Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might 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.  No interests were declared.

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 Executive’s remit may do so.  The deadline for registering is

5:00 pm on Monday, 26 November 2007.

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

To reconsider the decision taken on 20 November 2007 regarding the above item, if requested to do so by the Scrutiny Management Committee meeting on 26 November 2007.

Members re-considered the decisions made by the Executive on 20 November 2007 in respect of a report which presented a request from the Race Committee to extend the lease of York Racecourse to 99 years from 2008 and to make various other changes to update the lease.

The Executive decisions in respect of this item had been called in by Cllrs Scott, Merrett, Fraser, Gunnell and King and subsequently considered by the Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC) (Calling In) at a meeting on 26 November 2007.  The SMC (Calling In) had resolved:

“That Option B be approved and the decision referred back to the Executive for further consideration, with the recommendation that the Executive:

(i)                 Refer the lease back to Officers for further negotiations, in order to:

a.     Seek an automatic allocation from the lease income to cover ward matters, including:

·  Toilets

·  Policing

·  Local traffic management

·  Benefits for residents by means of a reduced cost of entry to the Racecourse for York Card holders;

b.     Investigate the possibility of providing access to the Racecourse from the southern side of the site.

(ii)               Agree, if it is found to be inappropriate to deal with these issues via the lease, on a sum of income from the lease to be automatically set aside to address the ward matters in Micklegate specified in (i)a above.

(iii)             Ask Officers to investigate measures being taken in other cities to deal with public order issues arising from sporting events.”

In response to questions from the Executive Leader, Officers confirmed their earlier advice that off-site costs could not be included in the lease but that there was nothing to prevent the Council from using lease income for those purposes.  The results of any further negotiations with the Racecourse could be brought back to Members within 2 to 3 months.

RESOLVED: That the recommendations of the SMC (Calling In) be approved and the lease referred back to Officers for further negotiation with the Racecourse on the matters set out in the SMC’s decision.

REASON:      In accordance with the requirement to re-consider the original decision of the Executive and in order to respond to the issues raised by the Calling-in Members and discussed at the SMC (Calling In) meeting.