Agenda and minutes

At this point, 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, 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. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes for the meeting of the Economy and  Place Scrutiny Committee held on Tuesday 25 September 2018.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 25 September 2018 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 to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Tuesday 27 November 2018 . Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the Committee. To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast, or recorded,  and that includes 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 Officer (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 http://www.york.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_f

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

Presentations by city stakeholders will take place under this item, to facilitate a discussion with the committee and the Head of Economic Growth.

Members received presentations and held round table discussions with City of York Council’s Economic Growth Team, Make It York (MIY), York Business Improvement District (BID), Cllr J Hayes as Chair of Indie York and the York Food Festival. The presentations were published on the website following the meeting.

Members discussed Indie York and in particular the support that was required from the Council to improve the organisation’s reach. Cllr Hayes also answered questions on the criteria for businesses to be a part of Indie York.

Members and committee guests debated the following:

-      What it was like to be a retailer in York and how the Council can work with businesses to support them.

-      The contribution partner organisations such as MIY and BID were making to the city.

-      The ‘Cultural Passport’ noted in the upcoming Cultural Strategy, aimed at encouraging primary school aged children to experience York’s heritage and cultural attractions.

-      The business rate system and Leeds City Region, potential upcoming national changes to the system and its effects on York

-      The potential to use technology and qualitative information to better understand the movements of people visiting York’s City Centre and the effect of the Economic Health of the City as a result.

-      The current trends in the retail market in York, including opening hours of stores, the busiest times for shopping and incentives from the Council to improve this in future.

Members also discussed the importance of CYC continuing with trials that have been successful (e.g car parks open longer) and the barriers to this, with the bigger picture of York’s Economic Health a potential beneficiary of such schemes.

The Chair asked each of the presenters to submit written contributions based on their presentations and experiences, to help inform the suggestions that this Committee will make to the Economy and Place Policy Development Committee.

To receive an update report from Make It York on their progress with regard to their Service Level Agreement (SLA) with City of York Council.

Members received the bi-annual report from Make It York.

Members discussed the information that Make It York and the Council have on the attendance at major City attractions and events and noted how important it is to understand this data in relation to plans for the City Centre.

Members also asked for Make It York’s opinion on the SLA and suggested that perhaps before the Chief Executive of Make It York left the organisation, he could pass on thoughts on the SLA and suggest ways in which it could be improved.

The committee gave special mention to Steve Brown, the departing Chief Executive of Make It York and thanked him for all the work he has done to contribute to the cultural and business development of the City during his tenure.

Members are asked to consider the Committee’s work plan for the remainder of the 2018/19 municipal year.

Members discussed their work plan for the 2018/19 municipal year.

It was noted that January’s meetings of the Economy and Place Scrutiny and Policy Committees would be re-arranged so that the Policy Committee could meet on the 16January and the Scrutiny Committee on the 29 January.

The committee agreed to have a special meeting prior to January to formulate some recommendations in advance of the next full Committee meeting in relation to the Economic Health of the City Centre.

The committee also agreed to defer the report on the City’s Flood Defences to March.