Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Members were asked to declare any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, any prejudicial interests or any disclosable pecuniary interests which they might have in respect of business on the agenda.  No additional interests were declared.

It is at this point in the meeting that members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Monday 10 October. Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the committee.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast or audio recorded and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission.  The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts  or,if sound recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809.pdf

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme on the following item.

3. Called-in Item Pre-Decision: Park and Ride Service Operator Procurement

Mr Dave Merrett spoke on the importance of the Park and Ride service to the City of York. He expressed his concerns around the air quality in the city, and the public health impact this had. He suggested that due to the importance of this issue that the council consider part purchasing electric vehicles for the purposes of this service.

This report sets out a brief background to the item “Park and Ride Service Operator Procurement” which has been called in for pre-decision scrutiny ahead of consideration by the Executive at their meeting on 13 October 2016.  The report also outlines the options available to this committee under the agreed pre-decision call in arrangements.

Members received a report which set out a brief background to the issue called-in and the role of, and options available to, the Committee under the agreed pre-decision call-in arrangements.

In accordance with the arrangements for pre-decision scrutiny call-in, three Members (Councillors Craghill, D’Agorne and Kramm) had called in the item for the following reasons:

‘The park and ride service is a key component in our Local Transport Plan and in our policies for developing a sustainable transport system in York; it also plays a key part in our local economy, reducing congestion and underpinning sustainable access to employment, learning, retail and leisure opportunities, whilst having a key role in our public health objectives to reduce air pollution.

This item is presumably either to sign off or preparatory to signing off a contract for 8 years and is therefore an important opportunity to use this very attractive contract to influence sustainable and accessible public transport in the city – as such, we believe it should have full cross-party discussion in the light of the results of the procurement exercise before any decision is made.’

Councillor Craghill spoke on behalf of the call-in Members. She stated that they felt the committee should discuss the whole approach to the operation of the Park and Ride service. She suggested that clean buses were essential to meeting the Council’s commitment to Euro 6 emission standards and the 2012 Low Emission Strategy to become a Clean Air Zone by 2018.

She proposed the following changes could be made to the Park and Ride Service:

·        Zero emission vehicles in congested areas

·        Increasing passenger numbers by providing extra stops

·        Later running Thu – Sun with accompanying advertising

·        Overnight/weekend parking provision

·        Schemes to pay before you board and more discounts etc.

In response to Member questions Councillor Craghill stated:

·        It was felt by the call-in Members that the council were still in the negotiating period and that looking at tenders from a public health point of view was equally important as a financial one.

·        That, as York Park and Ride was one of the most successful in the country, it was unlikely that asking for such changes to the tender would mean that the service would cease altogether.

·        That although the call-in Members had no specific recommendations they wanted to see a high quality, frequent service alongside a maintenance/improvement in air quality.

The Executive Member for Planning and Transport spoke in response to the points made by the call-in Members. He stated that that none of the bidders for Park & Ride Services had met the Council’s procurement desires. He said this issue had already been discussed by the committee and that scrutiny requests had been considered as part of the procurement process. The Executive Member explained that, at this point in the process, he did not want to pre-empt discussion that would take place on this matter at the Executive meeting on 13 October 2016.

In response to Member questions the Executive Member clarified:

·        That, due to commercial  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.