Agenda item

To ask questions of the Leader and/or Executive Members in respect of any matter within their portfolio responsibility, in accordance with Standing Order B8.

The Lord Mayor invited members to ask questions of the Leader of the Council and Executive in relation to matters within their portfolio responsibility.

 

Details of questions and subsequent responses were provided as follows:

 

Councillor Whitcroft

 

Please could the Executive Member outline how changes to ResPark would help residents in my ward get the resident parking that they need and what the new process was going to do as an improvement to the old scheme?

 

Response

 

The Executive Member for Transport reported that the ResPark process had been somewhat unwieldy resulting in communities

sometimes waiting years for their application to be processed. That there was a double consultation process, but residents felt as though they had been consulted twice and led to many residents not realising when they had to respond to the final consultation.

 

The changes streamlined the process and the way that ResPark was dealt with. Previously, officers would only recommend implementing ResPark if more than 50% of the residents in the area responded and more than 50% of the residents were in support. And in areas where there were large numbers of rental properties, then this often resulted in a very low response rate and that led to residents just being caught in a loop of being unable to process a ResPark application for their area. That threshold had been removed for officers to move things forward. There had also been a change to the first consultation stage so that communities were given the opportunity to shape how the public highway was used. Residents were to be asked to estimate how many parking spaces they might need and to consider what other ways they might like to see the highway being used, such as cycle shelters, EV charging and more seating. This provided local communities the chance to reshape their streets for the ways that worked for them.

 

As part of the second stage residents and businesses had the opportunity to object. Any objections received were to be taken into consideration and mitigations put in place in the same

way that other traffic restriction orders were dealt with, such as double yellow lines. It was aligning the process with other traffic restriction orders. It was felt that the new process would result in a swift progression of applications so that a resolution was reached for communities whilst providing opportunities for communities to shape their neighbourhoods in a way that worked best for their local community.

 

Councillor Cullwick

 

Clarification was sought from the Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion, that in the original papers for the Executive meeting earlier this week it was stated that the green bin tax would rise to £52 next year, which would be a 12% increase since the charge was introduced. That paper was later withdrawn and replaced with all reference to the increase removed. So please could the Executive Member confirm whether it has been decided not to increase the green bin tax for the next financial year?

 

Response

 

The Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion responded that the paper had been entered on the system in error and was withdrawn because it should not have been included in that format. The paper that was considered at Executive and voted on did not have any reference to charging for green waste collection for the future financial year. That was because no decision had yet been made on charging for green waste collection. A decision was to be made transparently in the proper way, in public.

 

Councillor Nicholls

 

Please could I ask the Leader of the Council of the 20 motions passed by Council from the Labour Group what specific measurable achievements have been made on these motions?

 

Response

 

The Leader of the Council responded that when Labour came into administration there was no process for monitoring how motions were taken forward. That a process had since been established to track the progress of motions. A report had been submitted to Corporate Scrutiny Committee last week where it was acknowledged that there were still motions where progress was needed. An update on those motions had been provided, noting that whilst some had been achieved there was still more work needed on others.

 

Councillor Ben Burton

 

The Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency was asked about the expansion of kerbside recycling, particularly the wider benefits for residents.

 

Response

 

The Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency responded that ideally there would be doorstep collections for all

types of waste. Items such as toothpaste tubes and Tetra Pak cartons had been two very difficult items to recycle or find places to recycle. The changes meant that there was no longer a need to go to the tip or elsewhere to get rid of them. It reduced congestion, reduced emissions from transport, with fewer tips to the trip and increased the amount that was recycled, which was good for the circular economy.

 

Councillor Fenton

 

The Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency was asked to provide some assurance about the future continuation of the suburban recycling banks, for example at Askham Bar and elsewhere, which were well used particularly for cardboard and paper.

 

Response

 

The Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency responded that there was currently no indication either way. It was reported that Tetra Pak recycling banks were to be removed. These were outside of the Council’s control and were to be removed, but there was to be doorstep recycling and therefore not a reduction.

 

Councillor Orrell

 

It was fantastic that York Knights were joining the Super League. It was a huge leap for the club and a brilliant opportunity to showcase the city. But with bigger crowds will come bigger

traffic and parking challenges, particularly around Huntington.

What steps had the Executive Member taken to manage this ahead of February? And would Ward Councillors be involved in

the planning as they were before the Community Stadium first opened?

 

Response

 

The Leader of the Council acknowledged that on match days, there was heavy traffic around the Community Stadium. That during the Women's Rugby World Cup extra buses were provided, which were well used, and the traffic was well managed. By changing the approach to the area and providing different services, the traffic could be better managed in the Monks Cross area. Work was to be undertaken with York Knights and with any of the big events that were going on in that area to improve and enhance public transport. It would also form part of the work with the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority when bus responsibilities were transferred across to the Mayor.

 

Councillor Nelson

 

Please could the Executive Member explain so that Councillors are able to spread the word, how people are going to be able to access services at the new Community Well-being Hub at Acomb Garth and what types of support will be available?

 

Response

 

The Executive Member for Health, Well-being and Adult Social Care responded that this was the second Community Well-being Hub that had opened in York. It provided a resource in the community where people were able to access help and support when and where they needed it. In terms of accessing the Community Well-being Hub the plan was for it to be open 24/7 with direct access. There was no need for a referral and multi-disciplinary teams were based there. What one person needed may be very different to what another person needed. There would be support from mental health services, community support services and advice services. This was not a timebound service. People would not be told there's a limit on the number of times they could attend.

 

Councillor Widdowson

 

At the Executive Member Decision Session on 22 April 2025, the Council approved plans to consult on a city centre sustainable transport corridor which included potential changes to traffic movement across the Ouse Bridge. Please could the Executive Member confirm when the consultation will begin and when the agreed scheme will be implemented? In addition, what co-ordination will take place with the planned works on Lendal Bridge to avoid overlapping disruption in the city centre?

 

Response

 

The Executive Member responded that consultation was starting next week. The expectation was for the consultation to run until early January. Following feedback received from the consultation, the aim was to start the scheme in the summer of next year with an 18-month experimental scheme. Throughout those 18 months, there was an opportunity for everyone to feedback on how the scheme was working and to make tweaks if needed. The plan was to make sure that Lendal Bridge works were completed prior to any implementation of the sustainable travel corridor with no overlapping. That was why works at Lendal Bridge had been scheduled to start as soon as the Easter holidays had finished. Lendal Bridge works were anticipated to take eight weeks and then move to implementing the sustainable travel corridor.

 

Councillor Crawshaw

 

Concerns were raised about community safety. That a public meeting had been held in the Micklegate Ward earlier in the week called by three Ward Councillors following a significant rise in the frequency and severity of anti-social behaviour. It was reported that there had been a spate of arson attacks which were particularly concerning for the local community. That last week was the 13^th shed that had been burnt down since September. Over 100 people attended the public meeting and one of the key messages was concern around communication between the different agencies that were involved, which included police and fire services, the council's community safety team, schools, youth services and the wider community. Clarification was sought about the role of the Council in ensuring good communication so that everyone was speaking from the same page.

 

Response

 

The Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities responded that concern about the spate of arson attacks and anti-social behaviour was happening across the city and was a concern for council departments as well as other agencies. That work had been undertaken to establish processes through the Safer York Partnership. That there was a multi-agency meeting taking place tomorrow with a particular focus on youth crime. That efforts would be made to ensure agencies engaged with Ward Councillors, community groups and stakeholders. That there was a role for Councillors across the city to be disseminating information to identify those individuals that may be involved with this level of offending.