Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.  No interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 3 June 2008.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 3 June 2008 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Executive’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Monday, 16 June 2008.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

To receive details of those items that are listed on the Executive Forward Plan for the next two meetings.

Members received and noted details of items listed on the Forward Plan for the next two meetings of the Executive.

This report presents the minutes of recent meetings of the Local Development Framework (LDF) Working Group and the Social Inclusion Working Group and asks Members to consider the advice given by the Working Groups in their capacity as advisory bodies to the Executive.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the conclusions and recommendations agreed by the LDF Working Group at their meeting on 13 May 2008 regarding the York North West Area Action Plan be endorsed.

(ii) That the unique opportunity to shape a new approach to transport in this sector of the City as the Plan is further refined be stressed to Officers.

                        (iii)       That the minutes of the meeting of the Social Inclusion Working Group be endorsed and that Cllr Aspden be thanked for his work as the Executive Member for Youth and Social Inclusion.

REASON:      In accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Constitution in relation to the role of Working Groups.

Members considered a report which presented the minutes of the  meeting of the Local Development Framework Working Group (LDFWG) held on 13 May 2008 and the Social Inclusion Working Group (SIWG) held on 14 May 2008. The minutes were attached as Annexes A and B respectively.

There were no recommendations in the minutes requiring specific Executive approval.  However, Members’ attention was drawn in particular to:

·        the comments of the LDFWG regarding consultation on the York North West Area Action Plan (Annex A, Minute 46)

·        suggestions from the SIWG regarding what the Council could do to address issues raised at the Black and Minority Ethnic Stakeholder Seminar (Annex B, Minute 50).

In respect of the LDFWG minutes, Members commented on the unique opportunity for a ‘blank canvass’ approach to developing the York North West area and the importance of designing in a safe and low gradient cycle network.  In respect of the SIWG minutes, Members noted the success of Disabled Go in using their website to advertise facilities for disabled people in the City.  They also stressed the need to keep the Group updated on relevant activities within the Council and to ensure that meetings remained focused.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the conclusions and recommendations agreed by the LDF Working Group at their meeting on 13 May 2008 regarding the York North West Area Action Plan be endorsed.

(ii) That the unique opportunity to shape a new approach to transport in this sector of the City as the Plan is further refined be stressed to Officers.¹

                        (iii)       That the minutes of the meeting of the Social Inclusion Working Group be endorsed and that Cllr Aspden be thanked for his work as the Executive Member for Youth and Social Inclusion.

REASON:      In accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Constitution in relation to the role of Working Groups.

This report asks Members to approve for consultation purposes a draft York City Centre Area Action Plan (AAP), subject to the recommendations of the Local Development Framework Working Group meeting on 3 June 2008. 

Note: Annex A to the above item (the draft APP) and coloured versions of Annex B (the summary of Issues and Options) have been circulated in hard copy to Executive Members only.  Copies may be obtained on request from Democratic Services.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the draft Issues and Options document at Annex A and the summary of Issues and Options at Annex B be approved for public consultation, subject to the changes recommended by the LDF Working Group.

REASON:      So that the City Centre Area Action Plan DPD can be progressed to its next stage of development, as highlighted in the Council’s Local Development Scheme.

                        (ii)        That authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy to make any necessary incidental changes to the above documents resulting from the Executive’s decisions on this item.

REASON:      So that the recommended changes can be made.

                        (iii)       That authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy, to approve the Sustainability Strategy to accompany the Issues and Options document consultation.

REASON:      So that the report and accompanying document can be progressed.

                        (iv)       That authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy, to approve a Consultation Strategy and promotional material.

REASON:      To ensure that the proposed methods of consultation are satisfactory to Members.

Members considered a report which presented the draft Issues and Options document for the York City Centre Area Action Plan (AAP), together with the comments and suggested changes to the document made by the Local Development Framework Working Group (LDFWG) at their meeting on 3 June 2008.  Approval was sought to publish the document for consultation purposes, subject to any changes approved by Members.

The draft document was presented as Annex A to the report.  A summary of the issues and options was provided in Annex B and the minutes of the LDFWG, incorporating their comments and suggested changes, were attached as Annex C.  Members were asked to consider the following options:

Option 1 – approve the document at Annex A and the summary at Annex B for consultation purposes, subject to the changes requested by the LDFWG

Option 2 – seek further or alternative amendments to the documents

Option 3 – defer the AAP and request further work from Officers.  This option was not recommended, as it would impact on the timetable for the Local Development Scheme.

At the meeting, Officers circulated a briefing note setting out progress in developing the Local Development Framework and a summary of consultation on the City Centre AAP, listing proposed consultees and consultation methods.  These documents are now attached as Annexes C and D to the report on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the draft Issues and Options document at Annex A and the summary of Issues and Options at Annex B be approved for public consultation, subject to the changes recommended by the LDF Working Group.¹

REASON:      So that the City Centre Area Action Plan DPD can be progressed to its next stage of development, as highlighted in the Council’s Local Development Scheme.

                        (ii)        That authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy to make any necessary incidental changes to the above documents resulting from the Executive’s decisions on this item.²

REASON:      So that the recommended changes can be made.

                        (iii)       That authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy, to approve the Sustainability Strategy to accompany the Issues and Options document consultation.³

REASON:      So that the report and accompanying document can be progressed.

                        (iv)       That authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy, to approve a Consultation Strategy and promotional material.⁴

REASON:      To ensure that the proposed methods of consultation are satisfactory to Members.

This reports asks Members to endorse the final draft of the policy prospectus for the municipal year 2008/9, which represents an agreement between three of the Council’s political groups on the topics to be pursued as areas of priority over the next 12 months.

RESOLVED: That the policy prospectus for the 2008/09 Municipal Year be endorsed.

REASON:      In order to prioritise the topics agreed by Group Leaders.

Members considered a report which asked them to endorse the final draft of the policy prospectus for the 2008/09 Municipal Year. 

The draft prospectus, attached as Annex 1 to the report, represented an agreement between the Council’s Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Green political groups regarding the topics they wished to be pursued as priority areas over the next twelve months.  The Labour Group, having withdrawn from the political management arrangements in February 2008, had opted to use alternative methods to prioritise areas that they considered relevant.

Having noted the comments of the Shadow Executive on this item it was

RESOLVED: That the policy prospectus for the 2008/09 Municipal Year be endorsed.¹

REASON:      In order to prioritise the topics agreed by Group Leaders.

This report provides an update on progress with the Council’s corporate accommodation project, including targets and achievements for the period April 2007 to April 2008, and seeks approval for a revised business case for the project in support of the latest design for the new headquarters building at Hungate.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the content of the report, and the progress made on the accommodation project to date, be noted.

REASON:      To enable the Executive to monitor the project effectively.

                        (ii)        That the revised business case for the project in support of the latest design for the new headquarters building at Hungate be approved.  This shows a net present value of savings of £4.768m, an improvement of £2m since the original business case, and the early years revenue deficit of £2.094m, a reduction of £1m from the original business case, as detailed in Table 2 in the report.

REASON:      To ensure that the Council’s corporate imperative to rationalise its current administration portfolio is achieved, together with all the stated aims and outcomes of the project.

Members considered a report which provided an update on progress with the Council’s corporate accommodation project, including targets and achievements for the period April 2007 to 2008.  Approval was sought for a revised business case for the project in support of the latest design for the new headquarters building at Hungate.

The report outlined progress on Stage 3 of the project, which covered the period April 2007 to April 2008.  The targets and outcomes for Stage 3 had all been achieved except for the relocation of the Ambulance Station and subsequent closure of the Haymarket car park.  Positive efforts to resolve outstanding issues in these two areas were continuing.  A planning application for the new headquarters had been submitted in the week commencing 19 May 2008 and the project remained on target for the occupation of Hungate by 2010.  The latest design proposals for the headquarters building had responded to feedback received from consultation with stakeholders and professional bodies. 

Since the last report to the Executive, in July 2007, there had been a number of Project Board meetings where the business case model for the project had been updated as new information became available.  Most of these changes had resulted in an improvement to the affordability of the project and the gross capital expenditure had remained at the approved level of £40.3m.  However, the new design of the building would result in an increased cost of £3.5m and the 12 week delay for further design development had meant factoring in additional inflation costs.  Details were set out in Annex 1 to the report.  The revised affordability position, taking into consideration new accounting rules enabling the Council to defer repayment of debt, was illustrated in Table 2 at paragraph 57 of the report.  It was stressed that the project continued to be affordable and to make sound business sense.

In response to Members’ questions, Officers reported at the meeting that:

• The design incorporated the use of bio diesel as an energy source.  This would be created from waste cooking oil, the additional cost of which would be offset by reduced energy consumption.
• Account was being taken of the needs of special interest groups, including young people, in producing the final design

Having noted the advice of the Shadow Executive on this item it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the content of the report, and the progress made on the accommodation project to date, be noted.

REASON:      To enable the Executive to monitor the project effectively.

                        (ii)        That the revised business case for the project in support of the latest design for the new headquarters building at Hungate be approved.  This shows a net present value of savings of £4.768m, an improvement of £2m since the original business case, and the early years revenue deficit of £2.094m, a reduction of £1m from the original business case, as detailed in Table 2 in the report.¹

REASON:      To ensure that the Council’s corporate imperative to rationalise its current administration portfolio is achieved, together with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

Any other business which the Chair considers urgent under the  Local Government Act 1972.

The Chair has agreed to consider under this item a recommendation from the Strategic Policy Panel (SPP) in relation to the decision of the Executive (Calling In) on 13 May 2008 in respect of Back Park Petition.  This decision was referred to the SPP meeting on 9 June 2008.  The SPP recommended:

“that the Executive ask Officers for a report to be prepared for the Full Council meeting on 30^th June with appropriate options and recommendations regarding the Balfour Street Play Area and that no further action is taken until the outcome of that meeting is known.^”

The agenda, reports and minutes of the SPP meeting can be found by clicking on this link:

http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.asp?CId=104&MId=3512&Ver=4

RECOMMENDED:That Full Council consider, at its meeting on 30 June 2008, a report setting out appropriate options and recommendations regarding the Balfour Street Play Area, and that no further action be taken until the outcome of that meeting is known.

REASON:      So that a change can be made to the Capital Programme to record the view of the Executive.

The Chair agreed to consider under Urgent Business a recommendation from the Strategic Policy Panel (SPP) in respect of a decision taken by the Executive (Calling In) on 13 May 2008 regarding the Back Park Petition.  The matter was urgent because it needed to be considered in time to make a recommendation to the Full Council meeting on 30 June 2008.

The SPP had recommended that a report be prepared for Full Council, setting out appropriate options and recommendations in respect of the Balfour Street Play Area section of the land in question, and that no further action be taken until the Council’s decision was known.  The Executive approved this recommendation and accordingly it was

RECOMMENDED:That Full Council consider, at its meeting on 30 June 2008, a report setting out appropriate options and recommendations regarding the Balfour Street Play Area, and that no further action be taken until the outcome of that meeting is known.¹

REASON:      So that a change can be made to the Capital Programme to record the view of the Executive.