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 interests they might have in the business on the agenda.  No interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 6 May 2008.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 6 May 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 19 May 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 a list of items currently scheduled on the Forward Plan for the next two Executive meetings.

To receive an oral report from the Chair concerning the proposed political management arrangements for the 2008/09 Municipal Year.

Members received an update from the Chair regarding the Council’s proposed political management arrangements for the Municipal Year 2008/09 (commencing after Annual Council).

The Chair reported that it had not been possible to reach an all-party consensus on a set of arrangements for the next 12 months, due to the refusal of the Labour Group to be part of any agreement.  With regard to the Labour Group’s alternative proposals, to be put before Annual Council on 22 May, the indications were that these would not be supported by the Conservative Group, who would vote in favour of the existing Executive, Group Leader and EMAP meeting structures.

Future arrangements would therefore consist of a refined version of the current processes, which were open and transparent and provided all parties with the chance to influence the agenda.  The importance of a strong opposition was acknowledged.  It was hoped that all Members would continue to adopt the constructive approach they had taken over the past year and not use the available processes to delay business unnecessarily.  The Executive would continue to take account of the comments of the opposition and to incorporate any constructive suggestions within its proposals.

The Chair noted that, in the event of the Labour Group’s proposals being adopted at Annual Council, some associated changes might need to be made at the next full Council meeting, in June.

This report invites Members to discuss, comment upon and approve a corporate Sustainable Procurement Policy, which sets out the Council’s commitment to sustainable procurement, supports the vision of York being an exemplary sustainable city and will help the Council in delivering the challenging targets set out in the Sustainable Procurement National Action Plan.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the implementation of the Sustainable Procurement Policy at Annex A to the report, as from 1 April 2009, be approved.

REASON:      To provide the Council with a policy framework to deliver its sustainability aspirations and meet the Government’s sustainable procurement targets.

                        (ii)        That the proposal that the CPT look at industry schemes for embedding sustainable procurement for adoption from 1 April 2009, including the Procura+ manual at Annex B, be agreed.

REASON:      To provide clear guidance and support to Officers involved in procurement.

                        (iii)       That the revised sustainability continuum attached as Annex C be approved.

REASON:      To enable the Council to measure its progress against the challenging targets set by the Government in delivering sustainable procurement.

Members considered a report which invited them to discuss, comment upon and approve a corporate Sustainable Procurement Policy, setting out the Council’s commitment to sustainable procurement.

The purpose of the Policy was to commit the Council to sustainable procurement within a practical and effective framework within the existing Corporate Procurement Strategy. It was proposed that further supporting guidance, such as the European – wide practitioner manual, Procura +, be developed by the Corporate Procurement Team.  The draft Policy was attached as Annex A to the report and a copy of Procura + was attached as Annex B.  The progress of embedding the Policy effectively through the organisation would be measured via the revised sustainability continuum attached as Annex C to the report.  This formed part of the overall Strategy.

Members welcomed the proposals in report and in particular the commitment to fair trade, support for local business and ‘whole life’ costings within the Policy.  They expressed thanks to the Officers concerned for their work in bringing the Policy forward.  The Chair noted that Liz Ackroyd, the Assistant Director of Resources (ARM) would shortly be leaving the Council and thanked her on behalf of the Executive for her hard work over the years.

With regard to the comments of the Shadow Executive on this item, Officers had provided a response which had been circulated to Members by e-mail and was available in hard copy at the meeting.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the implementation of the Sustainable Procurement Policy at Annex A to the report, as from 1 April 2009, be approved. ¹

REASON:      To provide the Council with a policy framework to deliver its sustainability aspirations and meet the Government’s sustainable procurement targets.

                        (ii)        That the proposal that the CPT look at industry schemes for embedding sustainable procurement for adoption from 1 April 2009, including the Procura+ manual at Annex B, be agreed.²

REASON:      To provide clear guidance and support to Officers involved in procurement.

                        (iii)       That the revised sustainability continuum attached as Annex C be approved.

REASON:      To enable the Council to measure its progress against the challenging targets set by the Government in delivering sustainable procurement.

To consider a report from the Group Leaders recommending no immediate change to the current Special Responsibility Allowances for Members.

RESOLVED: That the recommendations of the Group Leaders be accepted and that Council be recommended to make no change to the allocation of Special Responsibility Allowances for Members until such time as they can be properly reviewed when the final outcome of the CPA inspection is known.

REASON:      To fulfil the requirements of the decision made by full Council in January 2008 and in accordance with the views of Group Leaders.

Members considered a report which presented the response of Group Leaders to consultation on Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs), following the review of Members’ Allowances agreed by full Council on 24 January 2008.

Group Leaders were recommending that no change be made at this stage to the current SRAs.  Instead, they suggested that SRAs be reviewed once the final outcome of this year’s CPA inspection was known, on the basis that this might lead to a review of the Council’s scrutiny and / or decision making structures affecting Members’ future roles.

With reference to the advice of the Shadow Executive on this item, the Chair commented that the Labour Group had supported the budget reduction for SRAs and that neither they nor any other group had put forward any alternative proposals for distribution of the (reduced) SRA budget.

RESOLVED: That the recommendations of the Group Leaders be accepted and that Council be recommended to make no change to the allocation of Special Responsibility Allowances for Members until such time as they can be properly reviewed when the final outcome of the CPA inspection is known.¹

REASON:      To fulfil the requirements of the decision made by full Council in January 2008 and in accordance with the views of Group Leaders.

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

The Chair announced that, due to the changes to be made to Executive portfolios at Annual Council, this would be the last Executive meeting to be attended by Cllr Sunderland, the Executive Member for Housing and Cllr Aspden, the Executive Member for Youth and Social Inclusion.  Cllr Sunderland had served the Executive for five years and Cllr Aspden for one year.  He paid tribute to their hard work and achievements over this time and in particular to Cllr Sunderland’s work towards achieving the Decent Homes Standard for the Council by 2010.

In view of his own decision to resign the Group leadership, the Chair also noted the achievements of the Executive in general over the past five years and thanked Officers, in particular the Corporate Management Team and the Principal Democracy Officer, for their help and support.  He noted with approval the economic resilience of the City of York during the period of his leadership, as evidenced by progress on the York Central and York North West sites and recent retail investment in the City Centre.

Executive Members in turn paid tribute to the Chair, highlighting his vision, commitment and hard work on behalf of the City.