Agenda item

To receive a report from the Director of Housing and Communities which seeks authorisation to proceed with delivery of the programme, subject to further Executive approvals being sought at identified key points within the programme.

Resolved (unanimously):

That Executive

a)            Agrees with progressing the delivery of the Gypsy and Traveller accommodation improvement and expansion programme and associated cost plan to implement the York Local Plan proposals relating to Council-owned sites as set out in its Policy H5; this includes authorisation to use £1.95m from S106 contributions, £0.625m from YNYMCA grant, and up to £2.675m from General Fund long term borrowing.

b)            Agrees to the delivery of the improvement works of the Osbaldwick site access road (Outgang Lane) as a priority and for CYC Highways to prepare the improvements proposals and issue a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to restrict parking as part of the proposed improvements, and (where necessary) to procure a contractor for the works.

c)             Agrees to procure a retrofit services team to produce proposals which improve the energy efficiency of the three Council sites’ 61 utility buildings from EPC E to EPC A-B and to procure a contractor to carry out the works.

d)            Agrees to procure a design team to develop a masterplan for the expansion of the Clifton site and design for the 6 additional pitches with utility buildings, to submit planning application for the site expansion, and to procure a contractor to carry out the works.

e)            With respect to (a) to (d) above, agrees to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Communities (in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Governance) to take such steps that are necessary to procure and appoint any contractors for the aforementioned works and/or services, and to determine the provisions of and enter into the resulting contracts (and any subsequent modifications and/or extensions thereto), in accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations set out in Appendices 10 and 10a of the Constitution (the “Finance Regs”), the Contract Procedure Rules set out in Appendix 11 of the Constitution (the “CPRs”) and (where applicable) the Procurement Act 2023 and the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

f)              Notes that a site search as referred to in the Local Plan or ‘Call for Sites’ exercise to be undertaken by Planning in 2026 in collaboration with stakeholders, will identify the location(s) of 17 further pitches to be provided on existing or new Council sites to meet the identified accommodation need.

g)            Notes the Carbon Negative Challenge Fund grant award received from the York and North Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (YNYMCA), to contribute to the retrofit measures to improve the energy efficiency of the three Council sites’ 61 utility buildings from EPC E to EPC A-B, agrees to proceed with entering into a grant agreement to receive funding and agree to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Communities (in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Governance) to determine the provisions of and enter into the grant funding agreement, and the provisions of any subsequent modifications and/or extensions thereto, to ensure compliance with the Subsidy Control Act 2022, the Finance Regs and the CPRs.

h)            Approves the transfer to capital contingency of £625k for budget released from this scheme as a result of the YNYMCA grant award.

i)              Agrees to the application to Homes England for funding from the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) to deliver the new accommodation pitches on Council sites, and (provided that the application to Homes England is successful) agrees to proceed with entering into a grant agreement to receive funding and agree to delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Communities (in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Governance) to determine the provisions of and enter into the grant funding agreement, and the provisions of any subsequent modifications and/or extensions thereto, to ensure compliance with the Subsidy Control Act 2022, the Finance Regs and the CPRs.

Reasons:

·      To ensure that the Council’s commitment to meeting pitch requirements as set out in the Local Plan is appropriately met.

·      To ensure any works and/or services are procured in compliance with the Finance Regs, the CPRs, and (where applicable) our statutory duties under the Procurement Act 2023 and the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

·      To ensure any grant funding arrangements comply with the Subsidy Control Act 2022.