Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests 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 any of the business on the agenda.

Councillor Merrett declared personal non-prejudicial interests in Executive item 9 (Full Council Motion – ftr Concerns) as the ftr was one of his local bus services and in agenda item 5 (Sport and Physical Activity Planning) as he attended classes run by the College of Chinese Physical Culture.

Councillor Fraser declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Executive item 10 (York’s Local Area Agreement (LAA) – First Draft) as a member of Unison.

Councillor Kind declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Executive item 10 (York’s Local Area Agreement (LAA) – First Draft) as a foster carer for City of York Council.

Councillor Simpson-Laing declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 5 (Sport and Physical Activity Planning) as her daughter attended swimming lessons at The Mount School.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Shadow Executive meeting held on 6 September 2006.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the meeting of the Shadow Executive held on 6 September 2006 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Shadow Executive’s remit can do so. The deadline for registering is Tuesday 19 September 2006, at 10.00 am.

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

To consider the items on the agenda for the Executive meeting to be held on 26 September 2006, and to take a decision on whether to call-in any of these items.

Please note that the reports relating to these items will be published on the Council’s website on 15 September 2006. The website address is www.york.gov.uk  Copies of the Executive agenda and reports are also available for viewing at public libraries in York and can be obtained by telephoning Democracy Support Group on York (01904) 551088.

The Shadow Executive made the following comments on the Forward Plan at page 11 of the papers circulated for the Executive meeting to be held on 26 September 2006:

The Shadow Executive:

·  Note that some titles of items on the Forward Plan could be clearer, both for Members, but more particularly the public, eg: “Report to those charged with Governance” is in fact the District Auditor’s report.

·  May require Officer attendance at the relevant Shadow Executive meeting/s in respect of the following items (current Executive dates in brackets):

o Progress Report on IT Strategy 2002-2007 (10/10)

oFirst Corporate Finance & Performance Monitor (10/10)

oFirst Capital Monitor (10/10)

oAdmin Accommodation Project Update (10/10) (Assistant Director (Property Services) requested to attend)

oYork Neighbourhood Pride (10/10)

oCorporate Asset Management Plan (24/10)

oLeisure Facilities Strategy (24/10)

The Shadow Executive made the following comments on the draft minutes of the meeting of the Economic Development Partnership Board held on 20 June 2006, the minutes of the meeting of the Local Development Framework Working Group held on 31 July 2006 and the draft minutes of the meeting of the Local Development Framework Working Group held on 24 August 2006 at page 13 of the papers circulated for the Executive meeting to be held on 26 September 2006:

The Shadow Executive:

·  Note that minute 5 of the Economic Development Partnership Board does not record the comments made regarding the need for consultation on the objectives of the new Science City York Strategy Board with partners, including City of York Council, and the need to put in place arrangements for regular report backs by the Council’s representatives on the body in terms of maintaining accountabilities.

The Shadow Executive considered a report which was listed as item 6 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 26 September, at page 39.  The report sought to transfer the Freedom of Entry to the City to the newly formed Yorkshire Regiment.

Having discussed the issues set out in the report, the following comments were agreed:

The Shadow Executive:

·  Support the recommendations in the report.

RESOLVED:(i) That the Executive be asked to take the above comments into account when considering this item.

                        (ii)        That the item not be called in.

The Shadow Executive considered a report which was listed as item 7 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 26 September, at page 43.  The report asked the Executive to agree to the participation of the Council in a Company Limited by Guarantee to be known as Yorkshire Play that would promote and support the provision of quality play environments and the development of a qualified workforce across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Having discussed the issues set out in the report, the following comments were agreed:

The Shadow Executive:

·  Support the recommendations in the report.

RESOLVED:(i) That the Executive be asked to take the above comments into account when considering this item.

                        (ii)        That the item not be called in.

The Shadow Executive considered a report which was listed as item 8 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 26 September, at page 47.  The report responded to a Full Council motion concerning fares charged on bus services provided in the City by First York Ltd., which was referred to the Executive for consideration.

Having discussed the issues set out in the report, the following comments were agreed:

The Shadow Executive:

·  Question the factual accuracy of a number of statements in the report and request that it be brought back with information on comparative fare levels with both local operators and those in similar urban and metropolitan areas.

·  Note that the original Quality Partnership Agreement specifies 14 days notice must be given to the Council of changes to bus fares, contrary to paragraph 5 of the report.

·  Note that the content of the report is inadequate, given that officers had 8 months to prepare it.

·  Note that the original motion needs to be reconsidered by Full Council.

RESOLVED:(i) That the Executive be asked to take the above comments into account when considering this item.

                        (ii)        That the item not be called in.

The Shadow Executive considered a report which was listed as item 9 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 26 September, at page 55.  The report responded to a Full Council motion concerning the partnership agreement between City of York Council and First York with regards to the ftr, which was referred to the Executive for consideration.

Having discussed the issues set out in the report, the following comments were agreed:

The Shadow Executive:

·  Note that there is no visual indication of any intercom systems with the driver on the ftr, contrary to paragraph 14 of the report.

·  Request further reports from officers on the nature and content of their meetings and any Executive Member meetings with First York, and on what steps are being taken by First York as a result.

·  Note that the content of this report is therefore also inadequate.

·  Note that the original motion needs to be reconsidered by Full Council.

RESOLVED:(i) That the Executive be asked to take the above comments into account when considering this item.

                        (ii)        That the item not be called in.

The Shadow Executive considered a report which was listed as item 10 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 26 September, at page 61.  The report outlined York’s progress in developing its Local Area Agreement (LAA).  It asked the Executive to comment on the LAA and its development so far and to identify ways in which the first draft could be improved before final submission to the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber (GOYH) in December, and to endorse the first draft submission to GOYH by the end of September.

Having discussed the issues set out in the report, the following comments were agreed:

The Shadow Executive:

·  Welcome the work and effort that has gone into preparing the first draft of the LAA by officers and partners.

·  Nonetheless, consider that the document is incomplete and unbalanced and appears to lack clarity in terms of the nature of objectives and targets in the context of what is a 3 years delivery plan – for instance some PI’s are outputs, some PI’s are actions and some PI’s are outcomes.  Furthermore there are a number of PI’s that simply do not relate to the objectives to which they are attached.

·  Draw attention to confusion between what are environmental issues and what are sustainability issues and that both are seriously understated in the document.

·  Highlight that there are a number of other areas of weakness partly as a result of the 4 block arrangement.

·  Note, with regards to health, that there is a strong emphasis on older people but several other important groups are substantially omitted.

·  Highlight a lack of linkage between blocks and joining-up of the document as a whole, eg: healthy eating and physical activity are issues across all ages and social groups; the improving life chances objective for children and young people omits mental health and learning disability support.

·  Highlight the inadequate emphasis placed on tackling the major housing problems in the city.

·  In terms of the proposals for the reformation of the Without Walls initiative, oppose the loss of the Strategic Partnership level and its downgrading into a consultation forum, but recognise that there needs to be a small and effective delivery board arrangement, which should be called that.

RESOLVED:(i) That the Executive be asked to take the above comments into account when considering this item.

                        (ii)        That the item not be called in.

This report briefs the Shadow Executive on sport and physical activity planning.

Members received a report which briefed them on sport and physical activity planning.

Part A of the report provided an update on the development of strategic planning for physical activity, outlined the auditing process which had already taken place, and summarised some of the actions which had been identified in order to tackle inactivity in the city.  Part B of the report provided an update on the sport and facility audits and analysis that had been carried out by Active York and summarised some of the findings.

Maps setting out tier one and two provision in the four Active Leisure Zones in the city were circulated to Members.

RESOLVED:             That the report be noted.