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.

Councillors Sue Galloway, Macdonald and Reid withdrew from the room for agenda item 8 (Responses to Statutory Notices Placed Proposing Development of Land for Affordable Houses at Dane Avenue, Morritt Close and Chapelfields Road), under the provisions of the Planning Code of Good Practice, as they would be considering the planning applications for the sites as members of the West & City Centre Area Planning Sub-Committee.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 10 April 2007.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 10 April 2007 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 23 April 2007.

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Edwina Hughes, a parent at St Mary’s CE Primary School, Askham Richard, spoke regarding agenda item 5 (Education Scrutiny Committee – Final Report on Home to School Transport Contracts in York) (minute 209 refers), in support of the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations and particularly recommendation 1, to fit seat belts in the school bus used to transport children to St Mary’s.  She circulated two letters of support from local residents.

Written representations had also been received from three other residents, Askham Richard Parish Council, the Governors of St Mary’s CE Primary School and Cllr Janet Hopton, in support of the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations, particularly recommendation 1.

Representations were received from Cllr David Scott, the Young People’s Champion, regarding agenda item 5 (Education Scrutiny Committee – Final Report on Home to School Transport Contracts in York) (minute 209 refers).  He urged the Executive to require immediate provision of seat belts on transport to St Mary’s CE Primary School, Askham Richard and to seek guarantees from other primary school transport providers that they would continue to use buses with seat belts.  He also argued that the recommendations should be extended to cover secondary school transport as a matter of urgency.

Representations were received from Cllr Ruth Potter regarding agenda item 8 (Responses to Statutory Notices Placed Proposing Development of Land for Affordable Houses at Dane Avenue, Morritt Close and Chapelfields Road) (minute 212 refers).  She presented a petition on behalf of the residents of Morritt Close, objecting to the proposed housing development there, and outlined their concerns and their request that any development of the site should be for older people’s bungalows.

To receive an update on those items that are currently listed on the Executive Forward Plan.

Members received and noted an updated list of items included on the Executive Forward Plan at the time the agenda for this meeting was published.

This report presents the final report of the Education Scrutiny Committee regarding home to school transport contracts for primary schools in York.

RESOLVED:That the Scrutiny Committee be thanked for their work and their recommendations be dealt with as outlined in the table below:

REASON:                        To improve safety and introduce higher quality buses.           

Members received a report which presented the final report of the Education Scrutiny Committee regarding home to school transport contracts for primary schools in York.  The final report,  which contained 5 recommendations and was attached as Annex A, had been endorsed by the Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC) at its meeting on 26 March 2007, for referral to the Executive.  SMC had also acknowledged that the Executive may consider whether to apply the recommendations contained in the report to secondary schools as well as primary schools in line with any future legislative requirements arising from the Education & Inspection Bill. 

Cllr Charles Hall, the Chair of Education Scrutiny Committee, attended the meeting to present the report and respond to speakers’ comments (minute 207 refers).

Members expressed concern that the issue of safety on school buses had not led central government to stipulate minimum standards for school bus design or to ensure that the costs of providing safe transport were recognised in the grant entitlement of local authorities. They expressed the view that, in the absence of such standards and adequate funding, the Council would be placed in the undesirable position of having to reduce service standards elsewhere in the education service in order to pay for seat belts and other improvements.

It was noted that the Council had already instructed officers to undertake a comprehensive review of its transport procurement policies and this was now being undertaken by consultants.  It was anticipated that economies would be found and that these may offer a possible option for meeting part of the costs of improving school bus services.

RESOLVED:That the Scrutiny Committee be thanked for their work and their recommendations be dealt with as outlined in the table below:

The purpose of this report is to seek approval from Members to move forward with a Compulsory Purchase Order in order to proceed with the comprehensive regeneration and development of the Hungate area.

RESOLVED:That a Compulsory Purchase Order pursuant to Section 226 (1) (a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 be made on the York Bedding site at Hungate, York and officers be authorised to take all necessary steps to prepare the CPO.

REASON:In order to acquire the outstanding parcel of land necessary to enable development to proceed, with all the Council’s costs incurred by the developer of Hungate.

Members received a report which sought approval to move forward with a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) in order to proceed with the comprehensive regeneration and development of the Hungate area.

The report presented three options to proceed with the development:

·  Option 1 - To continue without the York Bedding Company site;

·  Option 2 – To continue to seek acquisition of the site through negotiation;

·  Option 3 – To proceed to CPO in order to acquire the land.

Members highlighted the importance of the Hungate development to the future economic prosperity of the city and the need to press ahead with it as soon as possible.

RESOLVED:That a Compulsory Purchase Order pursuant to Section 226 (1) (a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 be made on the York Bedding site at Hungate, York and officers be authorised to take all necessary steps to prepare the CPO.

REASON:In order to acquire the outstanding parcel of land necessary to enable development to proceed, with all the Council’s costs incurred by the developer of Hungate.

This report presents the findings of the Lord Mayor’s World Heritage Working Group and asks the Executive to consider the options for action.

RESOLVED:(i) That the Lord Mayor be thanked for the work carried out by her and her York World Heritage Working Group and that Option C be adopted;

                        (ii) That any public consultation be undertaken by the City of York Council and should include both the local business and residential communities in order to improve public awareness and support for the proposal, and a clearer explanation of the implications for development in the proposed area be provided, together with a review of whether the full city walls area was the most appropriate boundary for a World Heritage Site.

REASON:It would be appropriate to consult the community and await the publication of guidance from DCMS on this issue and then to receive a further report and make a decision on whether to pursue World Heritage status once this additional information is available.

Members received a report which presented the findings of the Lord Mayor’s World Heritage Working Group and asked the Executive to consider the options for action.

The report presented three options for consideration:

·  Option A – That the Council does not pursue inclusion on the UK Tentative List of sites, from which nominations to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for World Heritage status would be made;

·  Option B – That the Council accepts the recommendations of the Working Group to pursue World Heritage status;

·  Option C – That the Executive asks the Working Group to:

a)     consult with the Without Walls group and the wider community on this subject;

b)     wait for and assess the publication of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) assessment of costs and benefits and practical guidance for potential sites,

c)      revise their report accordingly,

and then receives a further report from officers, in the light of this work, on whether or not to pursue World Heritage status and what should be the boundary of the World Heritage site.

RESOLVED:(i) That the Lord Mayor be thanked for the work carried out by her and her York World Heritage Working Group and that Option C be adopted;

                        (ii) That any public consultation be undertaken by the City of York Council and should include both the local business and residential communities in order to improve public awareness and support for the proposal, and a clearer explanation of the implications for development in the proposed area be provided, together with a review of whether the full city walls area was the most appropriate boundary for a World Heritage Site.

REASON:It would be appropriate to consult the community and await the publication of guidance from DCMS on this issue and then to receive a further report and make a decision on whether to pursue World Heritage status once this additional information is available.

This report requests confirmation of the approval to sell these sites for affordable housing subject to the terms and conditions agreed at the March 13^th Executive.

RESOLVED:                        (i)                        That Option 1 be approved;

(ii)   That officers be requested to contact the signatories on the Morritt Close petition and explain what is being done to address their concerns (and in particular to highlight the actions agreed by the Executive at its previous meeting);

                        (iii) That officers be requested to ensure that the road layout design for the Chapelfields development accommodates local residents wishes to have a rear access to their properties.

REASON:To confirm approval for the development of the three sites for affordable housing on the terms and conditions agreed at the Executive meeting on 13^th March, and to respond to the views and comments of local residents.

Members received a report which requested confirmation of the approval to sell the sites at Dane Avenue, Morritt Close and Chapelfields Road for affordable housing, subject to the terms and conditions agreed at the Executive meeting on 13^th March.

The report presented two options for consideration:

·  Option 1 – to confirm approval for the development of the three sites for affordable housing on the terms and conditions agreed at the Executive meeting on 13^th March;

·  Option 2 – to reconsider the previous approval of the Executive on 13^th March.

Officers had begun investigating whether there should be a more comprehensive redevelopment scheme for the wider area in relation to Morritt Close, as requested by the Executive on 13^th March, and provided a report back on progress so far.

Officers were requested to meet with the petitioners from Morritt Close (minute 207 refers) to outline the proposals for redevelopment and to explain what was being done to address their concerns, particularly those relating to security.

It was also reported that representations had been received from several residents on Chapelfields Road who would like, as part of the provision of housing on the former Adventure Playground site, to have a rear access option available for their homes.  Officers were asked to ensure that the road layout accommodated this request.

RESOLVED:                        (i)                        That Option 1 be approved;

(ii)   That officers be requested to contact the signatories on the Morritt Close petition and explain what is being done to address their concerns (and in particular to highlight the actions agreed by the Executive at its previous meeting);

                        (iii) That officers be requested to ensure that the road layout design for the Chapelfields development accommodates local residents wishes to have a rear access to their properties.

REASON:To confirm approval for the development of the three sites for affordable housing on the terms and conditions agreed at the Executive meeting on 13^th March, and to respond to the views and comments of local residents.

The Chair thanked Members of the Executive and officers for their hard work and support over the last four years.