Agenda

To receive and note apologies for absence.

At this point in the meeting, Members and co-opted 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 for Members]

To approve and sign the minutes of the Council meeting held on 19 September 2024.

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

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, 19 November 2024.

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 consider any petitions received from Members in accordance with Standing Order B5.  Notice has been received of three petitions to be presented by:

i)             Cllr Runciman regarding installing a crossing urgently to enable residents, particularly those who are elderly or disabled to get to the Folk Hall and all its facilities safely from the opposite side of the road.

ii)            Cllr Douglas regarding a tourism tax for York.

iii)          Cllr Clarke regarding saving Foss Bank Sainsbury’s.

 To receive and consider a written report from the Leader and ask questions on the work of the Executive, and to consider the Executive recommendations for approval, as set out below:

To consider the following Motions on Notice under Standing Order B13:

Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Standing Order 22.1

i)   From Cllr Baxter

Protecting more of York’s Community Assets

“Council notes the important role local assets play in supporting York’s communities to thrive. It further notes the broad range of valued local facilities and venues from community centres to pubs, from cinemas to music venues to green spaces and much more.

Council believes that the shift in shopping habits away from the high street, often leaving long-term empty retail units, poses questions for communities and their representatives around broadening the definition of what makes a community asset and how to ensure productive use of local buildings.

Further, council notes the Government’s plans, to start in 2026, to reduce business rates for high street retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, with the aim of creating a more level playing field with online retailers and reducing the number of high street business closures.

Council welcomes:

•      the Government’s plans to introduce a Community Right to Buy and commitment to strengthen the powers available to communities, including a first refusal on a wider range of Assets of Community Value (ACVs), and doubling the time period for communities to raise finance to buy ACVs from six months to twelve;

·        the role that local people, community groups and other organisations have played in saving and breathing new life into once forgotten or at-risk venues through ACV nominations like New Earswick and District Indoor Bowling Club, Holgate Community Garden and Strensall Library, which should be celebrated.

Council resolves:

•      to support individuals and community groups interested in protecting or acquiring an asset by sharing information with them on local and national funders. This includes making links with and working with organisations such as Plunkett UK, Music Venue Trust and Power to Change;

•      to commit to supporting further work to ensure processes for protecting and acquiring community assets are as accessible as possible;

•      to request its scrutiny function considers how best the council can:

1.   Promote adding to the local register of Assets of Community Value;

2.   Make it easier for residents and community groups to nominate an ACV;

3.   Celebrate the success stories of ACVs in our community to encourage new nominations;

4. prepare for law changes on the Community Right to Buy in securing a wider range of ACVs.”

ii)    From Cllr Mason

Protecting York’s Primary and Social Care providers

“Council notes

-         The 1.2% increase in Employers National Insurance, the decrease in the threshold to start paying Employers National Insurance from £9,100 to £5,000 and the increase in the allowance to £10,500.

-         That these changes will not apply to the public sector, with public bodies being reimbursed for the additional Tax.

-         The Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey MP, calling on the government to exclude social care providers from the increase in National Insurance.

-         The Labour Council’s recent decision to cut £450,000 worth of contracts  ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

To question the Leader and/or Executive Members in respect of any matter within their portfolio responsibility, in accordance with Standing Order B11.

To receive a written report from the Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion, and to question the Executive Member thereon, in accordance with Standing Orders B9 and B10.

To receive a report from Councillor Fenton, Chair of the Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee (CSCCSMC), on the work of the Committee.

To consider the recommendations for approval set out below:

To consider the recommendations for approval set out below:

This report presents for consideration and approval by Council the draft Corporate Calendar of meetings from May 2025 to May 2026, attached as Annex A.

The purpose of the report is to present for approval the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for 2024-2025.

To report to Council on the use of Special Urgency procedures, as required by legislation, and as set out within the City of York Council Constitution and to report, for information, the instances where General Exception (i.e. Urgency) Procedures were used.

To consider the appointments and changes to membership of committees and outside bodies set out on the list attached to this summons.

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

Interim Democratic Services Manager

Louise Cook

Contact details:

·      Telephone – (01904) 551031

·        Email louise.cook@york.gov.uk