Issue - meetings

The Chief Operating Officer to present a report which provides an update on City of York Council’s preparations for the end of the Transition period scheduled to take place on 1 January 2021, following the UK’s exit from the European Union, on 31 January 2020.

Resolved:  (i)      That the preparations that have taken place ahead of the end of Transition be noted.

                   (ii)      That officers be requested to continue to monitor the end of Transition and its potential impacts on the council and the city.

                   (iii)     That officers be asked to continue to work at a national, regional and local level to support the city’s preparations for the end of Transition.

Reason:     To help ensure that the city, and the country, is prepared for the changed environment after Transition.

The Chief Operating Officer presented a report which provided an update on the City of York Council’s preparations for the end of the Transition period, scheduled for 1 January 2020, following the UK’s exit from the European Union (‘Brexit’) on 31 January 2019.

A review based upon government guidance had been undertaken of areas of potential change within the council, as summarised in paragraphs 16-48 of the report.  Liaison with other authorities in the region was set out in paragraphs 49-54.  It was difficult at this stage to identify any significant or quantifiable impact across York, due the uncertainty of future arrangements and the ongoing effects of Covid-19.  However, officers confirmed  they were confident that York had done all it could to prepare, noting that 6,650 of the city’s 7,000 EU residents had applied to the Settlement Scheme

Members acknowledged the difficulties faced by officers in the current circumstances and thanked those involved in the preparations.  The Chair urged government to do everything it could to secure a deal with the EU and encouraged those EU residents who had not yet applied to the Settlement Scheme to do so before the July 2021 deadline.

Resolved:  (i)      That the preparations that have taken place ahead of the end of Transition be noted.

                   (ii)      That officers be requested to continue to monitor the end of Transition and its potential impacts on the council and the city.

                   (iii)     That officers be asked to continue to work at a national, regional and local level to support the city’s preparations for the end of Transition.

Reason:     To help ensure that the city, and the country, is prepared for the changed environment after Transition.