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 other than the standing declarations, that they might have in the business on the agenda.

Councillor D’Agorne declared a personal non prejudicial interest in item 8(Update on Broadway Shops), as the instigator of the original Councillor Call for Action.

Councillor Pierce declared a personal non prejudicial interest in item 6(2009/10 Finance and Performance Monitor 3 Report) as a member of York Travellers Trust.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Economic & City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 26 January 2010.

Councillor Pierce asked Officers in relation to an action in the minutes from the last meeting, if information had been circulated to Members in relation to which Local Area Agreement targets and Performance Indicators had been met and which needed further attention.

The Scrutiny Officer said that she would clarify whether the information had been provided.

RESOLVED:        That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2010 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

It is at this point in the meeting that members of the public who have registered their wish to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is by 5.00pm on Monday 8 March 2010. Members of the public can speak on specific agenda items or matters within the remit of the committee.

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

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

 However, Councillor Alexander spoke on item 4(Feasibility Report Acceptance of Euros by York Businesses) as the  original Councillor who registered the topic. He spoke briefly in support of his topic.

This reports asks Members to consider the feasibility of a scrutiny topic registered by Councillor James Alexander regarding the acceptance of Euros by York Businesses. 

Members received a report from Officers on the feasibility of a proposed scrutiny topic relating to the acceptance of Euros by York Businesses.

RESOLVED:             (i)         To receive a presentation from Mr Martin at Visit York on his findings from the Gillygate pilot.¹

(ii)That the decision to proceed with a review be deferred until after the presentation from Mr Martin.

(iii)That the item be added to the work plan.

REASON:                  In order to address the issues highlighted in the topic registration form.          

This report responds to questions raised by this Scrutiny Committee at the meeting of 29 September 2009. The report also serves to make Members aware of the proposals, now approved in principal by the Executive of the Council, to replace the tokens distribution for 2011/12 with a stored value ‘smart’ taxi-card system.  

Members received a report from Officers on the distribution of travel tokens. This report updated Members on proposals which had been agreed in principle by the Council’s Executive to replace the tokens distribution for 2011/12 with a stored value ‘smart’ taxi-card system.

Officers were asked by Members as to what would happen to unused travel tokens when the new taxi card system came into operation in April. They commented that they would continue to collect them until National Transport Tokens Limited decided not to accept them.

RESOLVED:             (i)            That the report be noted.

(ii)That the decision taken by the Executive, in principle for the introduction of a taxi-card to replace the distribution of tokens.

REASON:                  The Council cannot fully calculate the redemption of tokens as they are anonymous. As a result of this they have no identifying features of where they have been issued(for example in York or elsewhere) or to which financial year they relate. The taxi card would ensure that the Council has a clear record of all expenditure and would receive reimbursement at the end of each financial year for any credit remaining on the cards.

This report provides details of the 2009/10 forecast outturn position for both finance and performance in City Strategy and Housing Services. 

Members received a report which provided details of the 2009/10 forecast outturn position for both finance and performance in City Strategy and Housing Services.

Officers reported that the key issues in the figures provided in the report were:

Ø      The effect of the national economic downfall

Ø      The downturn in the submission of major planning applications

Ø      An overspend in the provision of concessionary bus fares

Officers corrected Paragraph 10 on page 42 of the agenda. The figure for Economic Development should have read £-15k not £-152k.

Members discussed the report and made the following comments and observations:

Ø      That Paragraph 13 on page 43 of the agenda could suggest that the Traveller community are getting considerable subsidies for utilities and repairs on their sites.

Ø      That if Peaseholme Hostel did not remain empty, that savings that could be made.

Officers responded that £13k of the Housing General budget goes to the York Traveller Trust and that the additional figures given related to utility costs. They added at one site, Osbaldwick, there were problems with the electrical supply and that a generator had to be hired to handle the increased demand.

In relation to Peaseholme Hostel, Officers replied that there had been a Corporate decision made to demolish the buildings as a matter of urgency and for it and the old Yorkshire Ambulance Station to be used for employment usage.

Discussion highlighted further points:

Ø      The saving produced by a reduction of temporary Bed and Breakfast accommodation provided to the homeless.

Ø      Savings produced by the relocation of existing services from Housing Repairs and Property Services.

Ø      The creation of a Housing Repair Partnership and how this would offer a more streamlined delivery.

Ø      That the speed camera trials have not moved forward as quickly as first hoped.

RESOLVED:             That the report be noted.

REASON:            To update the committee with the latest finance and performance information.

This report provides Members with update information on the implementation of recommendations made as a result of previously completed scrutiny reviews on Guidance for Sustainable Development and Planning Enforcement.

Members received a report on the implementation of recommendations arising from two previous scrutiny reviews, namely:

Ø      Guidance for Sustainable Development

Ø      Planning Enforcement

Guidance for Sustainable Development

Members discussed the recommendations arising from the review on the Guidance for Sustainable Development.

They questioned the slow progress of implementing these recommendations.

Members acknowledged that this was very closely linked to the Local Development Framework(LDF) process.

Members did not feel that they could sign off, as implemented, any of the outstanding recommendations and asked that this brought back to a future meeting.

Planning Enforcement

Members discussed the recommendations arising from this review and decided to sign off as complete the following recommendations; 1(ii), 1(iii),3,6,7,8 and 9 as set out in Annex B to the report.

This left several outstanding recommendations which were discussed and the following comments were made by both Officers and Members;

Ø      Recommendation 1(i)- work is ongoing and implementation is imminent

Ø      Recommendation 4(i)- implementation is imminent

Ø      Recommendation 4(ii)- implementation is imminent

Ø      Recommendation 5(i)- Building Control are currently testing a ‘tablet device’ and it is hoped that the results will be known soon.

Ø      Recommendation 5(ii)- This is still outstanding as the First Response kits have been purchased but that training on how to use them still needs to take place.

The outstanding recommendations arising from this review will be rescheduled on the work plan for consideration at a later meeting.

RESOLVED:           (i)That the outstanding recommendations arising from Guidance on Sustainable Development be added to the work plan.¹

(ii)               That the outstanding recommendations arising from Planning Enforcement be added to the work plan.²

REASON:                  To raise awareness of those recommendations which have still to be implemented. 

This report provides Members with an update on the outcome of the facilitated discussion that took place on Wednesday 10 February 2010.

Members received an update report on the outcome of the facilitated discussion which took place on Wednesday 10 February 2010.

The Scrutiny Officer clarified that Paragraph 40 of the report should have read “The Council representative to investigate whether it is legal for delivery vehicles to share space with the bus stop.” This point should also be clarified within the context  of Paragraph 32 of the report.

It was also noted that Paragraph 17 of the report should have read “Further discussion ensued and it was decided, in principle, that this would be a beneficial thing to do; with the entrance at the Hairdressers end and the exit at the Post Office end of the service road.”

Councillor D’Agorne, who had originally submitted this CCfA, thanked all those who had been involved so far.

RESOLVED:      (i) To note the report.

(ii)      That a further report be brought to the committee after the next facilitated discussion had taken place.¹

REASON:           To address the concerns raised in this CCfA in light of the difficulties pertaining to private land ownership and the Council’s legal status in relation to this.

Members are asked to review the Committee’s work plan for 2010. Extracts from the Forward Plan are included for Members’ information.

Members considered the work plan for the Economic and City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee for 2010.

As a result of this meeting, it has been agreed that the following items be added to the work plan:

Ø      To receive a presentation from Mr Martin of Visit York (minute 49 refers) and that this be provisionally booked in for the meeting on 13 July 2010.

Ø      The implementation of recommendations arising from previous scrutiny reviews on Sustainable Development and Planning Enforcement(minute 52 refers)

Ø      A further update report on the Broadway Shops CCfA (minute 53 refers)

Members considered the Forward Plan items attached to the agenda and agreed that they would like to receive reports on:

Ø      York Northwest

Ø      Traffic Arrangements at York Station

RESOLVED:       That the reports detailed above be added to the work plan of this committee.

REASON:            To assist in the planning of work for this Committee.