Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, 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, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests, other than those listed on the standing declarations attached to the agenda, that they might have in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Runciman declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4 (Draft Final Report- Youth Unemployment Scrutiny Review) as a Governor of York College.

No other interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Economic & City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 29 January 2013.

RESOLVED:       That the minutes of the meeting of the Economic and City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 29 January 2013 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 Monday 25 March 2013 at 5pm.

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 one registration to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Mr Les Popely spoke on Agenda Item 4 (Draft Final Report arising from the Scrutiny Review around Youth Unemployment). He felt that a greater amount of voluntary work experience for young people should be provided in schools for the 14-16 age group. He felt that this would enable these young people to pick up basic writing and communication skills and boost their confidence and self worth. He added that employers often looked for evidence of  voluntary work experience, when people had been unemployed for a significant amount of time. He informed Members that York Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) were due to launch a York Volunteering Charter.

This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Youth Unemployment Scrutiny Review Task Group.

Members received a draft final report which presented them with the findings and recommendations of the Youth Unemployment Scrutiny Review Task Group.

Discussion took place on the issue of work experience between Members. They felt that work experience was highly beneficial for young people, not only for observing what the world of work was like, but for taking young people out of school and giving them experiences outside of the school environment. In reference to a comment made by the public speaker at today’s meeting  Members felt that they would like to consider a briefing note from York Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) on their Volunteering Charter at a future meeting. They requested that the Scrutiny Officer write to York CVS on behalf of the Committee to arrange this.

An Officer update was circulated to Members at the meeting. This update included the latest Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) Figures and Information for February 2013, an update on the success of the free bus travel scheme which was offered in January 2013 and further implications from the recommendations of the Draft Final Report. This was attached to the agenda, which was subsequently republished following the meeting.

Discussion between Members took place on the Officer update. Some Members felt that the statistics did not show that there was a small number of 16-18 year olds who qualified for benefits. They also highlighted that there were differing reasons for why young people took part time roles. For example, some had the choice to take on part time employment but for others these opportunities were the only ones available to them, and they could be overqualified for these positions. Other Members felt that further opportunities to encourage contractors coming in to look at hiring a local workforce should be explored.

Members agreed to forward to the Scrutiny Officer, some additional wording around the fact that despite its high ranking for high skills levels the city ranked much lower when it came to GVA (Gross Value Added) per capita. This mismatch of skills and productivity suggests that although we have a significant high value skills base, we are not maximising the utilisation of these skills in appropriately high skilled jobs. 

In response to points raised by Members, Officers informed the Committee that a construction skills course had been recently developed in conjunction with the Council and local companies. They added that further promotion of this course, could widen opportunities for young people in the construction sector. This was particularly significant given that posts in construction were amongst the highest requested vacancies from young people.

Discussion took place around the Task Group’s recommendations, in particular Recommendation 2 (on Apprenticeships) and Recommendation 3 (on Work Experience).

In relation to Recommendation 2, Members suggested that a timescale was not set out clearly in the recommendation and that it might be beneficial to apply a year on year target to apprenticeships offered by the Council.

Regarding Recommendation 3, on work experience, some Members felt that further examination needed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

This report provides details of the 2012/13 latest position for both finance and performance in City and Environmental Services (excluding Highways, Waste and Fleet), Economic Development and Housing Services.

Members considered a report which provided details of the 2012/13 finance and performance in City & Environmental Services (excluding Highways, Waste and Fleet), Economic Development and Housing Services.

Members questioned Officers on the following;

·        Rent arrears and evictions-whether there were any knock on costs to other Council services?

·        ‘The Bedroom Tax’-what dimensions constitute an extra bedroom, what will be the impact and how much time will Officers spend implementing the new legislation?

·        The Tour de France- how much will it cost the city to host Le Grand Départ and how much money will be brought into the city as a result of this?

In response to the question about rent arrears, Officers responded that they were currently investigating ways of making any possible financial effects on services cost neutral.

Regarding recent government legislation on welfare commonly known as the ‘bedroom tax’, Members requested that a potential briefing report be produced for consideration at a future meeting of the Committee on its effect on York residents and how Officers will carry out its implementation. This should include information on:

·        What constitutes a bedroom in terms of size.

·        Impacts of this and amount of time spent by Officers looking at it and costs incurred.

·        Impact on residents’ incomes.

·        Report should encompass rent arrears and how we deal with this-do we have more rent arrears since this has been put into place?

·        Consequences of this-will people end up just needing to be supported by the Council but in a different directorate.

Discussion regarding the financial costs and gain of hosting the Tour de France took place between Members. Officers informed the Committee that work was currently taking place with Welcome to Yorkshire and that they were awaiting further guidance from them on technical specifications and guidance.

The Committee requested an holistic overview report (including the financial costs and gain of hosting the Tour de France) to be presented to them at a future meeting.

RESOLVED:       (i)      That the report be noted.

(ii)      That the Scrutiny Officer arrange for a briefing note on the recent government welfare legislation relating to housing to come to a future meeting of this Committee and add this to the workplan.

(iii)     That the Scrutiny Officer arrange for an overview report on the costs associated with the Tour de France to come to a future meeting and this be added to the workplan.

REASON:           To update the scrutiny committee of the latest finance and performance position.

This report provides Members with an overview and update in relation to the major development and planning proposals in the city at this time.

Members received a report which provided them with an overview and update in relation to current major developments and planning proposals in the city. The following sites were mentioned in discussion;

Nestlé South

It was reported that Nestlé were currently examining how they could revise their schemes. Current pressures for the site meant that it was likely to have fewer industrial/commercial development and more housing.

Hungate

It was reported that the second phase of development had been agreed and that work was currently taking place with the developer on other uses for the site, besides residential usage.

Germany Beck

Officers were asked whether development was being held back due to waiting for a decision on government funding for infrastructure. Officers responded this was not the case.

RESOLVED:       That the report be noted.

REASON:           To ensure that the Committee is kept informed of major developments and planning applications in the city.

This report provides an update on progress with the two Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) that York belongs to: Leeds City Region and York/ North Yorkshire/ East Riding.  It also outlines policy developments which are emerging which might affect the future focus and operations of LEPs.

Members considered a report which provided an update on progress with the two Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) that York belongs to: Leeds City Region and York/North Yorkshire/East Riding. The report also outlined policy developments which were emerging and might affect the future focus and operations of LEPs.

Officers informed the Committee that the Government had accepted 81 of the recommendations of the Heseltine report which made recommendations for LEPs. It was reported that LEPs were required to develop their own Growth Plans for each specific area (such as housing) in order to gain Government funding.

In relation to the Leeds City Region (LCR) LEP, and the proposal for a possible Combined Authority between West Yorkshire and York,  Officers mentioned that the LCR LEP was continuing to review governance options. This was particularly influenced by the establishment of a Local Transport Body for West Yorkshire and York. Members were informed that they would regularly receive updates on the LEPs as and when further information was available.

Some Members asked when the Council would need to make a decision to choose which LEP to remain with. Officers reported that they were currently reviewing this and that the decision would need to be made in terms of single pots of available funding. They informed Members that the city’s economy would remain as it currently was if York was in one LEP for a certain set of priorities and in another LEP for others. They added that York did not have to be a full member of a LEP in order to decide where to focus available funding.

RESOLVED:       (i)      That the report be noted.

(ii)      That a further update on LEPs be added to the workplan for a future meeting.

REASON:           To keep the Committee up to date with the work of the LEPs.

This report summarises the work undertaken to date by the Task Group working on the External Funding Scrutiny Review.   Members are also asked to agree to the spend of £1000 (this Committee’s allocation from the scrutiny budget) on the Regional Econometric Model (REM) referenced in the report.

Members considered a report which summarised the work undertaken to date by the Task Group working on the External Funding Scrutiny Review.

Discussion took place on the Regional Econometric Model (REM), which would enable the Task Group (and it was also felt the wider Council) to gather evidence on the economic viability of projects and initiatives and to calculate the level of Gross Added Value (GVA) created by them.

Members felt that others were at an advantage having access to the REM, and that it would put the City at a disadvantage to not have access to the software. They agreed that the £1000 allocation of the scrutiny budget be used to part fund the purchase the REM.

RESOLVED:       (i)      That the report be noted.

(ii)      That the Committee’s allocation of the scrutiny budget be used to part fund purchase the REM be agreed.

REASON:           To progress this scrutiny review.

Members are asked to consider the committee’s workplan for the municipal year 2012/2013.

Members considered the Committee’s updated work plan for the municipal year 2012-13.

It was suggested that the Update on the recommendations arising from the Water End Councillor Call for Action (CCfA) be taken off the work plan. It was also proposed that that the Six Monthly Update on Major Transport Initiatives be considered by the Committee in the next municipal year.

As a result of the deletion of these items from the work plan. It was felt that the meeting of the 30^th April be cancelled. The Scrutiny Officer informed the Committee about an upcoming scrutiny work planning event, and the Chair suggested that the 30^th April could be used as a date for this event.

RESOLVED: (i)  That the work plan be noted subject to the following changes¹;

·        Briefing note on the recent government welfare legislation relating to housing to come to a future meeting of this Committee.

·        Overview report on the costs associated with the Tour de France to come to a future meeting.

·        That a further update on LEPs come to a future meeting of the Committee.

·        That the Update report on the implementations of recommendations arising from the Water End Councillor Call for Action (CCfA) be removed from the work plan.

·        That a report on the Six Monthly Update Report on Major Transport Initiatives be moved to be considered at a date in the next municipal year.

(ii)                        That the meeting of the Economic and City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 30 April 2013 be cancelled.

(iii)                        That the date of the cancelled meeting of the Committee be suggested by the Committee as a possible date for an upcoming Scrutiny Work Planning Event.

REASON:           To progress the work of the Committee.