Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To confirm arrangements for chairing the meeting as follows:

Councillor XXX – All standard agenda items 1-5.

Councillor XXX – Agenda item 6 – ‘Please insert report title here’  

Councillor XXX – Agenda item 7 – ‘Please insert report title here’

Continue as above

Councillor XXX – Agenda item X – Urgent Business -

Resolved: That arrangements for Chairing the meeting were confirmed as follows:

 Councillor Webb – All standard agenda items 1-5, and agenda item 8 – Preparation for Adulthood Strategy.

Councillor Pavlovic – Agenda items 6, To consider and approve for publication planning guidance, and 7 – Gypsy and Traveller Action Plan – Annual Update, and agenda item 9 – Urgent Business.

To receive and note apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Lomas.

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.

(1)  Members must consider their interests, and act according to the following:

(2) Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member

concerned or their spouse/partner.

(3) Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months

must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget

calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction

applies to them. A failure to comply with these requirements is a

criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government

Finance Act 1992.

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.

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 3 July 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 reported that there was one registration to speak under the Council’s public participation protocol.

Denise Craghill spoke as Vice Chair of the York Green Party in relation to agenda item 6, to consider and approve for publication planning guidance, and highlighted concerns in recent changes to the planning system. She expressed that there used to be a feeling of public involvement within the planning system that is no longer there and urged the Executive Members to consider residents’ views in relation to this. She then noted that the non-statutory guidance notes had not been publicly consulted on and was unclear on what weight the guidance would carry in decision making.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Combined Executive Member Decision Session held on 2 June 2026.

Resolved: That the minutes of the Combined Executive Member Decision Session on 2 June 2026 be approved and signed as a correct record.

This report seeks the Executive Member’s decision to publish the non-statutory planning guidance at Annexes A-E to support the adopted Local Plan. Non-statutory guidance will provide clarity to applicants, decision-makers and stakeholders on the interpretation and application of Local Plan policies.

Resolved: That the Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities:

·      Supported and approved publication of the draft non-statutory planning guidance, subject to liaison with Officers in providing more detail in the hot food takeaway non-statutory Guidance to clarify how ‘places where children and young people congregate’ had been determined.

·      Delegated authority to the Director of City Development to approve any recommended changes and/or minor factual updates required to the planning guidance; and to approve of changes not requiring approval from a further Combined Executive Member Decision Session.

Reason: To enable publication of the guidance to support the implementation of the Local Plan policies and support consistent, high-quality development and decision-making.

The Strategic Planning Policy Manager, Head of Strategic Planning Policy, and Director of Public Health presented the report and noted that the guidance notes support speeding up decision making and that there was a focus on responding to changes more quickly if there were any future statutory changes to planning that required further decision-making from the Executive Members.

The restriction on hot food takeaway as proposed within the report was included following investigation and had been added to the guidance following national guidance issued and followed an evidence-based focus on children’s health.

A correction was reported to the charts seen within Annex C of the report, on page 67 of the agenda, in that the second graph chart underneath “Childhood obesity rates in York have risen considerably over the last decade” should read: “Year 6 Prevalence of Overweight (including obesity)”.

In response raised during Public Participation, it was reported that a consultation strategy had been prepared and an external consultation would be sought if required.

In response to questions from the Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities, the Strategic Planning Policy Manager, Head of Strategic Planning Policy, and Director of Public Health confirmed that:

·      The aim of the guidance notes was not to form new policy, but to incorporate and develop what is already part of the policy into adapted guidance.

·      Internal consultation had been undertaken with Executive Members, Ward Councillors, and departments. The public were not statutory consultees.

Resolved: That the Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities:

·      Supported and approved publication of the draft non-statutory planning guidance, subject to liaison with Officers in providing more detail in the hot food takeaway non-statutory Guidance to clarify how ‘places where children and young people congregate’ had been determined.

·      Delegated authority to the Director of City Development to approve any recommended changes and/or minor factual updates required to the planning guidance; and to approve of changes not requiring approval from a further Combined Executive Member Decision Session.

Reason: To enable publication of the guidance to support the implementation of the Local Plan policies and support consistent, high-quality development and decision-making.

This report provides an update on some of the work which has taken place over the past 12 months and includes an updated version of the action plan which will run for the next 12-month period for Executive Member approval.

Resolved: That the Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities:

·      Noted the work undertaken since the report to Executive on 3 June 2025.

·      Supported and approved the action plan for the next 12 months, subject to an amendment in the wording of ‘negotiated stopping’ to ‘preferred stopping areas’, in liaison with Officers.

Reasons: To set out clear and measurable actions for the coming year which aim to improve the outcomes of Gypsy and Traveller communities.

The Head of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Assistant Director of Housing, and Director of Housing and Community Services presented the report, highlighting the work of the Travellers Trust and provided an update on progress made on the action plan over the past 12 months. The focus of the Action Plan was on housing, health, education, community safety, and access to council services.

It was reported that the wording around negotiated stopping did not meet the definition as understood by Gypsy and Traveller organisations, including York Travellers Trust, and therefore further discussions with these organisations, including around the identification of land where authorised stopping would take place, were required.

The Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities highlighted the need to work with organisations on the definition of negotiated stopping in order to support the reduction in disruption experienced by the Gypsy and Traveller Community. In response to questions from the Executive Member, the Head of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Assistant Director of Housing, and Director of Housing and Community Services confirmed that:

·      There were plans for the production of a non-statutory guidance document around pitch design and requirements and for finding alternative sites for the Gypsy and Traveller Community to those identified within the local plan.

·      A ‘scoping stage’ consultation for the Local Plan and a Call for Sites were expected to commence shortly which would be inclusive of Gypsy and Traveller Communities and land for the Communities. Although Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) had been abolished, non-statutory planning guidance, where necessary to add clarity to the Local Plan policies, would be produced. Following the consultation and call for sites, a decision on the production of a ‘Supplementary Plan’ for Gypsy and Traveller communities would be taken.

·      Advice received from the Planning Inspectorate confirmed that a ‘master plan’ should be prepared before any existing site is expanded, and that work on this plan was currently ongoing; the expansion of the site at Water Lane, Clifton had started following approval from the Planning Inspectorate.

The Executive Member welcomed the feedback received from the Corporate Scrutiny Committee, including the recommendation for this to be built into the Scrutiny briefing process or councillor development programme; the Executive Member discussed the possibility of training regarding the Gypsy and Traveller Action Plan to be included within Member Induction Training for the municipal year 2027-2028.

Resolved: That the Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities:

·      Noted the work undertaken since the report to Executive on 3 June 2025.

·      Supported and approved the action plan for the next 12 months, subject to an amendment in the wording of ‘negotiated stopping’ to ‘preferred stopping areas’, in liaison with Officers.

Reasons: To set out clear and measurable actions for the coming year which aim to improve the outcomes of Gypsy and Traveller communities.

The strategy sets out a three-year approach for the city and establishes a clearer and more joined-up framework for preparation for adulthood in York. It brings together work that currently sits across several plans, pathways and services into one shared direction.

Resolved: That the Executive Members for Children, Young People and Education, and Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care supported and approved the Preparation for Adulthood Strategy 2026–2031.

Reason: To establish a shared citywide framework for preparation for adulthood and improve outcomes for young people with SEND.

The Head of Disabled Children’s Service (DSCO), Assistant Director of Adult Social Care, and Assistant Director, Education and Skills presented the report, highlighting that Send Central would see a development of the Preparation for Adulthood zone and team. The opening of Send Central would open up availability for advice from professionals and volunteers in one place, helping people to better understand the support available to them. The strategy had been co-produced by Children and Adult Services in order to help support people in transferring to adulthood.

Feedback received from the People Scrutiny Committee was expressed and the DCSO highlighted the strategy’s four key priorities as seen within the report. Challenges presented included the combination of face to face and online appointments at different times of the day, but the strategy represented ambition in bringing services together.

Resolved: That the Executive Members for Children, Young People and Education, and Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care supported and approved the Preparation for Adulthood Strategy 2026–2031.

Reason: To establish a shared citywide framework for preparation for adulthood and improve outcomes for young people with SEND.