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 the business on the agenda.

Councillor Merrett declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Executive item 7 (Reference Report: Public Places and Footstreets), in relation to the cycling issues, as an honorary member of the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) and a member of Cycling England.

Councillor Fraser declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Executive item 8 (Report of the Review on Jobs) as a member of the retired sections of Unison and the Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU).

Councillor Simpson-Laing declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Executive item 13 (York Northwest Area Action Plan) as she lived in the Northwest Area.

Councillor Merrett declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Executive item 13 (York Northwest Area Action Plan) as St Paul’s School, which his daughter attended, was in the Northwest Area.

RESOLVED:             That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following:

Annexes 1-4 to Executive Item 9(Improved Direct Communications with Residents) (minute 55 refers) on the grounds that they contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).  This information was classed as exempt under paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as revised by The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).

To approve and sign the minutes of the Shadow Executive meeting held on 5 September 2007.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the last meeting of the Shadow Executive held on 5 September 2007 be approved and signed 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 18 September 2007, at 5.00 pm.

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

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 25 September 2007:

The Shadow Executive:

1.      Welcome that their comments at the last meeting about the format of the update have been taken on board and that better descriptions of the items are included;

2.      Need details of slippage to be included and of when items are likely to be rescheduled;

3.      Agreed to provisionally request officers for the following items on the Executive Forward Plan:

Executive on 9 October

§   Waste Management Review

§   Parking Review

Executive on 23 October

§   Competition Policy

§   Community Management & Ownership of Council Property Assets

§   Waste PFI Update

The Shadow Executive considered a report which was listed as item 6 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 25 September 2007, at page 15.  The report presented the minutes of a recent meeting of the Economic Development Partnership Board and asked Members to consider the advice given by the Board in its capacity as an advisory body to the Council.  It also presented the minutes of recent meetings of the Local Development Framework Working Group and asked Members to consider the advice given by the Working Group in its capacity as an advisory body to the Executive.

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

The Shadow Executive:

1.      Note that it has taken a long time for the minutes to appear before the Executive;

2.      Express concern that there is no ownership of the issues raised;

3.      Highlight that these issues relating to the effectiveness of working groups in influencing policy and achieving objectives and the timeliness of reports to the Executive have been raised previously.

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 25 September 2007, at page 37.  The report informed the Executive of a decision made by the Executive Members for City Strategy and Advisory on 16 July 2007 to review the City’s footstreets and support the Minster’s Heritage Lottery Fund bid with funding, and sought approval to allocate £250,00 from the Council’s reserves from the 2006/07 underspend as part of this funding, in recognition of the significant economic benefits to the city of this proposal.

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

The Shadow Executive:

1.      Welcome the expansion of the footstreets scheme in York, building on the previous administration’s successful scheme;

2.      Note that there is a real need to increase the footstreets in peripheral streets such as Goodramgate;

3.      Highlight that there needs to be maintenance of the cycle route in the area of the Minster;

4.      Note that £250k is allocated through LTP2 to the project;

5.      Express the view that the call on reserves ought to be gauged against priorities in other parts of the city and note the neglect in other areas, such as Micklegate;

6.      Conclude that reserves should not be used, taking into account the budgetary position.

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 25 September 2007, at page 51.  The report sought to brief the Executive on the review on jobs, as requested in the Policy Prospectus.

Having discussed the issues set out in the report and questioned officers present at the meeting, the following comments were agreed:

The Shadow Executive:

1.      Note that the report fails to address the skills shortages of the 40 plus age group, especially following job losses at Terry’s, Nestle, British Sugar and in the rail industry;

2.      Highlight that it does not promote strategies for addressing income disparities and that information is still needed as to whether Science City York is producing intermediate jobs, which are better paid, for York residents;

3.      Note that Core Strategy documents are not reflected in the report;

4.      Note with concern the staff turnover and the failure of management to address the haemorrhaging of staff and the underlying causes of that within planning and city development.

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 25 September 2007, at page 61.  The report responded to the questions raised by the Executive at their meeting on 24 July 2007 when they agreed, in principle, to the introduction of a free delivery, civic publication for a trial period of 10 issues.

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

The Shadow Executive:

1.      Recommend Option 2, with a break clause following proper evaluation and customer satisfaction being evaluated.

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 25 September 2007, at page 91.  The report presented a Sustainable Street Lighting Strategy for approval.

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

The Shadow Executive:

1.      Support the objectives relating to better use of resources and environmental concerns, including light pollution;

2.      Have concerns about dimming and turning off lights;

3.      Recommend that further work is undertaken;

4.      Welcome the reinstatement of the painting and maintenance regime and hope that catch up work will be undertaken.

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 11 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 25 September 2007, at page 131.  The report set out proposals for a refreshed Corporate Strategy, which set out the long-term direction for the Council, and also for an overall corporate planning framework.

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

The Shadow Executive:

1.      Welcome the change indicated at bullet point 4 of Annex A but have concerns that the additional objective relating to climate change is too vague and requires focus;

2.      Reject the report as overarching strategic objectives are needed to provide vision and leadership, to provide strategy rather than detail.

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 12 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 25 September 2007, at page 143.  The report responded to a motion on the sale and production of foie gras, which was referred to the Executive for consideration by Full Council on 27 January 2007.

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

The Shadow Executive:

1.   Welcome the report and endorse the suggested actions.

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 13 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 25 September 2007, at page 149.  The report sought Members approval of the Issues and Options documents for the York Northwest Area Action Plan and sought agreement to undertake public consultation on them.  It also asked Members to delegate to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy, the approval of any changes arising from the Executive’s comments, and the approval of the final layout of the documents, the content of the Executive Summary, the consultation plan and the content of the accompanying consultation leaflet.

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

The Shadow Executive:

1.      Support Option 1 and in particular the 10 week consultation period, subject to the inclusion of the following amendments:

a)   To the Housing section to refer to the affordable housing issue in the introduction;

b)   To the Central Business District section to reiterate the view agreed at the LDF Working Group that exemplar designs should be expected, rather than just encouraged;

c)   To paragraph 4.72 of the report, relating to transport, to emphasise that the primary solution should be public transport based and ensure that it does not give mixed messages compared to the rest of the document;

d)   To question 13 of the questionnaire, relating to leisure, to include reference to indoor sports and community facilities.

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.

Members will receive a presentation on the IT Strategy 2007-2012, which is on the Forward Plan for an Executive meeting in October.

Members received a presentation on the IT Strategy 2007-2012, which was on the Forward Plan for an Executive meeting in October.

The presentation covered the following areas and a handout summarising these was circulated to Members:

·  Key themes of the existing strategy (2002-07);

·  Progress made;

·  Drivers for the new strategy (including the Corporate Strategy, the Community Strategy, the Local Area Agreement, the White Paper on Strong and Prosperous Communities, and Hungate);

·  Direction of travel from a support service to a change agent;

·  Scope of the new strategy;

·  Strategic objectives;

·  Shaping questions and next steps.

Members then discussed the issues raised and put comments and questions to the Head of IT&T.

Members recorded their thanks to the Head of IT&T for the presentation.

RESOLVED:             That the presentation be noted.