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 interests not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that they might have in respect of the business on the agenda.  None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Economic & City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 18 November 2015.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 18 November 2015 be signed and approved by the Chair as a correct record subject to the following amendments:

·        Minute 25 to be amended to read “Councillor Neil Barnes declared a pecuniary interest...as his employer sponsored one of the potential occupants of the Community Stadium”

·        Minute 28 to be amended to read “It was confirmed that the Council would continue to pay the Living Wage, as measured by the Living Wage Foundation” (subject to the accuracy of the proposed amendment being verified)

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme may do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Monday 18 January 2016.

Members of the public may register to speak on:

·        An item on the agenda

·        An issue within the remit of the Committee

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting will be filmed and webcast and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission.  This broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

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 https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/6453/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_council_meetingspdf

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

A verbal report will be given by the Acting Director of City and Environmental Services on proposals to hold regular transport briefings for CYC Members.

The Acting Director of City and Environmental Services outlined proposals to hold regular transport briefings for CYC Members.  He stated that the recent pre-council briefing on transport had been well received and it was proposed that a series of briefings be held on a bi-monthly basis.  They would be open to all CYC Members.  

Committee Members expressed their support for this proposal and suggested that, after the briefings had become established, consideration be given as to whether they should be open to the public and/or webcast.  It was requested that, if possible, the briefings be held early evening and on alternate months to the committee’s meetings.

Members suggested that it would be useful for one of the briefings to focus on the assessment criteria that were in place when assessing the condition of roads.  Members were invited to forward further suggested topics for the briefings to the Head of Transport.

Resolved:  That the proposal to hold regular transport briefings for CYC Members be supported.

Reason:     To ensure that Members are kept updated on transport

                   issues.

This report provides details of the 2015/16 forecast outturn position for both finance and performance across services within City and Environmental Services and Communities and Neighbourhoods.  The paper incorporates data to September 2015 as reported to Executive on 26 November 2015.

Members considered a report which provided details of the 2015/16 forecast outturn position for both finance and performance across services within City and Environmental Services and Communities and Neighbourhoods.  The paper incorporated data to September 2015, as reported to Executive on 26 November 2015.

Officers gave details of the main variations, as detailed in paragraphs 3 to 7 of the report. 

Officers were questioned about the projected shortfall in car parking income.   Members were informed that although the forecast had been more robust than previously, there were a number of variable factors, including the weather, which presented difficulties when forecasting income.  Members noted that the technical issues that had arisen in respect of the Pay on Exit Trial at the Marygate Car Park had impacted on income generation and they requested further information on this issue, including the number of weekends the barriers were not operational.¹

Officers were also questioned about the anticipated shortfall in building control income.  They explained that this was a very competitive field and although householders often used the Council’s service, the Council was not as successful when it tendered for commercial contracts.   Members commented on the need to ensure that the planning team and the building regulations team worked closely together.   It was agreed that, at some time in the future, it may be useful for the committee to receive a report on the offer provided by Building Control.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

Reason:     To update the scrutiny committee on the latest finance and performance position.

This paper provides a recommended performance dashboard for the committee to use. The report also provides an update on recent performance.

Members considered a report that provided a recommended performance dashboard for the committee to use.  The report also provided an update on recent performance. 

Members noted that the proposed dashboard replicated that used by the Executive Member for Economic Development and they were asked to consider whether there were additional areas that the committee would wish to monitor.

Members requested that the committee received the following additional data:

·        GVA per head

·        Wages and wage gap

·        Equalities data (including deprivation indicators, child poverty, the gender pay gap and information on part-time working)

·        York footfall

·        The breakdown of businesses by number of employees and also data on self-employment (including data in respect of business start ups)

·        The Living Wage and a breakdown regarding the size of the businesses that were paying the Living Wage.

·        The make up of businesses within the city centre, for example the percentage of independent businesses, and the changing nature of the businesses.

Officers explained that some of the data requested, for example that in respect of wages, was published on an annual basis although other data in the dashboard could be presented to the committee on a more regular basis.

Resolved:  (i)      That the report be noted.

(ii)      That a further report be presented at the next meeting outlining the proposed content of future dashboard reports to the committee to reflect the additional data that had been requested. 

Reasons:   (i)      To inform Members of the latest information on

                             economic development.

(ii)      To ensure that the committee receives the data it requires to carry out its role effectively.

This report, which is due to be considered by Executive on 28 January 2016, provides an update on the Business Improvement District (BID) initiative and includes a draft Memorandum of Understanding and Operating Agreement.

Members considered a report which provided an update on the Business Improvement District (BID) initiative and which included a draft Memorandum of Understanding and Operating Agreement.  The report was due to be considered by the Executive on 28 January 2016. 

Members considered the recommendations that the Executive would be asked to consider, as detailed in paragraph 8 of the report.

Members were broadly supportive of the paper and its recommendations but raised some concerns that the proposed membership of the Business Improvement District Board did not include councillors for the city centre wards.  Members commented on the need to ensure that Members who represented the Guildhall, Fishergate and Micklegate wards had strong links with the Business Improvement District.  Noting the proposal that the Leader and Deputy Leader would be the Council’s representatives on the Board, Members agreed that the Executive should also be asked to consider putting in place a mechanism whereby councillors for the three city centre wards could put forward their views.  Members suggested that this could be achieved by appointing one of the city centre ward members to the Board or by the Council’s representatives on the Board meeting informally with the ward members.

Resolved:  (i)      That the committee supported recommendations

1 and 2, as detailed in paragraph 8 of the draft report to Executive.

(ii)      That, in respect of recommendation 3, the Executive also be requested to consider putting in place some means of allowing input to the BID Board from councillors representing the three city centre wards.¹

Reason:     To support the successful implementation of the Business Improvement District in York.

This report provides an update on the implementation of recommendations arising from the previously completed Online Business/E-Commerce Scrutiny Review.

Members considered a report which provided an update on the implementation of recommendations arising from the previously completed Online Business/E-Commerce Scrutiny Review.

Members were asked to consider signing-off any recommendations of the review where implementation had been completed.

Members agreed that there was still more work to be done to address recommendations 1 and 6 and requested that the outstanding issues be brought to the attention of Make it York and Customer and Business Support Services.

Resolved:  (i)      That the report be noted.

                   (ii)      That recommendations 2, 3, 4 and 5 be signed-

                             off as having been fully implemented.

(iii)     That recommendations 1 and 6 not be signed-off at this stage and that a further update on these recommendations be presented to a future meeting.

Reason:     To raise awareness of those recommendations which

                   are still to be fully implemented.

Members are asked to give consideration to the committee’s work plan for 2015/2016.

Consideration was given to the committee’s work plan for 2015/16.

Resolved:  That the work plan be approved subject to the following

                   additions:

·        Economic Dashboard update to be presented at next meeting

·        Report on wages to be presented at the meeting in January 2017

·        Update on outstanding recommendations from the Online Business/E-Commerce Scrutiny Review

Reason:     To ensure that the committee has a planned programme of work in place.