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 Potter declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Executive Item 6 (Review of the Council’s Constitution – Minute 194 refers) as the Older People’s Champion and as a member of the Social Inclusion Working Group.

Cllr Fraser declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Executive Item 6 (Review of the Council’s Constitution – Minute 194 refers) in relation to staffing matters as a member of the retired section of Unison and Unite.

Cllr Scott declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Executive Item 6 (Review of the Council’s Constitution – Minute 194 refers) as the Children and Young Peoples Champion, and in Executive Item 7 (Theatre Royal Funding Agreement – Minute 195 refers) as a member of the Theatre Royal and as his partner was engaged in unpaid work experience at the Theatre Royal.

Cllr Looker declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Executive Item 7 (Theatre Royal Funding Agreement – Minute 195 refers) as an unpaid non voting secretary to the Theatre Royal Board.

To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting during consideration of any exempt information as detailed on the agenda for the Executive meeting to be held on 8 April 2008, under Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

RESOLVED:             That the press and public not be excluded from the meeting as there was no exempt information detailed on the agenda for the Executive meeting to be held on 8 April 2008, under Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Shadow Executive meeting held on 19 March 2008.

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 1 April 2008, 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 8 April 2008, 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 March 2008. 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 9 of the papers circulated for the Executive meeting to be held on 8 April 2008:

The Shadow Executive:

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

                  Executive on 22 April

§        Carbon Management: Strategy and Implementation Plan

§        Regional Transport Board Park and Ride Bid Result and Application to Use Contingency Funds

         Executive on 6 May

§        Residents Opinion Survey Results 2007/08

§        Use of LPSA2 Reward Grant

§        Gas Servicing – Future Procurement

§        Back Street Petition

§        A review and updating of the protocol governing the political management of the council for the 2008/09 year

The Shadow Executive considered a report which was listed as item 5 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 8 April 2008, at page 13.  The report presented the minutes of the most 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 Executive.

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

The Shadow Executive:

• supported the recommendations of the Board;
• agreed that it was long overdue and a long called for reform;
• highlighted that consultation had not been conducted with the Future York Group regarding the change of structure as indicated in the original report that went to the EDPB, and were surprised this was not mentioned in the minutes.

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 6 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 8 April 2008, at page 23. The report  asked Members to consider a number of proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution, with regard to the size of the Executive, Standing Orders, terms of reference for the Urgency Committee, clarification around working groups, Champions, and expansion of the role of the Standards Committee.

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

The Shadow Executive:

·        welcomed the recognition for changes to the Constitution but were disappointed that these were still not going far enough;

·        In relation to:-

·        Section A on Standards Committee – agreed with the need to continue to review whether non councillors should receive remuneration and look at other authorities’ practices for information.

·        Section C on Urgency Committee – suggested that a Human Resources Committee would be a better option. That committee should have sufficient importance to reflect the importance of the issue. In the meantime, the name should be Urgency and Staffing Matters Committee.

·        Section D on reducing Executive portfolios – welcomed the reduction in size of the Executive but highlighted that the issue of social inclusion was a cross cutting matter for this council; did not agree that social inclusion fitted into the Leisure portfolio; as there were currently no strategic portfolios in the Council structure recommended that the Leader should take that strategic role and ensure its development within each directorate; agreed that the Constitution needed to be amended to reflect the demise of the Executive Member and membership of the Social Inclusion Working Group and the Young People’s Working Group; agreed that there was a need to consider how social inclusion was addressed; were disappointed that the wording only refers to liaising with groups and this should be made stronger.

·        Section E on Economic Development Partnership Board – supported the Board’s recommendation for two councillors and agreed that Paragraph 19 of the report should read two and not three councillors.

·        Section F on Champions – agreed that these needed a defined role and suggested a job description containing rights of access to Council meetings/decision making structure and Standing Orders; agreed that there was a need to introduce an Equalities Champion; highlighted that there was a need to differentiate between the elected and non-elected champions when considering the roles.

·        Section G on Working Groups – highlighted that they always had concerns about the ability of Working Groups to participate within the Council decision making process and this needed to be addressed in the Constitution.

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 8 April 2008, at page 47.  The report, deferred from the Executive meeting on 25 March, asked Members to approve a new Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Theatre Royal. The additional information on this item requested by the Executive at the last meeting was included as an Annex.

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

The Shadow Executive:

• reiterated their comments from the last Shadow Executive meeting;
• recommended option 3;
• asked the Executive to consider giving an inflation increase for 2008/09 to the Theatre.

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.