Agenda item

To receive and consider a written report from the Leader on the work of the Cabinet, and the Cabinet recommendations for approval, as set out below:

 

Meeting	Date	Recommendations
Cabinet	2 April 2013     7 May 2013     16 July 2013	Minute 122: Neighbourhood Working           144.         Minute 144: New Council House Building – Phase 1        Any matters referred to Council from this Cabinet meeting (to follow)   Minute 31: Capital Programme Outturn 2012/13 and Revisions to the 2013/14-2017/18 Programme   Minute 32: Combined Authority Governance Review and Scheme

 

 A written report was received from the Cabinet Leader, Cllr James Alexander, on the work of the Cabinet.

 

A       Questions

 

Notice had been received of nine questions on the written report, submitted by Members in accordance with Standing Orders. The first six questions were put and answered as follows and Cllr Alexander undertook to provide Members with written answers to the remaining questions:

 

(i)           To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Aspden

 

“Concerning the fall in unemployment in York, more than one million private sector jobs have been created nationally since the Coalition Government came to power. The Liberal Democrats now want to create a million more including in cities such as York. Would the Cabinet Leader support this campaign which builds on Coalition Government achievements, including a fall in youth unemployment, a record rise in apprenticeships, £5.5bn extra invested into science, high-tech manufacturing and renewable energy, and a £2,000 cash back on National Insurance contributions for employers who take on more staff?”

 

The Leader replied:

“I support any measures that will facilitate economic growth and increase the number of jobs. I should point out the trend of private sector employment increase started in mid 2009 following a low point after the economic crisis. Total private sector jobs in the UK is little more than it was in 2008 and much more needs to be done.”

 

(ii)          To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Barton

 

“If the Council is to be “flexible” in seeing the Former Terry’s plans come to fruition, does this mean that the motion suggesting a 10:10 ratio on affordable housing proposed in Council by the Conservative Group and buried by this administration will now be reinstated?”

 

The Leader replied:

“You can't reinstate something that was never established. Flexibility is the key word here, saying 10% affordable housing is rigid. We may negotiate higher, we may negotiate lower. Flexibility on a site by site basis is what is needed.”.

 

(iii)        To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Warters

 

“The Council Leader reports that the Planning Minister made clear the Local Plan is a matter for York, can the Council Leader clarify if this is a matter for York residents or just himself, Councillors Merrett and Simpson-Laing as members of the secret Spatial Planning Member Steering Group?”

 

The Leader replied:

“It is a matter for all York residents, as demonstrated by the public consultation involving every household in York.”

 

(iv)        To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Reid

 

“Hillary Benn, Labour’s Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, recently said that "local communities should decide where they want new homes and developments to go and then give their consent in the form of planning permission.....it's the difference between having a say and having it done to you. Communities should be able to determine their own future and decide what their area should look like in 5, 10, or 20 years' time”. In regards to the Local Plan, does the Cabinet Leader agree with his Labour colleague and is he prepared to listen to the residents of York?”

 

The Leader replied:

“I do agree and I very much welcome your support for what my Labour colleagues in Westminster are saying. However, at the moment we have a Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government who disagree with this approach and we have to work within the constraints of national legislation. I look forward to a Labour Government giving more freedoms back to communities.”

 

(v)         To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Barton

 

   “In the Comprehensive Spending Review report the Leader says that “Giving York taxpayer’s money to unelected bodies to administer sets a dangerous and undemocratic precedent.” Bearing in mind that this administration pays Your Consortium, another unelected body, thousands of pounds to administer York tax payers money – does he not consider his words to be totally disingenuous and, if he is to take his own advice, demanding of the cancellation of Your Consortiums contract?”

 

The Leader replied:

“I don't think you understand my report. What I am talking about is money the Government promised York taxpayers, for a specific reason, but in line with other funding reductions to instead be taken away and then given to unelected quangos. What Your Consortium is doing is administering funding allocations to the voluntary sector, with the necessary support to ensure every pound spent is maximised in its full potential to make a difference. We have moved from a grant culture by habit to a results-based commissioning model. This ensures best value for taxpayer's money.”

 

(vi)        To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Warters

 

“The Council Leader highlights without a Local Plan powers will be taken away from democratically elected Councillors and given to unelected officials in London. Can the Council Leader outline just what input democratically elected non Labour Members have had into the production of the Local Plan, what power can they exert over the Spatial Planning Member Steering Group, and just what strategic planning decision making powers they have that Central Government can remove”.

 

The Leader replied:

“One way is to take part in the cross-party Working Group, but I understand you called on opposition councillors to boycott this Group. The Government can take away power over all planning decisions from this council if it so wishes. This is why a credible Local Plan is so important.”

(vii)      To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Aspden

 

“In order to support the economic goals of ‘jobs and growth’ outlined in this report, it is crucial that York has clarity and impact in our economic partnerships. Could the Cabinet Leader therefore confirm whether York remains part of the York and North Yorkshire LEP and what he is doing to increase York representation on the Leeds City Region LEP Board?”

 

Reply:

“I agree. It is crucial York has clarity and this is what I outlined to my predecessor. I am working with Ministers over this issue. York giving indication to withdraw from the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership gave clarity where it was not forthcoming from Government. It followed the Heseltine report that recommended being a member in one LEP and given that clarity I discussed the issue with Vince Cable MP. However, where we have given clarity the Government has responded with confusion. It is concerned about changes in LEP geography and what this does for the LEP project. 

 

The question should not be about representation on the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, the question should be about what York gets out of the LEP. The City Deal signed off by Nick Clegg is a big step forward that allows us access to large capital funds for transport that cannot be acquired through any other existing means.”

 

(viii)     To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Barton

 

“Would the Leader care to expand on his amazing vision that sees the loss of the Law College as “providing opportunities”?”

 

Reply:

“When I said providing opportunities what I meant was the site itself provides an opportunity for alternative use, which I think is pretty straight forward.  It’s really not worth trying to make a political issue of the move when the reasons for that move were not ones we could influence, nor did the University of Law have any problems with the site, it simply moved for other reasons.

 

I look forward to hearing what sort of interest there is in the site in the months to come and feel confident that it will be put to good use.”

 

(ix)        To the Cabinet Leader from Cllr Aspden

 

“Labour Leader Ed Miliband has said he would not commit to reversing any of the cuts announced in the recent Spending Review and Labour Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has said that if Labour win the next General Election they would stick to the coalition's 2015/16 departmental budgets. Does the Cabinet Leader support their position and the impact it would have on York?

 

Reply:

“No.”

 

B       Cabinet Recommendations

 

Neighbourhood Working

 

Cllr Alexander moved, and Cllr Simpson-Laing seconded the following recommendation contained in Minute 122 of the Cabinet meeting held on 2 April 2013:

 

[That Council]agree to the alteration of the Constitution to establish Resident Forums in place of Ward Committees, as described in paragraph 12 of the report, to include a revised mechanism to agree the allocation of ward funding, as described in paragraph 15 of the report.

 

On being put to the vote, the recommendation was declared CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:                That the above recommendation in respect of Resident Forums be approved. ^1.

 

 

New Council House Building – Phase 1

 

Councillor Alexander moved and Cllr Simpson-Laing seconded the following recommendation contained in Minute 144 of the Cabinet meeting held on 7 May 2013:

 

[That Council]agree to recommend the use of £1m commuted sums, and thereby increase the approved capital programme (HRA) for new homes from £6m to £7m.

On being put to the vote, the recommendation was declared CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:                That the recommendation in respect of the  use of the commuted sum in the Capital Programme be approved. ^2.

 

Capital Programme Outturn 2012/13 and Revisions to the 2013/14-2017/18 Programme

 

Councillor Alexander moved and Cllr Simpson-Laing seconded the following recommendation contained in Minute 31 of the Cabinet meeting held on 16 July 2013, circulated at the meeting:

 

[That Council]agree to the restated 2013/14 to 2017/18 programme of £203.295m as summarised in Table 3 and detailed in Annex A of the report.

On being put to the vote, the recommendation was declared CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:                That the recommendation in respect of the  restated Capital Programme be approved. ^3.

 

 

Combined Authority Governance Review and Scheme

 

Councillor Alexander moved and Cllr Simpson-Laing seconded the following recommendation contained in Minute 32 of the Cabinet meeting held on 16 July 2013, circulated at the meeting:

 

[That Council]agree to:

 

(i)            Note and support the findings of the West Yorkshire Review, set out in Annex A of the report, including that a Combined Authority for the area of West Yorkshire, and ultimately including the city of York, would be likely to improve:

 

§     the exercise of statutory functions relating to economic development, regeneration and transport in the area;

§     the effectiveness and efficiency of transport in the area; and

§     the economic conditions in the area.

 

(ii)           Consider and support the proposed Scheme for establishing a West Yorkshire Combined Authority, pursuant to section 109(2) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act (LDEDCA) 2009.

 

(iii)         Confirm consent for the City of York Council to becoming a non-constituent member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, pending assurance from proposed constituent members as to the decisions on which CYC as a non-constituent member will be given voting rights. ^4.

 

 

(iv)         Authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and with the other West Yorkshire Authorities to undertake such steps as are necessary to facilitate the submission of the Scheme and CYC’s non-constituent membership of the resulting Combined Authority. ^5.

 

 

(v)          Pursue full membership for City of York Council, and to consider the full details of this full membership as and when it becomes possible for the Council to join as a full member.

 

On being put to the vote, the recommendation was declared CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:                That the recommendation in respect of the Combined Authority be approved.