Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To receive and note apologies for absence.

No apologies for absence were received.

At this point in the meeting, the Executive Member is asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest, or other registerable interest, they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

[Please see attached sheet for further guidance for Members].

At this point in the meeting, the Executive Member was asked to declare if he had any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that they might have had in relation to the business on the agenda. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Decision Session held on 29 April 2025.

Resolved:   That the minutes of the Decision Session held on 29 April 2025 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. Members of the public may speak on agenda items or on matters within the remit of the Committee.

Please note that our registration deadlines are set as 2 working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at our meetings. The deadline for registering at this meeting is 5:00pm on Friday, 16 May 2025.

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form.  If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting, please contact Democratic Services.  Contact details can be found at the foot of this agenda.

Webcasting of Public Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

During coronavirus, we made some changes to how we ran council meetings, including facilitating remote participation by public speakers. See our updates (www.york.gov.uk/COVIDDemocracy) for more information on meetings and decisions.

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the session under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Councillor Baxter spoke in relation to matters regarding the remit of the portfolio of the Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency and discussed the positive work of the Public Realm Team and the effects that this had had on Hull Road Ward. Councillor Baxter commended recent upgrades to the ward including the installation of new tennis nets which had benefitted the residents and area, increasing access to sport. She concluded by thanking volunteer groups such as Friends of Hull Road Park, and thanked officers in the Public Realm Team, and the Executive Member.

The Executive Member confirmed that she had also received a written representation by Councillor Warters in relation to matters regarding the remit of the portfolio of the Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, of which had been published alongside the agenda.

This report briefly sets out the process of developing the North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategies to date, following a new system of spatial strategies for nature recovery legislated for in the Environment Act 2021.

Resolved:

That the Executive Member:

i.                Noted the work that had been undertaken in relation to the North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

ii.               Agreed to delegate authority to the Head of Strategic Planning Policy to:

a.         Provide written consent to a public consultation on the draft North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

b.         Confirm to North Yorkshire Council the Council’s position. This would occur before the expiry of a 28-day statutory consultation period.

Reason: To clarify the Council’s position to North Yorkshire Council, in respect to the Council’s duties and powers as set out by LNRS Regulations 2023. The current position is that council officers have worked closely with North Yorkshire Council on the emerging draft Strategy and give support to the overall format of the Strategy and process of its development and so have no objections to a public consultation. However, officers have not seen complete draft strategy documentation before the publication of this report, so require complete documentation and further time to confirm this position.

iii.             To delegate authority to the Head of Strategic Planning Policy to make any comments on behalf of the Council in response to the draft North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Reasons: For the efficient delivery of the Strategy.

The Director of Environment, Transport and Planning, and the Design and Conservation Manager, Planning and Development Services, presented the report, and it was resolved that:

·       The Executive Member:

i.                Noted the work that had been undertaken in relation to the North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

ii.               Agreed to delegate authority to the Head of Strategic Planning Policy to:

a.         Provide written consent to a public consultation on the draft North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

b.         Confirm to North Yorkshire Council the Council’s position. This would occur before the expiry of a 28-day statutory consultation period.

Reason: To clarify the Council’s position to North Yorkshire Council, in respect to the Council’s duties and powers as set out by LNRS Regulations 2023. The current position is that council officers have worked closely with North Yorkshire Council on the emerging draft Strategy and give support to the overall format of the Strategy and process of its development and so have no objections to a public consultation. However, officers have not seen complete draft strategy documentation before the publication of this report, so require complete documentation and further time to confirm this position.

iii.             To delegate authority to the Head of Strategic Planning Policy to make any comments on behalf of the Council in response to the draft North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Reason: For the efficient delivery of the Strategy.