regional partners in Harrogate, Craven and Selby for funding of £535k across the sub-region for energy efficiency measures for private sector homes. The Council has also made a sub-regional bid for £1.9m including a bid to install Solar Panels to 50 council homes and an additional £300k for a Energy Accelerator pilot project. Results of this bidding round will be published shortly. |
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ACTION - 55. Deliver age appropriate accommodation and specialist housing through the housing mix within the Housing Delivery Programme and Older Persons Accommodation Programme to meet the housing needs of our older residents. |
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UPDATE – The Lincoln Court project is now complete which has seen the refurbishment of 20 apartments and the provision of 15 new fully wheelchair accessible apartments for social rent.
The homes at Duncombe and Burnholme will be accessible and adaptable, meaning all residents can live with independence for as long as possible.
Interest in developing older person's accommodation in the city remains high. With planning applications for independent living and extra care accommodation having been received across the city. Officers continue to work with developers and Social Landlords to ensure that homes are designed to meet the needs of older residents.
The first phase of bungalows on Lowfield Green are nearing completion and properties for market sale or shared ownership have been reserved. The apartments for residents aged 55+ are nearing completion. Sites have been agreed for the development of housing to support those living with mental health conditions and feasibility work is underway to agree a site for residential accommodation for residents with learning disabilities.
Work is progressing well at Marjorie Waite Court on 29 new extra care apartments and 4 bungalows and is due for completion in July 2021. |
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ACTION - 56. Investigate the case to extend HMO licensing to smaller HMOs and work with partners to maximise energy efficiency in private sector housing. |
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UPDATE - The HMO mandatory licensing inspection programme is ongoing with consultation on extending HMO licensing to smaller homes now active until the end of June 2021.
York is one of 12 councils nationally to receive funding to trial and develop a national toolkit (BEIS Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)) to ensure private rented sector landlords comply with requirements to make sure private rented properties meet a national minimum standard rating of E on their EPC. 135 staff across the region have been trained by the team using this funding. Toolkit Project is extended until July and there is the possibility of more funding to extend the project.
The Council has successfully obtained £535k from BEIS to deliver a range of energy efficiency schemes aimed at improving poor private sector homes in York, Harrogate, Selby and Craven. For York, a scheme has been developed to insulate poorly insulated “rooms in roofs”, initially offered to residents in fuel-poor wards.
An application for £1.9m for LA Delivery 2 (energy efficiency) funding is being made to support the most fuel poor in the city, support green jobs and reduce carbon. This replaces the Green Homes Voucher scheme which has ended. |
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ACTION - 57. Prioritise support for rough sleepers and work in partnership with the police and other agencies to develop new initiatives such as the ‘Housing Navigators’ and improved services for people with complex needs, such as substance abuse and mental health issues, including extended use of the Housing First approach. |
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UPDATE - Work continues to reduce rough sleeping and Rough Sleeper Housing Navigators are making a real difference.
The pandemic response led to the use of accommodation at city centre apartments and hotels to ensure that people were not sleeping rough.
Capacity exists to accommodate all rough sleepers. The winter provision worked well in 2020. The Covid response has been well managed in supported accommodation for homeless individuals and families with isolated Covid cases only. Staff have made appropriate use of Covid-testing facilities and vaccinations.
The Council is preparing a bid for funding to provide long term supported homes for rough sleepers. |
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ACTION - 58. Further progress Digital York and enhance connectivity in the city. |
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UPDATE – The Council has continued the expansion of the Council’s Wi-Fi coverage – Acomb, Bishopthorpe Road and Coppergate have been added. Other locations are also having upgrades to broadband via Openreach and via an alternative provider, offering increased access to superfast broadband. City Fibre have continued their investment and roll out of ‘York’s UFO’ and Virgin Media have also invested heavily in the city through their ‘Project Lightning’.
The expansion of the private sector funded fibre network continues to progress. Building on our success of the 2019 Shambles Project the network is now being extended to cover Swinegate, Stonegate, Petergate, Grape Lane, Church Street and Goodramgate – potentially connecting up to approximately 250 businesses.
Work is nearly complete on the new Wi-Fi service for the Shambles Market businesses and traders, helping to improve card payments and customer experience throughout the market.
Expansion of the city's fibre based broadband network continues with CityFibre and the coverage level is now 65%+ of all premises, 2020 and early 2021 has also seen a number of infill areas being revisited and connected. Fossgate and Walmgate may be considered for suitability within the Digital Enterprise funded work. Our rural broadband programme continues through our involvement with the ‘Superfast West Yorkshire & York’ programme, which will see another c.1,000 rural premises benefit from access to improved and upgraded broadband by summer 2022. We have so far conducted ‘soft’ marketing and community engagement campaign for both Wheldrake and Elvington villages.
Work has continued to provide IoT/LoRaWAN coverage across the city which provides another and key wireless access layer for the Council’s and City’s Smart solutions. |
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ACTION - 59. Work with the York Central Partnership to ensure the site delivers as much affordable housing as possible, delivers high quality jobs for York residents and delivers a zero carbon development. |
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UPDATE - Work is underway to explore provision of sustainable council housing on York Central and to develop CYC land on the site to support small businesses. The York Central design guide which is part of the outline planning permission sets out high sustainability standards for all future development.
In March 2020, as the major landowner of the site, central government announced the award of £77.1m to Homes England and Network Rail to fund the enabling infrastructure for the site. Recent announcement on Civil Service relocations are welcome in relation to the early phases of commercial development on the site. |
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Core outcome theme A BETTER START FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
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ACTION – 60. Continue to strengthen the work of communities, local organisations and agencies so that families become more resilient and able to find solutions rather than depending on services. |
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UPDATE - The community hub approach has mobilised a wide range of local community organisations and volunteers able to respond to the pandemic. Over 4,000 people registered to volunteer. Post-pandemic recovery will take the opportunity to build on the success stories and reflect on the lessons learnt. It has been agreed that a ‘’Good Place Network” be developed for York, for all community venues to join, with opportunities for peer support and sharing of best practice.
A new Communities Team is being created bringing together staff supporting ward work, Local Area Coordinators and staff providing information, advice and guidance in order to consolidate the council's support to communities and to create a comprehensive early help offer across all life stages. |
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ACTION - 61. Continue the improvement of children’s social care to provide excellent services for vulnerable young people and aim to be excellent corporate parents |
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UPDATE – The Children’s Services Improvement journey continues to gain traction as reflected in our recent self-assessment. The Improvement Board meets bi-monthly with representation from the DfE, LGA, Chief Operating Officer and Leader of the Council. The Board is chaired by the Director of Children’s Services and has good multi-agency representation. The service have adopted a systemic practice model approach which is evidently strengthening practice whilst the cultural approach to change embeds.
The priority areas identified in the improvement plan are demonstrating impact. The relationship between workers and their children are good. In a recent review of children in our care the voice of the child was positive on files and reviewers found some excellent direct work with children. Recent scrutiny involving an externally commissioned Front Door Review, extensive Child In Need audits and staff engagement events and partnership feedback indicated that the direction of travel was welcome and required. Investing in our staff and bringing about cultural change is improving practice. Key systems and processes are starting to bring clarity and accountability, with ownership by managers of performance data and a culture where staff are encouraged to learn and develop their practice.
The Front Door review took place in September 2020 to ensure effective and safe decision making, the findings were very positive. |
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ACTION – 62. Continue to prioritise gaining improved outcomes for our most disadvantaged children and young people in the city. |
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UPDATE - The experience for children as a result of Covid will be very different, our most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people being disproportionately affected now and in the longer term. A report commissioned by the council as part of our recovery plan sets out principles and practical examples to try to prevent the crisis further exacerbating the situation. The new operating models as a result of Covid can be a catalyst for change, colleagues across the city have been asked to sign up to principles for supporting children and young people back into education.
The 14-16 vocational programme will start in September 2021. The York Schools and Academies Board has formed a sub-group to develop the city's Education Recovery Plan. The plan will be informed by a review of information from York's schools about what are the most significant barriers and gaps in learning that need to be addressed in each phase. A maximum of 4 system level priorities will be identified and an action plan drafted. Plans for the scale up of Early Talk for York have been developed and will be implemented from September 2021. |
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ACTION – 63. Use opportunities with businesses, educators and skills providers to gain the right mix of apprenticeships and in-work progression, besides attracting new businesses and innovation to the city to create more high value jobs. |
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UPDATE - The newly created Skills and Employment Board brings together expertise from across the city and strengthens our partnership approach to understanding and responding to the changing skills needs of people and businesses. The one-year skills plan was approved in March 2021 and work continues via the Skills & Employment Board to develop the longer term strategy, aligned with the new Economic Growth Strategy. |
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ACTION – 64. Work with our partners to identify and tackle issues relating to the rise in mental health problems in the city. |
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UPDATE - York Mind have delivered the Wellbeing for Education return programme. The School Wellbeing workers continue to provide support to develop capacity in schools. The number of children and young people medically unfit for school has increased during 2020 which has increased pressure on the home tuition service. Work is taking place with the CCG to identify priorities for future joint commissioning.
This has been delivered to 23 schools. Evaluation by York Mind has identified the need to support the wellbeing of senior leaders in schools to support Covid recovery. |
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ACTION – 65. Continue to focus on the importance of the early years and the impact that this stage of life has on a child’s development and future outcomes. |
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UPDATE - The ‘Early Talk for York’ project is based around the intake into three primary schools to the west of the city and aims to improve outcomes in speech, language and communication at age five. It is a collaboration between partners across CYC, schools, early year’s settings and health, and aims to build capacity in the local area to support children and their families 0-5.
The project is designed to be ‘proof of concept’ with evaluation being conducted by Huntington Research School supported by local universities. Evaluation of Early Talk for York indicates that there is a strong case for scaling up the programme. An LGA peer challenge of the early years identified Early Talk for York as an area of good practice. An early years strategy and improvement plan has been developed which will drive an integrated approach to improving outcomes in the early years in 2021.
It will scale up from September 2021 and will initially focus on schools and settings in the Clifton area. York has been successful in being shortlisted to work with NESTA to support early yeas innovation. We are currently completing a 12 week starter project which will determine whether NESTA ways to work with York through a 5 year partnership. |
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ACTION – 66. Develop a cultural strategy which sets the ambition for every child and young person to be able to access a full and rounded arts and cultural offer. |
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UPDATE – (see also Action 45) The Cultural Strategy was launched on in December 2020 and was adopted by the council in February 2021.
Work continues to take place with the York Cultural Education Partnership with a workshop in February 2021 to refocus the Cultural Education Partnership and develop a cultural education strategy. During the pandemic the partnership produced ‘Bags of Creativity’ and ‘Creative Doodle’ books to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children. |
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ACTION – 67. Increase the number of foster carers and adopters in York by improving take-up. |
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UPDATE - One Adoption North and Humber, the regional adoption agency has approved 97 adoptive families in 2020-21. This is an increase from 86 approved adopters in 2019-20.
There were 245 enquiries, an increase of 72.5% on the previous year. There were 4 x mainstream carers, 1 x short breaks carer approved at panel in 2020/2021. A total of 5 for the year. An increase on the total of 2018 (4) & 2019 (2). By the end of the summer 2021, we hope to have between 5 – 11 more families approved. Fostering recruitment is on target to have an additional 15 mainstream foster carers by the end of the 2021/22 financial year, which will increase sufficiency capacity and reduce the need for IFA’s. |
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ACTION – 68. Improve play and sports provision for young people including play equipment at parks and suitable open spaces across York. |
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UPDATE - A capital programme was agreed to improve play areas including a process for a) carrying out a quality assessment of CYC and local councils’ play areas, b) using the assessment to direct investment, and, c) allocating a fund to be used to contribute to larger scale investments in partnership with community group.
Work was delayed because of the pandemic but has resumed. Community applications have now been received and are currently being assessed. |
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ACTION – 69. Develop a York citizenship offer in conjunction with schools in the city. |
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UPDATE - This work has not been possible during 2020/21 due to the Covid-19 pandemic |
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Core outcome theme OPEN AND EFFECTIVE COUNCIL
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ACTION – 70. Ensure strong financial planning and management, providing capacity to invest, and driving efficiency. As part of this we will undertake effective budget consultation |
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UPDATE - The council has undertaken budget consultations to identify views on Council Tax levels, Social Care Precept, Capital Investment and Council Plan priorities. This has informed budget proposals which were presented to Executive Decision sessions before Full Council budget setting meetings.
High level budget reviews have been undertaken to identify capacity for investment in recovery. |
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ACTION - 71. Undertake an Organisational Development programme to ensure the way our organisation operates fully supports the delivery of our key priorities, whilst we act as a good employer to our staff. |
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UPDATE - Key stakeholders, including staff and Councillors, were consulted to identify key themes to be covered in an Organisational Development Programme (OPD) which has been agreed and published.
Regular communications with staff have been accelerated particularly in the light of the pandemic. Supporting our staff has never been so critical and a working group involving staff has been set up to consider how staff will work as restrictions are lifted. |
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ACTION – 72. Place a continued emphasis on absence management, ensuring our staff are supported in work. |
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UPDATE - Absence rates across the council have been high, however over the past 12 months of the pandemic and flexible working, absence rates have reduced. To continue this improvement as we return to the workplace we will engage with and support staff so they can maintain their attendance at work, delivered through supporting managers in managing staff effectively, wellbeing initiatives and interventions applied appropriately and increased staff engagement and belonging through Organisational development approach.
Further developments to the Medigold/day one absence system have been implemented.
During Covid and staff working more agile, there has been a huge focus on well-being and support. A health & well-being dedicated internal support line has been established and will continue to operate. Daily messaging and sign posting to staff. Health & Well-being surveys have taken place and actions are being carried out against the key findings.
Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee considered a report on the Medigold element of the Council’s approach to Absence Management in April 2021 and a report will go to Executive in advance of the end of the current contract in September 2021.
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ACTION - 73. Deliver the Council’s digital programme to make contacting the Council as streamlined as possible, with information made readily available. |
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UPDATE - Larger projects include the Transport based STEP programme, continued implementation of the Council’s Customer Relationship Management System, replacement of Waste Management System and the procurement of the Managed Services ICT Infrastructure contract. Work continued where possible throughout Covid-19 and the postponed infrastructure contract procurement has restarted. There has been a refocus away from some of the minor projects in the programme in order to mobilise the workforce and shift resources to support remote and home working. Waste and customer systems implementations are nearing completion.
The Managed Services procurement has been split into two elements and both are likely to achieve efficiency and innovation benefits for the council. |
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ACTION - 74. Maintain our commitment to the apprenticeship programme, the real Living Wage and our Public Sector Equalities Duties |
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UPDATE - We remain committed to the real living wage and apply an additional allowance to staff whose hourly rate drops below this.
The impact of Covid resulted in limited new apprenticeships. An apprenticeship strategy and direction for the year ahead developed in more detail in 2021.
There is continued developments in the councils approach to equalities. Equality objectives continue to be monitored and effective data developed to support measurement of the objectives. |
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ACTION - 75. Ensure our processes are built around the needs of residents, businesses and communities. |
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UPDATE - This is central to the ethos of the user-centric design principles used within our key programmes of work. |
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ACTION - 76. Prioritise the delivery of schemes at a ward level, in order to support decisions taken locally at the ward level. |
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UPDATE - Ward-level working is prioritised, with significant increases in the proportion of council funding flowing through ward committees. Ward schemes have continued throughout the lock-down with a range of effective and innovative schemes to support communities through the effects of Covid.
£200k has been invested in a Covid-19 Recover Fund from April 2021. Ward funding is increasingly being directed to Ward priorities focussed around recovery. |
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ACTION - 77. Utilise our procurement approaches to address the climate emergency and secure social value at every opportunity. |
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UPDATE- A Social Value policy is in place to ensure securing social value at every opportunity and includes criteria for minimising waste, water usage and energy consumption; protecting and enhancing natural environment; supporting local and sustainable food suppliers.
A refreshed Social Value policy has been discussed at Corporate Services and Scrutiny Management Committee. All policies in place and Social Value is being secured at every opportunity. |
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ACTION - 78. Review the Council’s current governance structures and consult on options for a more transparent and cross-party decision-making system, ensuring an effective and democratically-led Council. |
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UPDATE - The Director of Governance has commenced work in this area which will continue. Revision work to the constitution has commenced and is ongoing. Work on governance structures will form part of ongoing work. |