Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee

8 July 2024

Report of the Assistant Director of Policy and Strategy

A York pipeline of projects for the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority – update report

Summary

1. This paper provides an update to members of the Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee (CSCCSM) relating to discussions by City of York Council’s (CYC) scrutiny committees regarding the development of a York pipeline of projects for the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA).

2. As noted in the table below, the proposed pipeline has been received by committees on the following dates:

Scrutiny Committee	Date
Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee #1	10 June 2024
Health, Housing and Adult Social Care	12 June 2024
Economy, Place, Access and Transport	25 June 2024
Children, Culture and Communities	2 July 2024
Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee #2	8 July 2024

3. At each committee, officers received feedback from members on the proposed pipeline creating a rolling stock take of thoughts and recommendations. These have been contained in the draft pipeline that members will consider at this meeting.

4. Following review by CSCCSM, the next stage will be to take the proposed pipeline to the Leaders Executive Decision Making Session, scheduled for 17 July 2024. At this session, the Leader will be asked to approve that the projects identified in the pipeline are priorities for CYC to work with YNYCA to implement.

5. Based on the pipeline, Officers will seek to advance funding bids as funding streams come online within the YNYCA (provided that spend remains below key decision thresholds) and where funding is awarded (either to develop a business case or to commence a project) the way that funding is spent will be approved either by an individual Executive member or by Executive as a whole depending on whether the key decision threshold is met.

Background

6. The election of a Mayor for York and North Yorkshire and the establishment of the YNYCA provides an opportunity to explore funding to advance projects that support CYC’s core commitments, Council Plan ambitions, wider city opportunities aligned to the 10-year strategies and support the regional economic framework and Mayoral ambitions.

7. In recognition of this, Officers established an initial list of projects that form a York pipeline for mayoral consideration to fund relevant projects.

8. This initial list was considered by CYC’s various scrutiny committees in June and July 2024. Recommendations from these committees are included in the revised pipeline that is identified in Annex A.

9. It is important to note that the YNYCA funding process is still emerging to reflect the mayor’s priorities with the YNYCA economic framework also subject to change based on mayoral ambitions.

10. However, the York pipeline has been developed to ensure that York is on the front foot of any future funding opportunities.

11. It is proposed that the York pipeline is reviewed annually and within the context of the York electoral cycle. This might change however dependent on how mayoral funding opportunities are made available.

Consultation

12. This meeting is the fifth occasion that the draft pipeline has been considered by a CYC scrutiny committee and the second time it has been received at CSCCSM.

13. The initial pipeline was developed by a cross-directorate officer group. It was then received internally by Corporate Management Team (CMT) and through informal discussion with the Council’s Executive Members. Consideration of city priorities has also taken place with city partners.

Options

14. Members are asked to note the feedback from the previous scrutiny committees and confirm the revised pipeline reflects the longer-term ambitions contained within the 10-year strategies of the city, the actions set out in the Council Plan, and the YNYCA Economic Framework. This will allow officers to progress to the next stage and invite the Leader to approve the pipeline at the Leader decision session on 17 July 2024.

15. Alternatively, Members may wish to invite officers to reconsider the feedback received from the Scrutiny Committees and propose an alternative process. This option is not the preferred option. Inviting all the Scrutiny Committees to contribute to the development of the pipeline means that it reflects their recommendations and has followed a robust and rounded development process.

Analysis

16. The process that enables Members to review this report will ensure that different perspectives from across the Council inform the emerging relationship between CYC and YNYCA.

17. Specifically, it will enable Members to consider a consolidated, strong pipeline that sets out York’s ambition mapped to regional priorities for future working with the Mayor and the Combined Authority.

Council Plan

18. The pipeline is informed by specific actions identified against the seven priorities identified in the Council Plan. These priorities provide structure for the Council Plan actions that to the four core commitments – Equalities and Human Rights, Affordability, Climate, and Health.

Implications

· Financial - There are no direct financial implications arising from this report. Agreeing a list of pipeline schemes will ensure that the Council makes the most of available funding opportunities and will help to manage the overall financial challenge facing the Council.

· Legal - Legal advice specific to the pipeline projects described in this report will be provided or continue to be provided as they develop.

· Information Technology (IT) - Digital connectivity & Smart Technologies should be recognised as a key enabler for the Combined Authority themes, priorities and project pipeline.

· Property – Property implications will need to be considered on projects identified going forwards, on an individual basis with resources deployed accordingly.

· Other

Housing - Reducing carbon emissions from our homes and fuel bills for our residents alongside providing additional new affordable housing are identified as priorities for the council and significant activity is already taking place to meet these ambitions. This report identifies the opportunity to both accelerate and increase the scale of this activity through devolved powers.

Carbon Reduction and Climate Change - The pipeline has been assessed against the Climate Change Strategy to ensure projects align with our net zero and climate ready ambitions. The Climate Change implications of individual projects will be fully assessed as part of the project development and governance.

Skills - Collaboration between the Combined Authority and constituent authorities will be a key enabler of the skills agenda in the region. The pipeline highlights some potential opportunities, and these will be considered as part of the wider approach to regional skills development.

Risk Management

19. There are no risks associated with the contents of this report.

Recommendations

20. Members are asked to review the pipeline of projects identified in Annex A of this report and note the recommendations from the scrutiny committee consultation process.

Reason: To ensure the pipeline aligns with the 10-year strategies for York, the 2023-2027 Council Plan, and YNYCA Economic Framework, enable different perspectives from across the Council to be considered in the pipeline’s development, and ensure that York has a strong, consolidated list of proposals through which to engage future funding opportunities emerging from the YNYCA.

Contact Details

Author:	Chief Officer Responsible for the report:
Samuel Blyth Strategic Manager Corporate Policy and City Partnerships	Claire Foale Assistant Director of Policy and Strategy
	Report Approved	x	Date	25/06/2024


Wards Affected: List wards or tick box to indicate all					All	x

For further information please contact the author of the report

Background Papers:

· York-North Yorkshire Devolution and the Mayoral Combined Authority paper from the Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee meeting of 11 December 2023 - https://democracy.york.gov.uk/documents/s171700/Final%20Devolution%20scrutiny%20report%20111223.pdf

· One City, for all: City of York’s Council Plan 2023-2027 - https://www.york.gov.uk/council-plan-1/one-city-2023-2027

· York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Economic Framework - https://yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/240318-YNYCA-Item-9-Economic-Framework.pdf

· York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority – Mayoral priorities and budget update 2024/25 - https://yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/240531-Item-10-Mayoral-Budget.pdf

· York Climate Strategy 2022-2032 - https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/8948/york-climate-change-strategy-2022-to-2032

· York Economic Strategy 2022-2032 - https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/8949/york-economic-strategy-2022-to-2032

· York Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022-2032- https://democracy.york.gov.uk/documents/s163774/Annex%20Di%20Health%20and%20Wellbeing%20Strategy%202022-32.pdf

· Scrutiny committees considering the draft York pipeline of projects

o Agenda for Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee on Monday, 10 June 2024, 5.30 pm (york.gov.uk) item 4

o Agenda for Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, 12 June 2024, 5.30 pm (york.gov.uk) item 3

o Agenda for Economy, Place, Access and Transport Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, 25 June 2024 5.30pm (york.gov.uk) item 5

o Agenda for Children, Culture and Communities Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, 2 July 2024 6.00pm (york.gov.uk) item 4