Agenda

To receive and note apologies for absence.

At this point in the meeting, 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.

(Please see attached sheet for further guidance.)

At this point in the meeting, any member of the public who has registered to address the Council, or to ask a Member of the Council a question, on a matter directly relevant to the business of the Council or the City, may do so.

The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Tuesday, 24 March 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 public meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission.  The remote public meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Budget Council meeting held on 12 February 2026.

To consider any announcements made by the Lord Mayor in respect of Civic business.

To consider any petitions received from Members in accordance with Standing Order B6. 

Notice has been received of four petitions to be presented by:

·      Councillor Warters on behalf of local residents to maintain open access for vehicles on Ouse Bridge and Rougier Street.

·      Councillor Waller on behalf of residents of Cornlands Road, calling on City of York Council to develop a road safety scheme to protect residents and their vehicles from further collisions on Cornlands Road.

·      Councillor Fisher on behalf of the residents of Sheriff Hutton Road, Strensall, to introduce a 40mph speed limit along Sheriff Hutton Road from the former Pigott’s Autoparts centre to the current 30mph limit.

·      Councillor Fisher on behalf of residents of Sheriff Hutton Road, Strensall, to install a footpath along Sheriff Hutton Road from the Manor Park site as far as Strensall Cemetery.

To receive and consider a report from the Leader of the Council and Executive providing an update on key activity since the last Council meeting.

To ask questions of the Leader of the Council and/or Executive Members in respect of any matter within their portfolio responsibility, in accordance with Standing Order B8.

To receive and consider for approval the recommendations of Executive, as set out in the attached Part B minute.

To receive a report from Councillor Fenton, Chair of Corporate Scrutiny Committee, on the work of Scrutiny.

To receive a report from the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer presenting constitutional changes in relation to revised Joint Standards Committee Procedures and Associated Required Amendments.

To receive a report from the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer which seeks approval from Council to enter into a section 101 agreement with York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (CA) to allow City of York Council (CYC) to continue providing the public transport functions within CYC’s Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs).

To receive a report from the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer, which seeks Council’s agreement to the appointment of Mark Fynn, Stuart Gibb, and Matt Williams to the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP), and the commencement of the 2026 IRP review.

To consider the following Motions on Notice under Standing Order B10:

1)   Protecting York’s Independent Patient Voice – Healthwatch

To be moved by Councillor Steels-Walshaw

Council notes:

·      That Healthwatch York has for over a decade provided an independent and trusted route for residents to share their experiences of health and social care, particularly for people who feel unable to raise concerns directly with service providers;

·      That this independence enables and supports transparency, learning and improvement across the health and social care system;

·      National proposals within the NHS 10-Year Plan and the Penny Dash Review would bring statutory Healthwatch functions into a new Patient Experience Directorate within the Department of Health and Social Care, with local voice functions embedded within NHS bodies and local authorities;

·      That these proposals require primary legislation, and local Healthwatch services will continue to operate until any such legislation is enacted;

·      A wide range of national organisations, including respected health policy bodies, have highlighted the importance of maintaining strong, independent mechanisms for the service user’s voice to be heard.

Council recognises:

·      The value of an independent voice in supporting residents to speak openly about their experiences, including those in vulnerable circumstances;

·      The contribution Healthwatch York makes to local insight, system learning, and partnership working across health and social care in the city;

·      The importance of ensuring that any future arrangements continue to provide a clear, accessible and independent mechanism for people to share their views and experiences.

Council resolves to express its strong support and appreciation for Healthwatch York for representing the views of service users locally for over a decade, and for the work of York’s Health and Care Partnership Executive Committee in continuing to promote the importance of Healthwatch’s work, including keeping this independent function within the York health system.

Council further resolves to:

·      Request the Council Leader writes to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care requesting a review of the proposed legislative changes, to ensure that any future model continues to provide a robust, truly independent and trusted mechanism for representing patient and public voices; and

·      Request the Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Care, including as Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, works constructively with local partners, including the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, local MPs and voluntary and community sector organisations, as well as York’s Health and Care Partnership, to promote and protect independent advocacy for York residents.

2)   Fair votes for all

To be moved by Councillor Hook

Council notes that:

·      The First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system originated when parliament was dominated by land-owning aristocrats and the vote restricted to property-owning men.

·      In Europe, only the UK and authoritarian Belarus still use single-round FPTP for general elections. By contrast, more than 80 countries worldwide use forms of Proportional Representation (PR).

·      The 2024 General Election delivered the most disproportional and unrepresentative Parliament in British electoral history. The winning party was elected with 63.2% of MPs (411 out of 650) on a UK vote  ...  view the full agenda text for item 14.

To receive a report from the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer inviting members to agree the calendar of meetings for the 2026-27 municipal year.

Any other business which the Chair considers urgent under the Local Government Act 1972.

Contact details:

Guy Close, Democratic Services Manager

Mobile – (07922) 517103

E-mail – guy.close@york.gov.uk