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.

At this point in the meeting, Members were asked to declare any personal, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests, other than those listed on their standing declarations, that they might have had in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Cuthbertson declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item 4 (Night Time Economy Scrutiny Review (Retail & Transport) Draft Final Report) as a member of York Museums Trust.

Councillor D’Agorne declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item 5 (Construction Skills Scrutiny Review- Interim Report) as an employee of York College. He also declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4 (Night Time Economy Scrutiny Review (Retail & Transport)) as a supporter of 20 mph speed limits. He apologised that he had not declared this at a previous   Task Group meeting when meeting bus operators, but underlined that the role of the Members at the meeting was to respond to queries from the operators, rather than to hold them to account.

Councillor Semlyen declared a prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 4 (Night Time Economy Scrutiny Review (Retail & Transport) Draft Final Report) as the Campaign Manager for “20’s Plenty for Us” in relation to two of the suggested recommendations around road speeds. She withdrew from the meeting when this part of the recommendations were discussed.

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 19 November 2013.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the last meeting of the Economic and City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 19 November 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 by 5pm the working day before the meeting, in this case 5pm on Monday 27 January 2014.

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

Please note that this meeting, including public speakers, will be sound recorded to allow members of the public to listen to the proceedings without having to attend the meeting. The sound recording will be uploaded on to the Council’s website following the meeting.

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

This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Night-Time Economy Scrutiny Review Task Group and asks the Economic & City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee to agree any required amendments / additions to the report prior to its future presentation at a meeting of the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee (CSMC).

Members considered a report which presented them with the findings and recommendations of the Night Time Economy Scrutiny Review Task Group and asks them to agree any required amendments/additions to the report prior to its future presentation at a meeting of the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee.

Two papers were tabled at the meeting. One was a response from the Director of City and Environmental Services to the draft recommendations, as presented in the report. The second provided information on the financial implications associated with draft recommendations (ii) & (iii), which had not been included in the published report. These were both published online after the meeting.

Discussions took place on the recommendations included in the report. Some Members felt that the recommendations towards Park & Ride operators should include a reference to closing times as well as opening times.

In light of the financial implications information given by Officers, and the suggestions made by the Director of City and Environmental Services, the Committee agreed a number of amendments to their draft recommendations (i) – (iv).

In regards to draft recommendations (v) & (vi) about speed limits, Members agreed not to include those two recommendations in their final report as neither fitted with the remit set for the review.  However as they were keen to highlight the problem with the speed of some vehicles in the pedestrianised area in the city centre in the evening,they agreed to include an alternative recommendation that ‘the Corporate & Scrutiny Management Committee note residents’ views relating to transport and pedestrians in the city centre during the evening period’.

Resolved:           (i) That the report be noted.

                            (ii) That Councillor Semlyen be re-appointed to the Night Time Economy (Retail & Transport) Scrutiny Review Task Group following the resignation of Councillor Hyman.

                            (iii) That the recommendations arising from the review, detailed at Paragraph 86 of the Officer’s report be approved.

                            (iv) That Recommendations (v) and (vi) be withdrawn.

                            (v) That an additional Recommendation be added to the final report that the Corporate & Scrutiny Management Committee note residents’ views relating to transport and pedestrians in the city centre during the evening period’

Reason:    To ensure compliance with scrutiny procedures, protocols and the Committee’s work plan.

This report presents the Economic & City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee with an update on the work of the Construction Skills Scrutiny Review Task Group to date.

Members considered a report which presented them with an update on the work of the Construction Skills Scrutiny Review Task Group to date.

The Committee were informed that the Task Group’s visit to York College and Osbaldwick Training Centre would now take place on 3 February 2014. It was reported that the Task Group had attended a York Property Forum meeting. Members of the Task Group felt that two insights arose from this meeting. These were;

·        That procurement issues, such as brick manufacturers being located outside of York affected the Construction industry in the city.

·        That a career in the building industry was not actively encouraged in York schools, particularly that people were able to enter at any level of the business.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

Reason:    To progress this scrutiny review in line with scrutiny procedures and protocols.

This report provides Members with their first update on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the previously completed External Funding Scrutiny Review (Annex A) and gives updated details of the Council’s Economic Strategy (Annex B) and YEP Dashboard (Annex C).

Members considered a report which provided them with their first update on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the previously completed External Funding Scrutiny Review and gave them updated details of the Council’s Economic Strategy and YEP Dashboard.

It was felt that a further update report be brought back for consideration in July and that the York Economic Partnership’s (YEP) Dashboard be brought to the Committee on a regular basis.

Resolved:  (i)      That the report be noted.

                   (ii)     That none of the recommendations in the External Funding Scrutiny Review were fully implemented at this stage.

                  (iii)      That a further update report on the outstanding recommendations be considered at the Committee’s meeting in July.

                  (iv)     That the YEP Dashboard be received by the Committee on a regular basis.        

Reason:    To raise awareness of those recommendations which are still to be fully implemented.

This scoping paper proposes a topic on support for Online Business/E-Commerce Skills.

Members considered a scoping paper by Councillor Semlyen proposing a scrutiny topic on support for online business/e-commerce skills.

Discussion took place between Members on what they could investigate in a scrutiny review on this topic.

Some Members felt that questions needed to be asked to where start up businesses could operate, this was because if the a person was starting an online business from home would they have to pay business rates or get planning permission. They felt that any review should look at where online businesses operated.

Other Members suggested that the review look at the physical logistics of establishing an online business and what type of incubation facility the Council could offer to support online businesses and e-commerce.

In regards to an aim for the review, it was noted that the Council’s City Team were currently doing a review on these issues. It was suggested that a Draft Report be considered by the Committee at their July meeting.

Resolved:  (i)      That the scoping paper be noted.

                   (ii)      That a Scrutiny Task Group be established

    made up of the following Members;

·        Councillor Cuthbertson

·        Councillor Semlyen

·        Councillor Watt

(iii)        That the Task Group identify a suitable aim and objectives for the review.

Reason:     In order to start the review.

This report provides Members of the Economic & City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee with an overview and update in relation to the Lendal Bridge traffic trial being undertaken between 27 August 2013 and 26 February 2014.

Members received a report which gave them an overview and update in relation to the Lendal Bridge traffic trial that was being undertaken between 27 August 2013 and 26 February 2014.

Officers provided Members with an update to their report. It was noted that;

·        External Assessment Data on the trial would be available at the end of the week.

·        Online responses from the trial had not been included in the report and further data on this would be forthcoming in the final evaluation report.

Questions and comments from Members to Officers included;

·        Whether it was only Post Office vehicles, who were the only exempted delivery vehicles who could cross Lendal Bridge during the restricted hours.

·        Whether Air Quality Data could be provided to ensure that the Council were not in breach of Clean Air Regulations.

·        That the Water End junction was difficult to get through during peak time (4pm-5pm).

·        What was happening to footfall in the city centre?

Officers told the Committee that a number of alterations could be made to improve the visibility of the approach signs to Lendal Bridge. It was reported that Officers were looking to have larger directional signs which would highlight “Bridge Ahead”, but in order for this wording to be put on, the signs themselves would be extremely large. In addition, Officers were also looking at addressing the fact that many visitors to the city would not know what or where Lendal Bridge was. Members were also told that if the restriction on the use of the bridge was made permanent, there could be further methods of clear advertising.

Members asked that how the trial would be evaluated and if the whole of the data would only be available in March, after the end of the trial in February. Officers anticipated that the restriction on the bridge would stay in place until the Cabinet considered a report on it (aiming for April). It was also added that Officers had started to look at allowing certain service buses across the bridge.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

Reason:    In order to keep the Committee updated on the progress of the trial.

This report provides Members with their first update on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the previously completed Youth Unemployment Scrutiny Review which were agreed by Cabinet in May 2013.

Members considered a report which provided them with their first update on the implementation of recommendations arising from the previously completed Youth Unemployment Scrutiny Review which were agreed by Cabinet in May 2013.

Officers were pleased to report that the implementation of the recommendations from the review had supported a 40% reduction in Youth Unemployment in the city. It was noted that as of December 2013 the overall figure of Youth unemployment benefit claimants stood at 465. There were also only 105 young people who had been unemployed for over six months. It was noted that York was the third lowest city in the UK for youth unemployment.

Members welcomed the news that there had been a reduction of Youth Unemployment in the city, but wondered whether now the unemployed levels were made up of young people who the hardest to find jobs for.

Officers felt that in terms of achieving the aims that Members had set for the review, this had been successful but it was important to maintain this level.

In response to a request, Members were told that the latest youth unemployment figures would be circulated to them following the meeting. It was also suggested that Members might wish to receive the statistics again in six months time.

Resolved:  (i) That the report be noted.

                   (ii) That the recommendations be signed off as fully implemented.

                   (iii) That the current Youth Unemployment figures be circulated to Members of the Committee.

                   (iv) That the Committee receive Youth Unemployment Statistics in six months time.

Reason:    To raise awareness of those recommendations which are still to be fully implemented.

This report presents Members with a further update (Annex A) on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the Final Report of the E-Planning Facilities Scrutiny Review.

Members considered a report which updated them in regards to the implementation of two outstanding recommendations arising from the Final Report of the E-Planning Facilities Scrutiny Review.

Resolved:  That the report be noted and all outstanding recommendations that have been fully implemented be signed off.

Reason:    To raise awareness of those recommendations which are still to be fully implemented.

Members are asked to consider the Committee’s work plan for the municipal year 2013/2014.

Members considered the Committee’s work plan for the rest of the 2013/14 municipal year.

Following discussion it was agreed to;

·        Have the draft final report on the Construction Skills Scrutiny Review as the first item on the agenda for the Committee’s March meeting.

·        To receive a briefing paper on Universal Credit at the March meeting.

·        That an update report on the implementation of recommendations arising from the External Funding Scrutiny Review be considered by the Committee at their July meeting.

·        That a Draft Report on the Online Business/E-Commerce Skills Scrutiny Task Group be considered in July.

Resolved:  That the work plan be approved to reflect the above changes.

Reason:    To progress the work of the Committee.