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. A list of general personal interests previously declared are attached.

Members were invited to declare at this point any personal or prejudicial interests, other than those listed on the standing declarations of interests attached to the agenda, that they might have had in the business on the agenda.

Councillor D’Agorne declared his standing personal non prejudicial interest in the remit of the Committee as an employee of York College.

Councillor Hyman declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 4 (Proposed Scrutiny Topics), in relation to the proposed topic on the role of Science City York, as a Member of Science City York’s Finance and Audit Committee.

Councillor Riches also declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 4, in relation to commuting into York for employment, as a frequent user of train services.

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 13 March 2012.

RESOLVED:       That the minutes of the meeting of the Economic and City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 13 March 2012 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 26 March 2012 at 5.00pm.

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

This report presents information on three proposed scrutiny topics. Members are asked to decide which, if any, of these they would like to progress to review.

Members received a report which presented them with information on three potential scrutiny topics. These topics were;

·        Youth unemployment (how the Council works with partners to maximise employment opportunities for young people in the city)

·        The role of Science City York in Economic Development (more encouragement work to be done to attract people to York in order to maintain its status as a Science City)

·        The processes used to bring Section 106 agreements to a timely completion.

Youth Unemployment

Officers circulated a briefing note to Members updating them on the current facts and figures in relation to youth unemployment for 18-24 year olds in York. This note was attached to the agenda after the meeting, and the agenda was republished online. One of the main conclusions reached by Officers from these figures was that youth unemployment was not significantly better or worse than it had been in previous years.

Discussion between Members and Officers took place which related to comparable figures for those young people (aged 16-18) who were Not in Education or Training (NEET) with those cities that had Universities and those who did not.

It was reported that about 45% of young people at age 18 in York did not go on to University or leave the city, and that York was a net importer for jobs. Officers felt that there needed to be a greater awareness amongst young people of job mobility and job opportunities, in that people were coming in from outside of the city to compete for jobs and to work in York and that there is a mis-match between jobs being sought by young people and job vacancies

Some Members felt that a strong perception existed amongst young people of York being predominantly a tourist city and that only jobs in this industry were available. Others felt that there was a lack of work placements which would allow young people to form opinions on various employment areas: they added that this was particularly important given that work experience as part of the school curriculum would not be provided in future.

Officers informed the Committee that although there was not a statutory requirement on schools to organise work experience for students, all secondary schools in York are retaining some element of work experience for pre-16 students and sixth forms and colleges are increasing the opportunities for 16+ to gain work experience. In addition, schools have a statutory responsibility to secure access to independent and impartial careers guidance for their pupils from Year 9 upwards. In York, the majority of these schools are buying these services from the Council’s Youth Support Services Team. This careers guidance must include information on all options available in respect of 16-18 education or training, including apprenticeships and other work based education and training options.

Science City York

Members received a report on the role of Science City York (SCY) and its contribution to advising businesses on innovation and providing services related to business performance and growth.

Discussion between Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

Members are asked to review the Committee’s work plan for 2012.

Members considered a report which presented them with the Committee’s work plan for 2012.

RESOLVED:       That the work plan be noted.

REASON:           To keep the Committee’s work plan up to date.