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.

Cllr Fraser declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Executive Agenda items 7 and 11 (Minutes 66 and 70 refers) as a member of the retired section of Unison and TGWU.

Cllr Fraser declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Executive Agenda item 11 (Minute 70 refers) as a potential purchaser of visitor permits in Respark zones and left the room during discussion of this item.

Cllr Scott declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Executive Agenda items 7 and 11 (Minutes 66 and 70 refers) as a member of Unite – T & G section.

Cllr Scott declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Executive Agenda item 11 (Minute 70 refers) as a holder of a Respark permit and left the room during discussion of this item.

Cllr Simpson-Laing declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Executive Agenda item 11 (Minute 70 refers) as she worked for a charity that received free permits.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Shadow Executive meeting held on 19 September 2007.

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 2 October 2007, at 5.00 pm.

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

To consider the items on the agenda for the Executive meeting to be held on 9 October 2007, 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 28 September 2007. 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 13 of the papers circulated for the Executive meeting to be held on 9 October 2007:

The Shadow Executive:

·        noted that the forward plan was still not in tabular form as previously requested to show slippage;

·        agreed to provisionally request officers for the following items on the Executive Forward Plan:

         Executive on 23 October

§        Competition Policy

§        Community Management & Ownership of Council Property Assets

§        Waste PFI Update

§        Leisure Facilities Strategy (Swimming)

Executive on 6 November

§        Discus Bungalows – Preferred Partner

§         Thin Client Management Arrangements

The Shadow Executive considered a report which was listed as item 6 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 9 October 2007, at page 17.  The report advised Members of progress made within the Supporting People (SP) programme in York, the key priorities for the Programme and the implications for the Council, as requested as the meeting of the Executive Members for Housing & Adult Social Services on 16 July 2007.

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

The Shadow Executive:

·        noted 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 9 October 2007, at page 41.  The report provided details of the headline performance issues from the performance monitor session on the 26^th September 2007. It also built on this to present the latest projection of the Council’s revenue income and expenditure for the current year.

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

The Shadow Executive:

• noted at paragraph 12 and Annex 2, table 2, that stress related staff sickness may have halved but this did not mean that stress had halved;
• noted that the table at paragraph 13 was incorrect compared to Annex 2, table 4;
• noted the report and awaited the outcome of the review on measures proposed for dealing with staff sickness absence;
• noted the continuing disappointing performance under the Lib Dem administration as shown in Annex 3 (CPA forecast).

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 9 October 2007, at page 115.  The report informed Members of the likely outturn position of 2007/08 Capital Programme based on the spend profile and information to August 2007, reflecting the capital monitor one reports taken to Executive Member and Advisory Panel (EMAP) meetings for each portfolio. It also informed Members of any under or overspends and sought approval for any resulting changes  to the programme, informed them of any slippage and sought approval for the associated funding to be slipped to or from the financial years to reflect this, and informed them of the funding position of the Capital Programme, taking account of the current capital receipts forecasts for the four year Capital Programme.

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

The Shadow Executive:

·        noted 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 9 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 9 October 2007, at page 135.  The report provided information on the key risks identified through deployment of the risk management strategy and detailed progress made in embedding risk management arrangements across the Council.

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

The Shadow Executive:

·        were concerned whether there had been sufficient embedding with officers and members, as shown at paragraph 10 by the number of items which had been highlighted for a number of years.

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 9 October 2007, at page 151.  The report considered what actions need to be taken during the period from 2007/08 to 2013/14 to help meet challenges relating to waste management prior to the Waste Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract becoming operational. It asked Members to consider a range of recommendations and initiatives that had been identified to reduce the risk of the Council incurring fines through the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) by operating within our allowances.

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

The Shadow Executive:

• agreed with paragraph 145;
• supported paragraphs 146 and 147, in particular supporting further recycling into terraced and difficult to access properties to provide an equitable service, but did not agree to fortnightly collection of residual waste and the pilot should be conducted on that basis;
• agreed that paragraph 148 could not be properly costed as the pilot had not been done;
• agreed with paragraphs 149, 150, 151 and 152;
• agreed that recycling should be promoted in school as part of the educative process and this should include free recycling for schools;
• agreed that a complete delivery plan needed to be established rather than a piecemeal approach;
• welcomed and supported an annual 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 11 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 9 October 2007, at page 185.  The report summarised the outcome of a review of parking services, outlined the results of an in depth review of the enforcement, administration and management of parking services and recommended opportunities for improvements. It included consideration of and recommendations  on a number of parking issues from 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:

• were concerned about the long wait for the report and the failure of management and financial controls;
• reserved their position on the detailed annexes that were not included with the report;
• reserved their position on budget issues;
• noted the level of Respark charge and the relative high costs that York residents faced in comparison with other areas of the country which was due to the doubling of charges by the Lib Dem administration;
• were concerned about the inequitable distribution of enforcement costs to Respark schemes.

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.