Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To confirm arrangements for chairing the meeting as follows:

Councillor Lomas – All standard agenda items 1-5.

Councillor Lomas – Agenda item 6 – ‘Crises and Resilience Fund Scheme’  

Councillor Kent – Agenda item 7 – ‘North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Scheme (LNRS) – Adoption of Evidence’

Councillor Kilbane – Agenda item 8 – ‘York Cultural Strategy’

Councillor Kilbane – Agenda item 9 – Urgent Business

Resolved:   That the arrangements for chairing the meeting would be as follows:

Councillor Lomas, Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion – Agenda items 1-6.

Councillor Kent, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency – Agenda item 7.

Councillor Kilbane, Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economy and Culture – Agenda items 8-9.

To receive and note apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

At this point in the meeting, Members and co-opted members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest, or other registerable interest, they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests. The disclosure must include the nature of

the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

[Please see attached sheet for further guidance for Members]

The Executive Members were invited to declare any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, any prejudicial interests, or any disclosable pecuniary interests that they might have in respect of business on the agenda. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Combined Executive Member Decision Sessions held on Tuesday, 27 January 2026 and Tuesday, 3 February 2026.

An incorrectly recorded date was amended at paragraph 57 of the 27 January minutes, to be updated on the electronic record. It was then

Resolved:   That the minutes of the Combined Executive Member Decision Sessions held on Tuesday, 27 January 2026 and Tuesday, 3 February 2026 be approved as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. Members of the public may speak on agenda items or on matters within the remit of the committee. Please note that our registration deadlines are set as 2 working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at our meetings. The deadline for registering at this meeting is 5:00pm on Friday 27 February 2026.

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form. If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting, please contact Democratic Services. Contact details can be found at the foot of this agenda.

Webcasting of Public Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

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

Councillor Waller spoke in relation to agenda item 6, noting that the proposed scheme was an important resource for the city, and would particularly benefit areas of deprivation in York, including within his own ward. He noted that the funding had in fact been reduced in real terms and asked what lobbying had been attempted in response to this.

He discussed the other means of support for residents, beyond this scheme, and expressed his hope that working with these impartial groups might be included in future reports. He also suggested that since this scheme would be reported as part of the annual report to Executive and as part of a welfare benefits update report, that the Executive Members consider making this a public document so that ward councillors could refer to it.

This report concerns the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which has been made available to local authorities in England to support low-income households who encounter a financial shock and to support activity that builds individual and community financial resilience. This funding covers the period of 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029 inclusive and includes specified funding for housing support.

Resolved:   That the Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion

i.      Approve the Council’s Crises and Resilience Fund Scheme. 

ii.     Delegate to the Head of Customer Finance, Risk and Insurance in consultation with the councils Section 151 the power to award or amend any financial support changes and awards in line with the Government’s three outcomes and four strands, as set out in the scheme and Government guidance.    

Reason:      The scheme helps to alleviate the ongoing cost of living pressures for financially vulnerable residents.

The Revenues and Benefits Manager, assisted by the Welfare Benefits Manager, presented the item on the Crises and Resilience Fund provided by the National Government to York. He explained that this funding had been made available to local authorities across England, both to support low income households encountering financial shock and to support activities that build individual and community resilience. He noted that the funding covered the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029 inclusive. He stated that the fund included a housing element and was not intended to replace existing local welfare assistance schemes.

He acknowledged that in comparison with the preceding Household Support Fund Scheme, in real terms there was a million-pound reduction in the funding provided across the next three years, but that this funding would now be guaranteed for that period and annual renewal would not need to be sought, making forward planning easier.

He noted that the scheme was not open to those with no recourse to public funds, but otherwise it was open to everyone who needed support, whether they happened to be receiving benefits. He explained that the scheme provided funding to be delivered by the authority or external providers to improve financial resilience across the area. Additionally it provided community coordination to drive investment in activities connecting and enhancing the local support landscape.

The Executive Member for Finance and Major Projects thanked all officers who had worked on this scheme. Addressing points raised in public participation, she agreed that the totality of funding for this scheme was less than that for the previous scheme. She advised that both she and the Council Leader had extensively lobbied government ministers about the need for funding, focus and support for York.

The Executive Member also noted the point raised in public participation regarding a “joined up approach” with community partners. She agreed that this was a core and essential part of the work here and she was working closely with the Financial Inclusion steering group to achieve better outcomes.

She highlighted the council’s team working to assist people experiencing difficulties, and signposting them to partner organisations who can assist in the longer term; responding to what people need now, then looking at what help they might need to get out of the situation they are experiencing.

Noting Cllr Waller’s query about reports being made public the Executive Member explained that these reports would be presented to the Executive Member Decision Session, which is a public meeting, and therefore they would be publicly available.

She also highlighted that in the past few years, the council had used data from the Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT) to proactively approach qualifying people who may otherwise be reluctant to come forward and ask for council assistance. This had been particularly successful.

The Executive Member for Children and Education commented that he had been working with Councillor Lomas on this scheme, thanking her and officers for their work. He acknowledged the cost of living crisis alluded to in public  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.

This reports seeks to endorse the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) as part of City of York Council’s evidence base supporting decision-making and future plan-making.

This spatial strategy seeks to map nature recovery actions and deliver the Governments England-wide nature targets. They are a statutory requirement as set out by the Environment Act 2021 as a new system of spatial strategies for nature throughout England.

Resolved:   That the Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency

                                            i.   Note the decision by North Yorkshire Council to publish the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).

                                          ii.   Accept the LNRS, as approved, as a statutory evidence base to inform planning decisions and plan-making.

Reason:      To ensure compliance with the Environment Act 2021.

This item was Introduced by the Head of Strategic Policy Planning who explained that the Local Nature Recovery Strategy was a spatial strategy that sought to map nature recovery actions and deliver the government's England-wide nature targets, as a statutory requirement outlined in the Environment Act 2021. She explained that the Department of Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) had appointed North Yorkshire Council as the responsible authority for delivery, and they had approved it in January 2026. Since York had acted as supporting authority, and following endorsement of the draft publication version by the Council Executive last November, it was coming to this session for Executive Member approval in order to proceed.

The Design and Conservation Manager presented the item and outlined how DEFRA intended delivery to work. He noted that the responsible authority role may move from North Yorkshire Council to the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, as part of devolution developments and to channel funding. 

He advised that the Local Nature Recovery Strategy was intended to be embedded into local decision making. Strategic projects could be identified and project development facilitated, using the LNRS as a filter. Monitoring and reporting on strategic priorities would be undertaken via an embedded report phase.

The Executive Member welcomed this scheme, stating that unsurprisingly, residents supported the restoration of nature and having the LNRS as a formal strategy was particularly helpful. She said that she looked forward to hearing about the next steps from DEFRA.

With this said it was

Resolved:   That the Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency

                                            i.   Note the decision by North Yorkshire Council to publish the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).

                                          ii.   Accept the LNRS, as approved, as a statutory evidence base to inform planning decisions and plan-making.

Reason:      To ensure compliance with the Environment Act 2021.

This report invites the Executive Member for Economy and Culture to adopt the York Cultural Strategy on behalf of the city.

The strategy sets a clear direction for arts, heritage and cultural development, placing culture at the heart of York’s economic, social and civic future.  It describes how culture shapes how the city functions, how people create and engage with it, and how York’s culture attracts talent and investment to benefit residents across all our communities. In addition, it sets the clear ambition that York will be the first city to achieve cultural entitlement for all children and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Resolved:   That the Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economy and Culture commit the council to adopt the York Cultural Strategy.

Reason:

                                    i.          York continues to be internationally recognised for its exceptional heritage and unique arts offer.

                                   ii.          Residents and businesses in York benefit from York’s unique cultural offer, improving life outcomes and health and wellbeing.

                                 iii.          The cultural offer fuels our economy, supporting growth and regeneration.

                                 iv.          All residents will be able to participate and engage in culture, with a focus on inclusive and relevant activities.

The Chief Strategy Officer presented the report, which concerned the adoption of York’s Cultural Strategy. She invited the Executive Member to approve the Strategy on behalf of the city, noting that it had been developed in association with cultural and heritage organisations, and considered how to strengthen community engagement, create an inclusive environment to enable participation for all. She highlighted York’s unique, globally recognised heritage and culture as a source of pride.

The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy thanked officers and partners including North Yorkshire for their work on this strategy. He stressed that this strategy highlighted that culture was an inherent, evolving and organic concept, which made the people of York who they were. He praised the positivity of the strategy for encouraging civic pride and stridently contrasted this with enforcement and politicisation of culture evident elsewhere.

Resolved:   That the Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economy and Culture commit the council to adopt the York Cultural Strategy.

Reason:

                                    i.          York continues to be internationally recognised for its exceptional heritage and unique arts offer.

                                   ii.          Residents and businesses in York benefit from York’s unique cultural offer, improving life outcomes and health and wellbeing.

                                 iii.          The cultural offer fuels our economy, supporting growth and regeneration.

                                 iv.          All residents will be able to participate and engage in culture, with a focus on inclusive and relevant activities.