Agenda item

To receive and consider a written report from the Leader, and to ask questions on the work of the Executive.

A written report was received from the Executive Leader, Cllr Aspden, on the work of the Executive.

Members were then invited to question the Leader on his report.  Questions were received from the floor from the following Members in relation to the subjects listed, and replied to as indicated:

2023/24 Council Budget

From Cllr Kilbane: Executive Members are telling people on the doorstep that exclusion of Blue Badge holders from the city centre was forced on them by the security services, which contradicts the account of former Supt. Mark Khan.  Have ruling councillors agreed privately to mislead the public, and if not will you commit to disciplining those councillors who are telling people that?

Response: On the substantive question you are asking, we want everyone to safely enjoy our historic and beautiful city safely.  As you know, strong advice was given…. If you want me to answer your tittle tattle question, I have seen your comments on social media, which I do not think are correct.

[Supplementary from Cllr Crawshaw: You are therefore suggesting that my father, who had his door knocked by 2 Executive Members and was told that they had not taken the decision to exclude Blue Badge holders from the city centre when they clearly had done [was not telling the truth]?]

Supplementary Response:  You’ve not told me who or sent any message to me, so it’s impossible to answer that question. I do not believe the way you characterise it was exactly how it happened.  I would be very happy to give you a substantive answer to the important questions you raise but you were heckling me so it was impossible to do so.]

Devolution

From Cllr Warters: Are you content to leave as your legacy to York the handing over of significant powers to an elected Mayor, who is very likely to be the current Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner your colleagues have been critical of in the Lib Dem motion at this meeting?

Response: York & North Yorkshire Devolution is a real opportunity for the city and the only way we will get significant funding to deliver projects to make a real difference in decades to come.  In that sense, I couldn’t care less who the Mayor is in May 2024; what’s really important is to put aside our small political concerns and grasp the opportunities it gives.

[Supplementary: What happened to the promises you made under the Labour administration once you got the position of Leader?]

Supplementary Response: There was a hung council when Labour lost power and Opposition groups came together at that time and looked at various things, including how the Council makes its decisions.  One of the things everyone signed up to was to do a review of that process and it will be for the new Council to follow that up and look at the pros and cons of different models going forward.

Purple Flag

From Cllr Lomas: This is a question I received from a resident of Westfield ward about the budget item on tackling anti-social behaviour mentioned in your report.  She worries that a one-off commitment will fail to tackle the problem in the long term.  Can you explain why this commitment doesn’t last beyond election year?

Response: The motion in front of us later states why this is an important issue to tackle.  The funding is one-off and it was important to put it in the budget, but future councils are going to need to look at investing in community safety as well, in partnership with the police and the commissioner’s office. If you want to send a particular query to the Ward Members or myself we’d be happy to look at that too.