Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point in the meeting, the Executive 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.

The Executive 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.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on 17 January 2020. Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the Executive Member’s remit.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officers for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be filmed and webcast, or recorded, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission.  The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

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 Officers (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/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809

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

This report enables the Executive Members to review the formal enforcement action as well as the surveillance activity undertaken in 2018-19 by Public Protection (Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing), Housing Services, Community Safety, and National Trading Standards Regional Investigation and National Trading Standards eCrime teams.

Resolved:

                   i.        That the Executive Members approve the report.

                  ii.        That the relevant data collected in this report, be reported on a quarterly bases to ward teams.

                 iii.        That thanks was recorded to officers for the work undertaken.

Reason:    To provide oversight to the activity undertaken in 2018-19, and meet the requirement of the surveillance commissioner for Member oversight of surveillance activity.

The Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning was joined in consultation with the Executive Member for

Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods to consider a report that provided a review of the formal enforcement action as well as the surveillance activity undertaken in 2018-19. The Executive Members thanked officers for the comprehensive report. They discussed several areas of enforcement action and requested that future reports on formal enforcement action include previous years statistics for comparison. They also requested that where possible if reports could include comparison figures from similar local authorities. The Executive Members also noted that they were happy with policy document, but that it could it could indicate City of York Council priorities.

Officers confirmed that they had written to the Department for Transport, requesting that Taxi Licensing reform is placed at the top of their agenda, as well as, having written to local government association, they noted that they are awaiting a response form the    Department for Transport.

The Executive Member requested that more detail on national trading standards be included in future reports and that for neighbourhood enforcement reports on relevant formal enforcement action be presented to ward teams. 

Resolved:

                   i.        That the Executive Members approve the report.

                  ii.        That the relevant data collected in this report for neighbourhood enforcement, be reported on a quarterly bases to ward teams.

                 iii.        That thanks was recorded to officers for the work undertaken.

Reason:    To provide oversight to the activity undertaken in 2018-19, and meet the requirement of the surveillance commissioner for Member oversight of surveillance activity.

This report provides an update on planning enforcement cases and a vision for the planning enforcement section for the future. 

Resolved:

                      i.         That the contents of the report be noted.

                     ii.         That a report on the draft Planning Enforcement Plan be brought to a future decision session in autumn 2020, following a consultation with all Members.  

Reason:     So that all Members are given sufficient opportunity to feed into the Planning Enforcement Plan.

The Executive Member considered a report that provided an

update on planning enforcement cases and a vision for the planning enforcement section into the future. Officers introduced the report and noted an amendment on page 35 of the agenda (Paragraph 20 of item 4.), that the Principal Planning Officer was appointed in November 2017 not November 2019. The Executive Member noted the importance of Members being given opportunity  to feed into the Planning Enforcement Plan while it was being created and requested that a draft plan be brought to a future decision session in Autumn 2020.

Discussion took place around how clarity is to be provided on why certain cases require greater prioritisation than others and on renewable power in the Supplementary Planning Documents.  

Resolved:

                      i.         That the contents of the report be noted.

                     ii.         That a report on the draft Planning Enforcement Plan be brought to a future decision session in autumn 2020, following a consultation with all Members. 

Reason:     So that all Members are given sufficient opportunity to feed into the Planning Enforcement Plan.

This report an update on the findings from City of York Council’s York Business Perceptions Survey. The survey was undertaken with city centre retailers, hospitality and tourism businesses to understand their experiences of complying with the Council’s regulatory services and issues around general business performance.

Resolved:

                      i.         That the findings of the York Business Perceptions survey be noted.

                     ii.         That the creation of City of York Council’s Business Services e-leaflet as a method of communicating the support offer to local businesses through the council and its strategic partners be approved, with a update on responses to the e-leaflet being brought to the July Decision Session for Economy and Strategic Planning.

                    iii.        That support was given to the creation of a business support providers meeting group made up of intermediaries and business organisations, facilitated by City of York Council and Make it York, to collectively share information on the business landscape in York, subject to a update on how this will function, being brought to the July Decision Session for Economy and Strategic Planning.

                   iv.        That the Executive Member will raise the eligibility barriers to support provided by the Local Enterprise Partnership’s faced by York Business with the Local Enterprise Partnerships.

                     v.        Due to Brexit being cited as a major challenge to business growth in the results of the York Business Perceptions Survey, the Executive Member requested that officers enquire about accessing funding from the Brexit Contingency Fund, to support follow up work resulting from the York Business Perceptions Survey.

Reason:     To further support the business environment in York.

The Executive Member considered a report that provided an update on the findings from City of York Council’s York Business Perceptions Survey. Officers introduced the report noting that the survey showed that the majority of York businesses that participated had a stable or increasing headcount, turnover, and overall business performance. However, a significant number of businesses were cautious about the future, with national economic issues such as Brexit being the major cause for concern. A smaller number of local issues also exist that were challenging businesses’ growth potential. The survey also identified that three quarters of the businesses that participated had sought information or advice in the last 12 months with regulatory support the most common area mentioned. The businesses surveyed value the advice and support that the Council’s regulatory services provide however, it was noted that the Council could be more proactive in terms of their engagement with businesses.

Discussion took place regarding concerns that York businesses in the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors were unable to receive business support from York’s two Local Enterprise Partnerships due to the eligibility criteria imposed by this funding. The Executive Member enquired as to how the creation of City of York Council’s business e-newsletter and business support providers meeting group would function and provide feedback, officers confirmed that they would bring an update on these functions back to a future decision session. Noting the concerns raised around Brexit the Executive Member also requested that the Brexit Contingency Fund be used to support follow up work resulting from the York Business Perceptions Survey.

Resolved:

                      i.         That the findings of the York Business Perceptions survey be noted.

                     ii.         That the creation of City of York Council’s Business Services e-leaflet as a method of communicating the support offer to local businesses through the council and its strategic partners be approved, with an update on responses to a business focused Council e-newsletter being brought to the July Decision Session for Economy and Strategic Planning.

                    iii.        That support was given to the creation of a business support providers meeting group made up of intermediaries and business organisations, facilitated by City of York Council and Make it York, to collectively share information on the business landscape in York, subject to an update on how this will function, being brought to the July Decision Session for Economy and Strategic Planning.

                   iv.        That the Executive Member will raise the eligibility barriers faced by York businesses when accessing the support offer provided by York’s two Local Enterprise Partnership’s with the Local Enterprise Partnerships.

                     v.        Due to Brexit being cited as a major challenge to business growth in the results of the York Business Perceptions Survey, the Executive Member requested that officers enquire about accessing funding from the Brexit Contingency Fund, to support follow up work resulting from the York Business Perceptions Survey.

Reason:     To further support the business environment in York.