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 meeting of the Economic Development and Transport Policy and Scrutiny Committee held on 19 January 2016.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 19 January 2016 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 regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the committee’s remit can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Tuesday 15 March 2016.  

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

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.

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 December 2015 as reported to Executive on 11 February 2016.

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 December 2015, as reported to the Executive on 11 February 2016.

Members’ attention was drawn to the position in respect of parking income which was forecast to be £282k below budget.   Officers stated that the flooding and the weather had impacted significantly on income.

Referring to paragraph 3 of the report, officers were asked about the action that was being taken to address the unachieved income savings in CCTV.  Officers confirmed that a procurement exercise was currently taking place with a view to bringing this budget back in line.

Referring to the cessation of the in-house pest control service, Members requested additional information on the comparative costs of using private contractors for pest control services for council properties.¹

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

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

This report presents the economic dashboard which provides an update on performance.

Members considered a report presenting the economic dashboard, which provided an update on performance.  Members noted that some performance data, such as that in respect of wages, was only produced on an annual basis.

Officers drew Members’ attention to an error in the report and stated that indictor CJGE72 (Employment Rate – Female) should read “71.7%” for quarter 2.

Officers were asked about the timescale within which the impact of the Business Improvement District (BID) would become evident.  They stated that a Bid Manager had been appointed and it was hoped that the initiatives that would be implemented would begin to show results by the end of the year.  It would, however, be difficult to isolate the impact of the BID from other external factors. 

Members requested additional information on the actions that were being taken to improve the situation in respect of road traffic accidents and injuries.  It was suggested that this data should also make reference to any correlation with the 20mph limits that had been imposed.¹

Resolved:  (i)      That the updated monitoring report be noted.

(ii)      That more in depth annual reports be produced on wages and Gross Value added, given the importance of the trends in these areas to York’s economy and taking into account that this data is only available annually.

Reason:              To inform Members of the latest information on economic development.

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

Members considered a report which provided an update on the implementation of the outstanding recommendations arising from the previously completed Online Business / E-Commerce Scrutiny Review.  Members were asked to sign-off any recommendations where implementation had been completed.

Officers detailed the actions that had been taken to address the outstanding recommendations, as detailed in Annex A of the report.

Members sought assurances that the actions that were being taken were not focused solely on the city centre.  Officers stated that this was not the case and gave examples of the engagement that was taking place with other business areas including Acomb, Tang Hall, Fulford Road and Business Parks.

Resolved:  (i)      That the report be noted.

                   (ii)      That the remaining recommendations be signed-

                             off as having been completed.

Reason:              Members were satisfied that the outstanding recommendations of the review had now been fully implemented.

This report updates Members on the ongoing work of the two Task Groups established to help develop York’s Economic Strategy.

Members considered a report which provided an update on the ongoing work of the two Task Groups established to help develop York’s Economic Strategy.

Members expressed their support for the draft Economic Strategy and agreed that it provided a focused and achievable strategy for the city.  It was acknowledged that, although the Council would play a key role in the implementation of the strategy, it was a city wide strategy and it was important that all partners were engaged with this initiative.

Members agreed that the Local Plan would impact on the strategy and they stressed the importance of ensuring that an environmental capacity assessment was carried out alongside the adoption of the strategy.  

Members agreed that the committee would wish to monitor the implementation of the strategy through consideration of associated key performance indicators.  It was noted that the York Economic Partnership would also carry out an annual review of progress in implementing the strategy.

Members were thanked for their input in the development of the strategy and for the work that the task groups had carried out. 

Members requested that any significant variations made to the strategy be reported back to the committee.

It was agreed that the review be concluded.

Resolved:  (i)      That it be recommended to the Executive that the

                            Economic Strategy be endorsed.

(ii)      That it be recommended that consideration be

given to carrying out an Environmental Capacity Study, on the proviso that it does not affect the adoption of the strategy.

Reason:     To ensure that the city has in place a focused Economic Strategy.

Members are asked to give consideration to the Committee’s work plan and to a proposed scrutiny topic registration regarding the protection of grass verges in York.

Members gave consideration to the committee’s work plan.

Members also considered a proposed scrutiny topic registration regarding the protection of grass verges in York. The topic registration had been  submitted by Councillor Fenton and he was invited to outline his reasons for the proposed review.  A Feasibility Report on Parking on Verges was also tabled. Councillor Warters tabled photographs illustrating the problems in his wards.  Members agreed that this was an issue which was widespread in the city and that it would be useful to carry out a scrutiny review on this topic.

Councillor Kramm suggested that it would also be useful for a scrutiny review to be carried out on the Western Transport Corridor focused on issues around transport implications of York Central and its links to other developments.

Resolved:  (i)      That, subject to the inclusion of the following

                             items, the work plan be approved:

·        Chief Executive of Make it York to be invited to meeting of 18 May 2016 to present its Annual Report.

·        A feasibility report on a possible scrutiny review on the Western Transport Corridor (focused on issues around transport implications of York Central and its links to other developments) to be presented at the meeting of 18 May 2016.

·        That the meeting scheduled for 20 April 2016 be cancelled.

(ii)      That a scrutiny review be carried out on Parking

          on Verges in York.

(iii)     That the review be carried out by a Task Group comprising:

          Councillor Kramm

          Councillor D Myers

          Councillor Warters

          Councillor Fenton

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