Issue - meetings

This report presents the findings of the Edible York Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee, Councillor D’Agorne, the Chair of the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee, will be in attendance to present the report.

Note:  copies of the A5 booklet style final report have been distributed with this agenda to Members only.  The final report can also be viewed on-line.

RESOLVED: That the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee be supported and approved, subject to the following amendments:

a)     in Recommendation 6, delete the words ‘reflect a broad presumption in favour of it being suitable for’ and substitute ‘encourage areas to be used for’;

b)     in Recommendation 7, note that the Schools Forum no longer exists, so the request should be made to the relevant successor body.

REASON:      In order to provide an appropriate response to the Scrutiny Committee’s findings and address the issues raised by the review.

Members considered a report which outlined the findings of the Edible York Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee on their recent review, aimed at improving the Council’s support for community food growing.  Cllr D’Agorne, as Chair of the Committee, was in attendance to present the report.

The seven recommendations arising from the review were set out in paragraph 5 of the cover report.  The implications of accepting the recommendations were outlined in paragraphs 12 to 21.  The Committee’s final report had been circulated separately to Members as an A5 booklet and made available on the Council’s website. 

With regard to Recommendation 1, Cllr D’Agorne confirmed that the Community Furniture Store did not have the capacity to assist with a system to distribute garden tools; however, St Nicholas Fields would look into the possibility of working with the Council on this.

Having noted the comments of the Labour Group Spokespersons on this item, it was

RESOLVED: That the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee be supported and approved, subject to the following amendments:¹

a)     in Recommendation 6, delete the words ‘reflect a broad presumption in favour of it being suitable for’ and substitute ‘encourage areas to be used for’;

b)     in Recommendation 7, note that the Schools Forum no longer exists, so the request should be made to the relevant successor body. ²

REASON:      In order to provide an appropriate response to the Scrutiny Committee’s findings and address the issues raised by the review.