Agenda item
Questions to the Executive Leader and Executive Members received under Standing Order 10(c)
To deal with the following questions to the Executive Leader and / or other Executive Members, in accordance with Standing Order 10(a):
(i) To the Executive Leader, from Cllr Alexander:
“Will the Executive Leader give a date for changes to the Council’s Constitution that will allow ‘champions’ to report to, and progress issues through Council?”
(ii) To the Executive Member for City Strategy, from Cllr Potter:
“Can the Executive Member for City Strategy explain what work has been undertaken on the following motion passed at Council in November 2007:
‘Council agrees that bus cross-ticketing, within the City of York Council boundary, is adopted as a primary objective of Council’s desire to further develop public transport usage in the city. Council calls for council officers to negotiate with local bus operators to achieve this with a target implementation date being set as being no later than January 2009’?”
(iii) To the Executive Member for City Strategy, from Cllr Merrett:
“Would the Executive Member for City Strategy explain what progress has been made on updating the Council's bio-diversity action plan to meet current standards and to feed in to the draft Local Plan?”
(iv) To the Executive Member for City Strategy, from Cllr Potter:
“Can the Executive Member for City Strategyurgently investigate ways of incentivising local residents to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and so contribute locally to preventing global warming and climate change, bringing a report back to Full Council for discussion in September?”
(v) To the Executive Member for Corporate Services, from Cllr Gunnell:
“Can the Executive Member for Corporate Services give council members the year on year running costs of the Barbican auditorium to the council since its closure, including Business Rates, Utilities and Security costs?”
(vi) To the Executive Member for Corporate Services, from Cllr Simpson-Laing:
“Can the Executive Member for Corporate Services give an update on the identification of ownership of land on Runswick Avenue, which officers have being trying to identify since July 2007?”
(vii) To the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture & Social Inclusion, from Cllr Ayre:
“Would the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion report on the visitor figures for the revamped Acomb library and outline forthcoming changes to the library service elsewhere in the city?”
(viii) To the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture & Social Inclusion, from Cllr Moore:
“Would the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion comment on the Council's new position on encouraging film crews to visit the city?”
(ix) To the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture & Social Inclusion, from Cllr Moore:
“Would the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion provide visitor figures and energy performance figures for Yearsley pool since it reopened?”
(x) To the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture & Social Inclusion, from Cllr Looker:
“Can the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion confirm that the swimming pool at Heslington East campus is a crucial part of the Liberal Democrat swimming strategy, and if so give Council a date when work is expected to commence on site, along with a clear timetable so Council knows the expected date of opening and the pool's location?"
(xi) To the Executive Member for Housing & Adult Social Services, from Cllr Simpson-Laing:
“Can the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services describe her plans and campaigns, through partnership working with the Executive Member for Corporate Services, for the financial year 2008/09, to ensure that York’s retired residents who are entitled to Pension Credit and Council Tax benefit are claiming the benefits they are entitled to?”
(xii) To the Executive Member for Housing & Adult Social Services, from Cllr Simpson-Laing:
“Can the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services explain her plans to program and install either double or secondary glazing in remaining single glazed council properties as a means to improve the SAP ratings and eco-footprints of the Council’s stock, as well to reduce the fuel bills of tenants?”
(xiii) To the Executive Member for Housing & Adult Social Services, from Cllr Alexander:
“Can the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services report to Council the number of private sector landlords who have signed up to the ‘Voluntary Code of Conduct’ with regard to ‘To Let’ sign advertising that a property is a student property, and what percentage is that of all private sector landlords?”
Minutes:
Thirteen questions had been submitted to the Executive Leader and Executive Members under Standing Order 10(c)(i).
The guillotine having fallen at this point, Members agreed to receive written answers to these questions. The questions and the written responses are set out below.
(i) To the Executive Leader, from Cllr Alexander:
“Will the Executive Leader give a date for changes to the Council’s Constitution that will allow ‘champions’ to report to, and progress issues through, Council?”
Reply:
"Arrangements are being made for Champions to be able to prepare a written briefing on their role and work. The briefing note will be submitted to Democratic Services, who will ensure the note gets circulated to all Members for information at the same time as agenda for Council meetings get published. In this way, all Members will be kept up to date and informed about the progress and work of Champions on a regular basis. Members can then decide whether they wish to seek clarification on the briefing note from the relevant Champion or indeed whether they wish to put forward a motion for future Council or Executive meetings based on the information contained in it. I am advised this practice will not require any constitutional change."
(ii) To the Executive Member for City Strategy, from Cllr Potter:
“Can the Executive Member for City Strategy explain what work has been undertaken on the following motion passed at Council in November 2007?”
Reply:
“Council agrees that bus cross-ticketing, within the City of York Council boundary, is adopted as a primary objective of Council’s desire to further develop public transport usage in the city. Council calls for council officers to negotiate with local bus operators to achieve this with a target implementation date being set as being no later than January 2009.
Consultants Halcrow have been appointed to investigate options for, and the potential costs of, introducing bus through ticketing. They are expected to complete their report in July. The expectation is that an officer report, reviewing feasibility and costs, will be presented to the Executive in September.”
(iii) To the Executive Member for City Strategy, from Cllr Merrett:
“Would the Executive Member for City Strategy explain what progress has been made on updating the Council’s bio-diversity action plan to meet current standards and to feed in to the draft Local Plan?”
Reply:
“Work on a re-appraisal of the 1996 biodiversity audit is being undertaken as is an outline of a new Biodiversity Action Plan. These will be fed into the LDF process prior to the core strategy being submitted to the Secretary of State in April 2009.”
(iv) To the Executive Member for City Strategy, from Cllr Potter:
“Can the Executive Member for City Strategy urgently investigate ways of incentivising local residents to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and so contribute locally to preventing global warming and climate change, bringing a report back to Full Council for discussion in September?”
Reply:
“The City’s response to the causes of climate change has been agreed by the LSP and was endorsed by Executive last year. A further report detailing how the Council could respond to the challenge was also endorsed by the Executive recently. Both reports are available on the Councils web site.
The strategies both require changes to behaviors. Examples of incentives for change, which are currently available, include discounted parking fees for the users of low emission cars and the cycle allowances which are available to employees.
The policy reports to be considered during the present year have been discussed by Group Leaders and a prioritised list, which reflects the amount of officer time available, has been endorsed by the Executive. I understand that the list includes a report back on the progress being made in implementing our climate change strategy.”
(v) To the Executive Member for Corporate Services, from Cllr Gunnell:
“Can the Executive Member for Corporate Services give Council Members the year on year running costs of the Barbican auditorium to the Council since its closure, including Business Rates, Utilities and Security costs?”
Reply:
“Since Absolute Leisure were granted a short term lease for the Auditorium in October 2005 they have been responsible for running and repair costs. Under that agreement the Council continued to pay business rates for the Auditorium, which in 2007/08 were £85k.”
(vi) To the Executive Member for Corporate Services, from Cllr Simpson-Laing
“Can the Executive Member for Corporate Services give an update on the identification of ownership of land on Runswick Avenue, which Officers have been trying to identify since June 2007?”
Reply:
“It remains unclear who owns this land, though I can confirm that it is not in the Council’s property portfolio.”
(vii) To the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion, from Cllr Ayre:
“Would the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion report on the visitor figures for the revamped Acomb library and outline forthcoming changes to the library service elsewhere in the City?”
Reply:
“In April 2008 Acomb library received 10064 visitors as opposed to 4002 for April 2007. This is a phenomenal result and shows just what can be achieved with a little imagination and flair in the revamping of a library. We are aiming to export the new Explore model that is proving so successful in Acomb to other parts of the city. A new library opens officially in New Earswick tomorrow. I visited it last Thursday and was impressed at the thought and attention the project has received. In particular, by hosting the library on the school site, there are now new opportunities for adult learning for parents who can drop their children off at school and then step into the library. There are also plans to further revamp the central library. While the building is a magnificent example in terms of architecture we have work to do to transform the dark feel of much of the building into something more welcoming to visitors in the 21st century.
Across the city, comparing the figures for April 07 with those for April 08, York has seen a 21.6% increase in library visitors. This is very encouraging because it shows that we are getting to grips with the important task of keeping libraries relevant in the age of internet access. I believe libraries have a bright future so long as we apply ourselves to creating a five year plan that enables them to evolve and reflect the changing needs of residents rather than simply keeping them the way they are and watching them wither, as they are in many other parts of the country.”
(viii) To the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion, from Cllr Moore:
“Would the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion comment on the Council’s new position on encouraging film crews to visit the City?”
Reply:
“At the beginning of this year officers and I attended a meeting with Screen Yorkshire to indicate our interest in signing up to the Film Friendly Partnership that encourages film makers to come to Yorkshire to make use of our fantastic locations. While it is fair to say that York is often the host for film makers, particularly local television and student productions, we are now seeing a new interest from major film producers. This is wholly to be welcomed as it raises the city’s profile nationally and internationally and, if the films are successful, has a long term impact of increasing the number of visitors.
Recently I have been working with officers to ensure that when such film makers visit the city, particularly those engaged in period dramas, we have a contract that guarantees CYC having copies of still photographs of dressed sets, such as the recent dressing of the Shambles when the Robinson Crusoe production was in town. The kinds of images that result from these productions will enable the city to maximise the publicity is derives from welcoming these productions to the city and, hopefully, encourage still more productions to see York as a fantastic location to film.”
(ix) To the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion, from Cllr Moore:
“Would the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion provide visitor figures and energy performance figures for Yearsley pool since it re-opened?”
Reply:
:
As of now energy costs are down by over 60%. We will produce a fuller evaluation when we have full year figures.
|
|
Energy 1 Nov - 31 March (YSP) |
|||
|
|
2007/08 |
2006/07 |
||
|
|
Steam |
Elec |
Steam |
Elec |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
£ 9,098.71 |
|
£34,405.59 |
|
|
|
£ 5,518.45 |
|
£25,211.27 |
|
|
|
£14,617.15 |
£8,500.00 |
£59,616.86 |
£5,300.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
£23,117.15 |
|
£64,916.86 |
|
(x) To the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion, from Cllr Looker:
“Can the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion confirm that the swimming pool at Heslington East campus is a crucial part of the Liberal Democrat swimming strategy, and if so give Council a date when work is expected to commence on site, along with a clear timetable so Council knows the expected date of opening and the pool’s location?”
Reply:
“As the minutes of the Executive meeting of 27th October 2007 confirm, the council is committed to working in partnership with the university to deliver a pool on the Heslington East site by 2011.
Council has recently received confirmation from the university that it is in the process of finalising the swimming pool report and recommendations and that this report will be considered in July, as the university has always said it would be.
It is understood that the university’s meeting in July will confirm more precisely the location of the proposed swimming pool on the Heslington East site and give an indication as to when work will commence, and other relevant timescales, in order to deliver a completed pool by 2011, the date agreed between the parties.”
(xi) To the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services, from Cllr Simpson-Laing:
“Can the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services describe her plans and campaigns, through partnership working with the Executive Member for Corporate Services, for the financial year 2008/09, to ensure that York’s retired residents who are entitled to Pension Credit and Council Tax benefit are claiming the benefits they are entitled to?”
Reply:
“In 2007/08 £991,000 in extra benefits was gained for customers through the work of the Finance Team in Social Services. This work is carried out in conjunction with the Benefits Section of the Council. The Council works closely with the DWP, voluntary organizations, etc. This work will continue throughout the current year.
In addition I am looking at developing a pilot scheme with GPs to improve the take up of benefits for their patients.”
(xii) To the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services, from Cllr Simpson-Laing:
“Can the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services explain her plans to programme and install either double or secondary glazing in remaining single glazed Council properties as a means to improve the SAP ratings and eco-footprints of the Council’s stock, as well as to reduce the fuel bills of tenants?”
Reply:
“There is a window replacement scheme in this year’s capital programme which will see work carried out at 84 homes. These windows are beyond their economic lifespans and the Council cannot justify the high repair and painting costs
98.5% of our current stock have either double glazing or high performance single glazed windows.
As a means of increasing a homes SAP rating the provision of double glazing is much less effective than improving loft insulation and introducing condensing boilers – which is where our limited resources are currently focused.”
(xiii) To the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services, from Cllr Alexander:
“Can the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services report to Council the number of private sector landlords who have signed up to the ‘Voluntary Code of Conduct’ with regard to ‘To Let’ sign advertising that a property is a student property, and what percentage is that of all private sector landlords?”
Reply:
“This scheme is managed by the Universities of York and York St John who advise that 844 landlords have signed up to the code. It is estimated that there are between 1200-1500 landlords who let to students. A precise percentage cannot be provided as there is no statutory requirement to register as a landlord.”