North Yorkshire County Council

Executive

25 January 2022

 

Council Plan 2022 - 2023

Report of Assistant Director - Policy, Partnerships and Communities

 

1.0

 

Purpose of report

 

1.1

To seek Executive Members views on the submission of the refreshed Council Plan to the County Council for adoption.

 

2.0       Background 

 

2.1       Following on from the expiry of the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020, which allowed for committee meetings to be held remotely, the County Council resolved at its meeting on 5 May 2021 (before the expiry of the Regulations) to continue to hold remote live-broadcast committee meetings.  These would then be informal meetings of the committee Members, with any formal decisions required being taken by the Chief Executive Officer under his standing emergency delegated decision-making powers, taking into account the views of the committee Members and all relevant information.  This position was reviewed at the informal meetings of the County Council Members, and subsequently agreed by the Chief Executive Officer, under emergency delegated powers, on 21 July 2021 and 17 November 2021. The position will again be reviewed by Council at its meeting on 16 February 2022.

 

2.2       The Council Plan is a key component of the County Council’s policy framework, setting out the Council’s objectives and how its resources are to be used to deliver those objectives. Ensuring the Plan is developed in a timely and robust manner is essential in order to drive forward the business of the Council and improve performance.

 

2.3       The process is closely allied to the budget setting process as this clearly demonstrates the golden thread running through the Council's objectives, priorities and allocation of resources. For this reason, the Council Plan will be submitted to the County Council on 16 February 2022 in tandem with the budget report.

2.4       The Council Plan is intended to be the public expression of the County Council’s vision and a strategic document designed to plot the Council’s course over the next year. But also used by staff to understand the Councils priorities and how they fit within them.

2.5       A light refresh has been undertaken rather than a full rewrite, as this will be the council plan for the last year of the County Council.  Now is not the time for a major change in format or content. This will come with the council plan for 2023 onwards for the unitary council. Ambitions, priorities, our approach and principles remain relevant and appropriate, and the current format provides an effective structure to articulate the Council’s intentions and provide strong foundations for the new council. Important changes to highlight are:

·         The foreword emphasises the importance of laying strong foundations for the new council and working together with the districts. It also covers the support we have provided throughout the pandemic.

·         There is a new section on ‘Delivering Local Government Reorganisation’ which sets out how we will work together with the district and borough councils to deliver the new council.

·         Inclusion of the opportunity for a devolution deal for North Yorkshire and York.

·         Additional information on COVID-19 including the impact it has had on the County Council, its partners and communities, with recovery plans reflected in all the high level objectives.

·         The County Council’s response to the recommendations made by the Rural Commission.

·         The integration of the Carbon Reduction Plan and Equality Objectives into the council plan to ensure that they are part of our corporate strategy and monitored through the corporate performance framework.

 

3.0       Development of the Council Plan

 

3.1       The Council Plan has been developed using the agreed process for key cross-cutting strategies with input from all directorates and under the sponsorship of Management Board. The draft has been reviewed by Management Board.

 

3.2       The refresh of the Council Plan has considered feedback received via an online survey. The survey was combined with the budget consultation.

 

3.3       The Council Plan has a number of audiences including elected members, officers, partners, the public, and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Efforts have been made to ensure that, as far as possible, the Council Plan is accessible and of use to all these audiences.

 

3.4       The Council Plan is the external and internal facing summary corporate strategy. However, a document the size of the Council Plan cannot detail all that the County Council does.  Further information about the County Council’s detailed strategies and plans is published in other documents available on the County Council website. The view has been taken that there is little merit in merely replicating elements of these strategies and plans.

 

4.0       Structure and Publication of Council Plan

 

4.1       The Council Plan aims to be an easy to read, concise document. In addition to being thepublic expression of the County Council’s vision and ambitions, it outlines key achievements during the last year, and sets priorities for the period up to 2023.

 

4.2       The Council Plan will be published on the internet and publicised to the public through a range of media, including press releases and North Yorkshire Now (the County Council’s email newsletter).

 

4.3       On publication, the Council Plan will be strongly promoted internally, in particular in relation to its central place in the service planning process and developing a sense of common purpose with staff and managers.

 

4.4       The Council Plan will also include a summary of how resources will be allocated through the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), revenue budget and capital plan.  This will be added once they have been agreed by the County Council, alongside updated performance information.

 

5.0       Draft Council Plan

 

5.1       The draft Council Plan 2022 - 2023, as at 13th January 2022, is attached at Appendix A.

 

6.0       Financial implications

 

6.1       The Council Plan will have significant financial implications as it outlines the key programmes of work that will be carried out, all of which have been set out in the linked budget report.

 

7.0       Equality implications

 

7.1       The County Council must demonstrate that it pays due regard in developing its budget and policies and in its decision-making process to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people when carrying out their activities with regard to the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. This includes compounding factors such as the rural nature of the county and the cumulative impact of proposals on groups with protected characteristics across the range of services. The impact of decisions on the County Council’s activities as a service provider and an employer must be considered.

 

7.2       At the earliest possible opportunity, significant proposed changes in service provision and budget are screened to identify if there are likely to be any equality implications.

 

7.3       If equality implications are identified, the County Council uses an equality impact assessment (EIA) process to support the collection of data and analysis of impacts and to provide a way of demonstrating due regard. EIAs are developed alongside savings proposals, with equalities considerations worked into the proposals from the beginning.

 

7.4       If a draft EIA suggests that the proposed changes are likely to result in adverse impacts, further detailed investigation and consultations are undertaken as the detailed proposals are developed. Proposed changes will only be implemented after due regard to the implications has been paid in both the development process and the formal decision-making process.

 

7.5       Where the potential for adverse impact is identified in an EIA, services will seek to mitigate this in a number of ways including developing new models of service delivery, partnership working and by helping people to develop a greater degree of independent living.

 

7.6       An EIA has been carried out of the overall Council Plan 2022 - 2023 and this is attached at Appendix B. The specific implications for individual services in relation to refocusing the approach of the County Council are not part of this impact assessment and will be assessed as part of the change process in each directorate.

 

7.7       An overall EIA for the 2022/23 budget has also been carried out and is included within the budget report. This has concluded that our ambitions in the Council Plan are for better outcomes for all North Yorkshire residents despite the context of post COVID-19 economic recovery and public sector financial restraint. Our transformation programme aims to save money but also to make sure we are doing things more efficiently and effectively and that the things we are doing are the right ones.

 

7.8       The anticipated impacts of our ambitions are therefore positive ones. Due regard to equalities will be paid when making decisions on actions to realise these ambitions and, where appropriate, these will be subject to full EIAs.

 

7.9       Given the nature of some specific changes to services there may be adverse impacts particularly for those on a low income and/or living in a rural setting, although mitigating actions may also be identified as part of the process.

 

7.10     As part of our ambitions for North Yorkshire, the high-level outcomes which prioritises protection for vulnerable people aim to safeguard and improve outcomes for adults receiving social care who tend to be older, and/or people with disabilities, and for young people with vulnerabilities, including those arising from disabilities.

 

8.0       Climate Change Impact Assessment                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

8.1       The purpose of this assessment is to help us understand the likely impacts of our decisions on the environment of North Yorkshire and on our aspiration to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030, or as close to that date as possible. The intention is to mitigate negative effects and identify projects which will have positive effects.

 

8.2       The Council Plan is a high-level strategic document that sets the direction for the council. As such, the Plan does not contain detailed information about specific service delivery. Detail at service level has been and/or will be impact assessed by directorate colleagues.

 

8.2       The priorities within the Council Plan ‘Reducing the causes and impacts of climate change, now and for future generations’ and ‘Delivering our carbon reduction goals’ set our vision and goals for tackling climate change and aim to have a positive impact on the environment. The County Council aspires to become more environmentally sustainable, further reduce carbon emissions and increase the resilience of the county to climate change. 

 

9.0       Legal implications

 

9.1       The Council Plan reflects the legal requirement on local authorities under Section 3 of the Local Government Act 1999 to secure continuous improvement in the way in which it exercises its functions.

10 Recommendations
 
 10.1 Executive Members are asked to recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his delegated emergency powers he: 
 
 i. Approve the draft Council Plan and forward it to the County Council for approval at its meeting on 16 February 2022, and 
 
 ii Seek County Council’s authorisation to enable him to make any necessary changes to the text, including reflecting decisions made by the County Council on the budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy, and updated performance data.
 
 
 
 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Neil Irving

Assistant Director - Policy, Partnerships and Communities

 

13 January 2022

 

Report Author – Alaina Kitching, Graduate Trainee Strategy and Performance Officer

 

Appendices:

Appendix A – Draft Council Plan 2022 – 2023

Appendix B – Equality impact assessment – Council Plan 2022 – 2023

Appendix C - Climate change impact assessment – Council Plan 2022 – 2023


 

Appendix A

Full draft of Council Plan 2022-2023

 

North Yorkshire County Council

Council Plan 2022 – 2023

Foreword

We were pleased that the Government has decided that a new strong unitary council for North Yorkshire is the best way to drive social and economic post COVID-19 recovery and to deliver a rural economic powerhouse. However, this means that 2022/23 is the last year for a hugely successful and highly performing County Council.

Our approach in this final year is still as ambitious as ever and we are committed to ensuring that we deliver the strongest possible foundations for the new unitary authority to meet future challenges. The coming years will provide a tough fiscal climate of post COVID-19 economic recovery and unprecedented service demand pressures, especially in adult social care and services for children and young people.  

We are confident in our ability to leave a legacy of strong foundations because we have a clear focus on improving outcomes for North Yorkshire, highly performing services and an enviable track-record of delivering what we set out to do. We will continue to work together with the seven district and borough councils to deliver the best possible conditions for the single new council to succeed. 

The new unitary council for North Yorkshire will have significant benefits for local people and businesses, including improved and more affordable local services, a strong voice to attract inward investment, stronger and more accountable local leadership, and empowered town and parish councils and local communities. In doing so the new council will bring forward a revolution in localism alongside a vibrant rural economy, which maximises the potential of its natural and cultural assets.

The new council provides North Yorkshire with the opportunity to transform the delivery of public services, supporting social action, and acting in the interests of the whole county. It will unlock greater value for money through economies of scale and provide the greatest simplicity for partners and the public, whilst ensuring that essential services are not disrupted.

Local government reorganisation also creates the conditions for greater local devolution of powers and decision making from central Government to North Yorkshire and York. We are already in advanced negotiations with Government and are passionate about delivering a deal which places tackling climate change and driving the local economy at the heart of our ambitions. We aim for this to be delivered through a directly elected Mayor and Mayoral Combined Authority with the City of York Council by May 2024. It is anticipated this will yield benefits of around £2.4 billion of devolved funding over the next 30 years.

We recognise that many of the challenges we face cannot be delivered by a single agency alone. We are proud of our work with the district and borough councils and with other public sector organisations and communities to transform services, drive innovation and improve outcomes. The final year of the County Council will be spent ensuring these bonds are strengthened further so that momentum is maintained and the new council reaps the benefits of strong strategic partnerships from day one.

We are optimistic about the future; however, our services are facing considerable challenges. In education, the influence of COVID-19 is still being seen within schools as cases remain relatively high across settings. With schools being closed for considerable parts of the previous two academic years, the priority for the directorate is ensuring that no child is left behind, including ensuring that attendance is supported back to pre-pandemic levels.

Children’s social care has seen an increase in complexity of cases, resulting in an increase in demand for support. As the country emerges from a pandemic footing, a key challenge facing children and families is the uncertainty around the socio-economic impact of the pandemic. We know socio-economic factors linked to deprivation are drivers of demand for children’s social care, so it is likely that the Children and Families Service will face increasing demand into 2022/23.

There are a number of challenges faced by adult social care across the country and North Yorkshire is no different. Many of these issues have been exacerbated by the acute stress which COVID-19 has put on a system already under significant human resource, financial and demographic pressure. The care providers we rely upon to provide residential, nursing and domiciliary care to people are under severe strain, resulting in reduced capacity to meet demand. This has been further compounded as providers make economic decisions to leave the market and by job vacancies which cannot be filled. The County Council is taking steps to support the care sector with a 4 year market development programme, major planned changes to the funding and contractual model that underpins the sector and, more immediately, a major recruitment campaign to appeal for people to join the sector. The Government’s White Papers on Adult Social Care charging and on integration will help to address some important issues but we await further detail of any national help to stabilise the overall care market.

And, of course, Public Health has been at the forefront of COVID-19 work. The County Council and its partners across the NHS and wider public sector, as well as local communities, continue to respond to high and varying levels of virus; support an ongoing vaccination programme; and provide advice and support to residents and businesses to keep people as safe and well as possible. Pandemics tend to take two to three years to run their cycle. As we learn to “live with COVID” we also need to continue to prevent, contain and manage its impact.

Unsurprisingly given the size of the County Council, we have a significant carbon footprint. We have an ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030 and have set out how we will start to go about achieving that in our latest Carbon Reduction Plan. The new council will offer real opportunities to tackle climate change and reduce carbon.

Although we have robust finances based upon strong financial management, we still face a very challenging financial situation. By the end of 2022/23 the County Council will have achieved savings of over £200m, with further savings required to balance the books. In the medium term local government reorganisation represents a major opportunity to redesign our services to provide them both more effectively and more efficiently. The new council could provide savings of between £31.9m and £68.5m per annum (dependent on the degree of transformation undertaken by the new council), but this is expected to be in the face of continued fiscal restraint by central government and increasing demand pressures on services.

We estimate that COVID-19 has cost the council £ (to be updated) so far, taking into account extra essential expenditure and lost income, and there is still the recovery from COVID-19 to come. This includes outbreak management, test and trace, providing information and support, and funding the voluntary sector. In March 2020 our Stronger Communities Team was able to put in place service agreements with a county-wide network of 23 Community Support Organisations (CSO) within four working days, to support those people most isolated or at-risk  in the county during the pandemic. The CSOs are all community-led, trusted partners operating at a grass roots level and have delivered a range of practical support (including collecting prescriptions and shopping) throughout the pandemic to ensure that anyone living in North Yorkshire received the help and support they needed. Our Stronger Communities small grants programme has also supported COVID-19 response and recovery, with 13,514 individuals benefitting. We have also administered the £3.5 million Household Support Fund grant (funded by DWP) to support those most in need with food, energy and utility bills.

We are standing up for North Yorkshire by arguing for more resources. We have supported the Transforming Cities Fund, which has seen £42 million invested in Skipton, Selby and Harrogate, as well as supporting the Towns Fund programmes in Whitby and Scarborough. We have also secured £3m Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport funding for Mobile Access North Yorkshire, bringing 5G mobile to rural parts of North Yorkshire alongside investment in town centre Wi-Fi and superfast broadband. In addition we have accessed £1.15m Emergency Active Travel Funding to promote walking and cycling.

Whilst the County Council is moving into the next phase of its journey as part of a single new unitary authority, we will continue to make sure we deliver high quality services and strong financial management. We will continue to work with our communities, public partners and businesses. Above all we will continue to be a council of ambition and one that is motivated by achieving the highest standards possible for North Yorkshire now and in to the future.

This plan sets out our vision for tackling the challenges we face, our ambitions for North Yorkshire, and the approach we are taking to achieve them; our commitment to delivery will continue to be unwavering

Our equality objectives give more detail of specific work to make sure that our services continue to meet the needs of different groups in our communities. 

Further details about the new council for North Yorkshire

Please let us know what you think using the contact details on the last page of this document.

 

Councillor Carl Les, Leader of the Council

Richard Flinton, Chief Executive

 

 

 

 

 


 

Our Vision

We have developed a shared vision with our partners:

We want North Yorkshire to be a thriving county, which adapts to a changing world and remains a special place for everyone to live, work and visit.

Population is 618,054 (ONS mid-2019 population estimate). 
 
 People who are 65 years old and over make up 24.7% of our population. This compares to 18.4% in the population of England as a whole. North Yorkshire has a lower proportion of young people than the national average – 25.0% under 25 compared to 29.8% nationally.
 
 About North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is an attractive place to live, work and visit. Our county has an enviable identity, globally renowned for its culture, spectacular landscapes, high standards of education provision and a varied and vibrant local economy.

We provide a wide range of services, including:
 • Schools
 • Children’s social care, including adoption and fostering
 • Adult social care services
 • Public Health, working to improve health and wellbeing
 • Registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships
 • Adult education
 • Libraries and county record office
 • Roads, bridges, street lighting, public rights of way 
 • Public transport
 • Trading standards and consumer advice
 • Heritage and countryside management
 • Disposal and recycling of household waste
 • Planning authority for minerals and waste issues
 • Emergency planning 
 We serve a diverse and dispersed population across 3,103 square miles stretching from Scarborough on the North Sea coast to Bentham in the west and from the edge of Teesside to south of the M62. Large parts of the county sit within two beautiful National Parks and amongst Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Ninety eight percent of the county is either sparsely (13%) or super-sparsely (85%) populated with just over a third of the population living in these areas. We need to operate at scale in a county with our characteristics and to deliver services locally.

We do face some challenges in providing services, including the rural nature of much of the county.  We also have an ageing population and many younger people leave the county following secondary and further education. Affordable housing is an issue as housing costs are relatively high when compared to wages.

We provide services across the whole of the county, and understand the importance of local services. Our business case for the reorganisation of local government put local delivery at its heart and we already successfully deliver children’s social care and adult’s social care across the county. The vast majority of our staff live and work in North Yorkshire and take pride in delivering high quality services to their local communities. Our Stronger Communities team works with many local groups and the voluntary and community sector to establish locally run services.

More information and statistics about North Yorkshire can be found here: https://www.datanorthyorkshire.org/

More information about the services we provide can be found here:
https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/   

 

 

Delivering services for North Yorkshire

The County Council has a strong track-record on delivering good and outstanding services in local communities, schools and in people’s own homes whilst maintaining a stable financial position. We have a clear focus on improving outcomes for local people and communities in North Yorkshire and we want to continue to be regarded as one of the leading providers of public services in the country. This will provide a strong foundation for the new council which will have significant benefits for local people and businesses including improved and more affordable local services.

Key Achievements

North Yorkshire County Council can rightfully celebrate many achievements:

Leading for North Yorkshire:

·         The County Council has provided significant local leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic, including through the multi-agency approach to Outbreak Management with colleagues in the NHS and the Police and Fire and Rescue Services, as well as businesses and community groups, alongside financial assistance for community groups providing support to those in need in the community.  

·         Our Stronger Communities team, in a co-ordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic with the district and borough councils and 23 Community Support Organisations, helped an average of 3,070 people each week, delivered approximately 351 prescriptions and 515 loads of shopping each week and processed 1260 successful applications of COVID-19 food and energy grants. This included the deployment of approximately 1,135 volunteers per week, delivering around 118,985 volunteer hours across the year, worth approximately £1.8m.

·         In 2020/21 there were 5,223 volunteers directly supporting the local authority who gave 80,855 volunteer hours in areas such as Libraries, Children’s Centres, Youth Justice Service and Adult Learning.

·         The first of its kind nationally, North Yorkshire Rural Commission completed its task to investigate the challenges faced by those living in rural communities across the County and published its findings. In response, the Council has set up a new Advisory Task Force to support and monitor progress with implementation of the Commission’s actions as the county moves towards a single unitary authority.

·         We are committed to reducing the causes and impacts of climate change. We are taking action to reduce our carbon emissions, with an aspiration to be carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2030, and then in conjunction with a Mayoral Combined Authority to become England’s first carbon negative economy by 2040.

 

Every Child and Young Person has the best possible start in life:

·         We are the first council in the country to be rated as outstanding across all categories by Ofsted for Children’s Social Care and this was ratified through a further focussed visit in 2021 which praised “highly confident senior leaders and managers” who have “ensured that children’s services have continued to develop positively since the last inspection”. In its report Ofsted said that throughout the pandemic “vulnerable children in North Yorkshire received effective services from skilled and compassionate professionals that protect, help and support them”.

·         The Youth Offending Service was rated highly by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation in September 2020.

·         Our ground breaking No Wrong Door programme is nationally recognised for its innovation and effectiveness in radically improving the life chances of some the county’s most vulnerable and troubled young people. The programme has helped to reduce North Yorkshire’s looked-after population by 16% in five years and has led to a £2.65m costs avoided for the Looked After Children Service in 2020/21.

·         We have a good understanding of the needs of young people through the Growing up in North Yorkshire (GUNY) survey: GUNY Results.

 

Every adult has a longer, healthier and independent life:

·         In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Health and Adult services implemented a new operating model for adult social care and community health. This enabled us to meet demand for services 7 days a week, with HAS colleagues redeployed around the County to support the response. County Council colleagues worked around the clock with the NHS, local authorities, service providers, volunteer organisations and communities to limit the transmission of the virus, supporting the safety, health and wellbeing of residents across North Yorkshire. Furthermore, our Public Health expertise meant we were able to make the right decisions, quickly.

·         We established a bespoke programme of support for the care sector at the early stages of the pandemic which has included regular calls and visits, practical hands-on support and training, financial assistance and other help to 500+ care providers

·         People who use services, and their families and friends, have also been instrumental in supporting each other, including through our Keeping in Touch programme which has helped support safe visiting in care homes, safe trips out and digital links so people could keep in contact

·         Our leading edge prevention services are working with communities to support people to live independent lives and are improving health and social care outcomes.

·         We continue to lead the way in extra-care housing for older and disabled people, with 25 schemes across the county, comprising 1,338 apartments, with three further schemes scheduled for completion in 2021/22.

 

North Yorkshire is a place with a strong economy and a commitment to sustainable growth:

·         The latest 2021 National Highways and Transportation public satisfaction survey shows our highways and infrastructure services are amongst the most effective in the country, with good performance in overall highway maintenance and for the conditions of our roads.  

·         We are reducing the amount of waste going to landfill in North Yorkshire and producing energy for local homes. The amount of municipal waste sent to landfill has reduced from over 200,000 tonnes in 2009/10 to a little over 30,000 tonnes last year. This is mainly due to the impact of the Allerton Waste Recovery Park that processes up to 6,000 tonnes of waste per week and generates enough electricity to support around 40,000 households each year.

·         We lead for the county and promote it to the world. North Yorkshire has become one of the cycling capitals of the world, with the council’s operations playing a very significant part in the success of the Grand Depart, Tour de Yorkshire and the UCI 2019 Road World Championships.

·         COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the local bus sector. At the height of the pandemic, bus services carried fewer than 10% of pre-pandemic passenger volumes. The County Council worked with Government to provide financial support which prevented the widespread decline of bus services locally and led to a bus service improvement plan (BSIP) which sets out a plan for recovery and further improvement for passengers. 

·         Our pilot Demand Responsive service YorBus launched in July 2021. This enables people to book a bus journey through the app or by telephone. It has been very well received with users rating it 4.8 out of 5, and passenger journeys also exceeding planned numbers. The service has enabled many local people to make journeys that were not possible by public transport previously.

 

Innovative and forward thinking council:

·         We are recognised as one of the most entrepreneurial councils in the country, having developed successful businesses focussing on schools, waste, broadband connectivity and housing.

·         Our support services, including HR, Finance, Procurement, IT, Legal and others are amongst the most cost-effective and high performing in the country and we successfully provide these services for a number of other organisations.

·         During the COVID-19 pandemic we have developed new ways of working, including access to support and technology, to ensure that customer needs are met whilst protecting and caring for our workforce. We have also introduced additional health and wellbeing initiatives to support employees, including employee support networks, promoting public health campaigns and the creation of healthy workplace groups.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Our values

Our values underpin everything we do:

Customer focus – putting the customer at the heart of everything we do

Care and respect – treating people as individuals and with courtesy, seeking to understand how others see things, and valuing their contribution

Innovative and can-do attitude – seizing opportunities to do things better and taking responsibility to see things through

Honesty – being clear about what we are able to deliver and that we must live within our means

One team – one council working with partners and communities

Valuing our staff – supporting and enabling them to perform at their best

Valuing local democracy – strengthening community leadership and delivering what has been agreed

Environmentally aware – considering the environment when making decisions to help achieve our aspiration that the council becomes carbon neutral and climate resilient

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transforming our Services and Delivering Local Government Reorganisation

It is good to reflect on what we have achieved, but we need to carry on challenging ourselves to change, modernise and innovate. We have more to do as a County Council, and with partners, to deliver even better outcomes. We are working intensively on our transformation programme to give us the necessary structure to meet the needs of the people we serve.  

The programme of work will lead us to a place where we can be confident that we are making the best decisions at the right time and building strong foundations for the new council.

The following approach will be at the heart of the programme:

Our approach

Demand management – we will take proactive steps to reduce the demand for our services by supporting our customers to improve outcomes and avoid or delay the need for specialist services as far as possible.  We will support and empower communities, families and individuals to do things for themselves and increase control of their own future.

Efficient ways of working – we will continue our relentless focus on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of how we work as a council.  We will benchmark ourselves and learn from leading practice across sectors.

Effective decision making – we will be open to ideas and challenge, using the best data we can to make effective decisions in order to deliver the best possible outcomes for the people and communities of North Yorkshire.

Delivering Local Government Reorganisation

The creation of the new unitary council will help build a strong identity for North Yorkshire, provide a strong voice for the north to speak out nationally, and enable North Yorkshire to operate at scale.

There is already an established track-record of collaborative working and generally strong service delivery across all tiers within North Yorkshire.

We will continue to work together with the district and borough councils, building on our collective strengths, experience and expertise to deliver the new council, provide high quality services and improve the lives of our residents, businesses and communities, as well as improving outcomes for everyone in North Yorkshire. As a team, we will listen to and value everyone’s views to help shape the best possible new council and culture. We will also ensure that the new council is inclusive.

A large-scale change programme, like the one we are all undertaking, needs a dedicated set of governance arrangements to ensure all eight councils are involved in oversight and leadership. A senior officer Implementation Team has been put in place. All of the district and borough council chief executives are members, together with all members of the County Council’s management board.

An interim Executive Board (Members Implementation Board) is now in place and has oversight of the officer team’s progress and direction. This comprises the County Council’s Executive and the seven elected leaders of the district and borough councils.

Seventeen work streams have been set up to help to deliver the new council (see diagram below). Each is led and sponsored by a member of the officer Implementation Team and includes subject matter experts from both the district, borough and county councils.

We will continue to pursue a devolution deal for North Yorkshire and York in parallel with Local Government Reorganisation.

For further details visit here and see the Stronger Together Business Case.

Work Streams:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Our Funding- to be included following Full Council approval.

 

·         Revenue spending

 

·         Council Tax

 

·         Savings to be found

 

·         Capital spending

 

 


Council Plan on a page 2022 - 2023

 

Ambitions

Leading for North Yorkshire

 

Every child and young person has the best possible start in life

Every adult has a longer, healthier and independent life

North Yorkshire is a place with a strong economy and a commitment to sustainable growth

Innovative and forward thinking Council

Outcomes

A confident North Yorkshire championing the case for a fairer share of resources for our communities

Working with partners and local communities to improve health, social and economic outcomes for North Yorkshire

Reducing the causes and impacts of climate change, now and for future generations

Resilient, resourceful and confident communities co-producing with the County Council.

Work with the district and borough councils to deliver Local Government Reorganisation and provide strong foundations for the new council.

A Safe Life: protected and free from harm

 

A happy family life: Strong families and vibrant communities

 

A healthy life: Safe and healthy lifestyles

 

Achieving: High aspirations, opportunities and achievements

 

People are safe, with individuals, organisations and communities all playing a part in preventing, identifying and reporting neglect or abuse. 

People can access preventative services, technology and supported housing which helps them to live more independent lives

People have control and choice in relation to their health, independence and social care support. 


People can access good public health services and social care across our different communities

Supporting and developing care providers – and working with the NHS - across the County to ensure people have the services they need

A larger business base and increased number of good quality jobs in North Yorkshire.

People across the county have equal access to economic opportunities

Increased overall average median wage

 

Support and deliver major transport and regeneration projects across the county

Easy and effective access to County Council services

Challenging ourselves to change, innovate and deliver value for money support services to improve the customer experience

 

A motivated and agile workforce working efficiently and effectively to drive innovation


Operating on a commercial basis, where this is prudent and appropriate, to deliver a return which supports service delivery to those most in need

 

Our Values

 

Customer focus                              Honesty                        Care and respect                    Innovative and can-do attitude

 

One team                         Valuing our staff                          Valuing local democracy                             Environmentally aware

 


Outcomes
 A confident North Yorkshire championing the case for a fairer share of resources for our communities
 
 Working with partners and local communities to improve health, social and economic outcomes for North Yorkshire
 
 Reducing the causes and impacts of climate change, now and for future generations
 
 Resilient, resourceful and confident communities co-producing with the County Council.
 
 Work with the district and borough councils to deliver Local Government Reorganisation and provide strong foundations for the new council. 
 
 
 
 ,Ambition:
 Leading for North Yorkshire
 How we will measure progress and achievements?
 Link to KPIs in appendix
 Link to Q report
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Links to strategies
 Health & Wellbeing Strategy

 


Priorities for the next four years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What does success look like?
 
 Key Performance Indicators
 
 Performance Report
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Links to strategies
 
 Health & Wellbeing Strategy
 
 Mobile Communications
 
 
 Equality and diversity policy
 
 Rural Commission
Did you know?
 

 

 

 


The county is the largest in England - 3,100sq miles of land predominantly green, stretching almost the width of the country.
 
 North Yorkshire as a locality emitted 4263.8kt CO2 in 2019.
 
 North Yorkshire has higher emissions per person than the England average but a lower emission per km2.
 
 85% of the county’s sweeping, spectacular landscapes are classed as super-sparse with population density five times below the national average.
 
 The Stronger Communities Team continue to deliver the Inspire, Achieve and Innovate programme, which awarded over 120 grants during 2019/20 and:
 • supported over 250 VCSE organisations 
 • enabled the 119 Inspire projects to engage 2,270 volunteers giving 27,620 volunteer hours valued at £398,556.60 
 • Enabled the five most mature Achieve Together Projects to deploy 215 volunteers who have given 15,000 hours valued at £221,660 of which around 56 % (8,387 hours) is attributable to Stronger Communities investment, equivalent to £124,130. 
 During 2020/21 the Small Grants Programme supported COVID-19 response and recovery: 
 • 13514 individuals benefitted through the Stronger Communities Programme
 • 63 projects reducing inequalities
 • 115 projects improving social connectedness
 • 244 projects improving well-being 
 
 There were 282,615 visits to our libraries, including community run libraries, in 2020/21. There were also 694,000 visits to our on-line library and 19,435 sessions were held to give support to help people get online.
 
 Volunteers gave over 32,000 hours of their time to help run libraries in 2020/21.
 
 We spend £1472 per person on services in North Yorkshire, on areas such as Education, Adult Social Care and Public Health.* to be updated
 
 Harrogate and Rural Alliance partners spend over £80m in the local community.

 

 

 


 

Ambition: 
 Every child and young person has the best possible start in life
Outcomes
 
 A Safe Life: protected and free from harm 
 
 A happy family life: Strong families and vibrant communities
 
 A healthy life: Safe and healthy lifestyles
 
 Achieving: High aspirations, opportunities & achievements
 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Links to strategies
 Y&Y2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Priorities for the next year

What does success look like?
 
 Key Performance Indicators
 
 Performance Report

Did you know?
Links to strategies
 
 Being Young in North Yorkshire
 
 Strategic plan for SEND
 
 Closing the gap in early years
 
 Looked after children & Care Leavers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Ambition:
  Every adult has a longer, healthier and independent life

 


How we will measure progress and achievements?
 Link to KPIs in appendix
 Link to Q report
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Links to strategies
 HAS 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

Priorities for the next year

·         Protecting the health of North Yorkshire’s residents – through the establishment of a permanent Health Protection Team, maintaining and developing our proactive outbreak management and prevention response to the COVID-19 pandemic and any other incidents that pose a risk to the health of the public.

·         Reducing inequalities - Working with our partners to reduce disadvantage in the County and improve people’s physical health and promote positive mental health and wellbeing.  We will build on existing sources of support around jobs, income and education so that people have the same opportunities whatever their circumstances or where they live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Outcomes
 
 A larger business base and increased number of good quality jobs in North Yorkshire.
 
 People across the county have equal access to economic opportunities
 
 Increased overall average median wage
 Support and deliver major transport and regeneration projects across the county

Ambition:
 North Yorkshire is a place with a strong economy and a commitment to sustainable growth
  

 

 

 

 

 


How we will measure progress and achievements?
 Link to KPIs in appendix
 Link to Q report
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Links to strategies
 Growth plan

 

 

 

 

Priorities for the next year

·         Identify and deliver major projects that drive economic growth across North Yorkshire in order to maximise inward investment in infrastructure and economic development in towns and places which contributes to North Yorkshire becoming a rural powerhouse.

·         Deliver a modern communications network – With the increased prevalence of home working, a modern communications network is more important than ever. NYCC will continue to work alongside partners towards delivering mobile phone and data connectivity in currently unserved rural areas, ensuring the delivering of the Shared Rural Network promoting 4G infill in areas of poor coverage and moving towards the 95% coverage target by 2025. The County Council will continue to progress the pilot roll out of new 5G technology to support rural businesses and residents. Alongside this, we will maintain our support for enhanced fibre broadband provision across North Yorkshire and the integration of mobile and broadband services to provide seamless access to the internet and telecommunications networks for all users. We will have installed public Wi-Fi in 13 towns across North Yorkshire, with a further four towns to be added in 2022, and through NYnet, our wholly owned company, we will continue the delivery of the Superfast North Yorkshire Project bringing Next Generation Access to the whole of North Yorkshire.

 

 

 

 

We maintain almost 9250km of highway
 
 We are directly responsible for 6110 km of public rights of way, and we have delegated responsibility for paths in the national parks to the National Park Authorities
 We maintain 1645 bridges across the county
 The Allerton Waste Recovery Park (AWRP) processes up to 6,000 tonnes of waste per week extracting significant amounts of recyclable materials including metals, cans and plastics. The combustion process in the Energy from Waste (EFM) generates enough electricity to support around 40,000 households each year. At the end of the process, the ash is recycled into aggregates for use in road construction. The AWRP diverts over 80% of our waste away from landfill, a saving both financially and to the environment.
 
 North Yorkshire has 32,190 micro, small and medium sized enterprises
Did you know?
 

 


Links to strategies
 
 A plan for Economic Growth
 
 Local Transport Plan
 
 Minerals and Waste joint plan
 
 Let’s talk less rubbish

 

Ambition:
 Innovative and forward thinking council
  

 

 

 


What does success look like?
 
 Key Performance Indicators
 
 Performance Report

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ambition: Innovative and Forward Thinking 
 Council
Outcomes 
 Easy and effective access to County Council services 
 
 Challenging ourselves to change, innovate and deliver value for money support services to improve the customer experience 
 
 A motivated and agile workforce working efficiently and effectively to drive innovation
 
 Operating on a commercial basis, where this is prudent and appropriate, to deliver a return, which supports service delivery to those most in need
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


How we will measure progress and achievements?
 Link to KPIs in appendix
 Link to Q report
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Links to strategies
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Priorities for the next year

o   Exploring the early opportunities that the Local Government Review brings

o   Maximising the value of spend through effective procurement, contract management and contract management. 

o   Being cost conscious and driving efficiencies on spending throughout the organisation.

o   Did you know? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 We receive approximately 15 million online visits to the council’s website in a year. On average, each month we handle 35,400 contacts through the customer service centre, of which 20,200 are telephone calls.
 
 99% of applications for a blue badge are made online. 96% of older person’s bus pass applications are made online. We continue to support residents who cannot get online to complete an application via the customer contact centre and libraries.
 
 47% of our budget comes from council tax. Of our £592m budget we spend £255m on adult social care and public health, £107m on children and young people, £39m on highways, £50m on waste disposal and £15m on property.
 
 Between 2020 and 2021 we spent £231m with local suppliers, a 21% increase from 2019. 
 
 In 2020/21 the Procurement and Contract Management Service generated income to the council of over £237k through externally traded work.
 
 Property rationalisation work undertaken since 2017/18 has enabled the achievement of £954k of Property savings up to 2020/21.
 
 71% of our staff would recommend the council as a great place to work, a rise from 54% in 2015, and against a local government benchmark of 63% in 2020.
 
 Sickness absence is measured in number of FTE days lost and was 6.4 in 2020/21, one of the lowest in the country and amongst the best for county councils nationally. This continues to compare favourably with other public sector benchmarking data with the most recent Local Government Association workforce survey (2020/21) reporting an average 8.3 days lost per FTE across all English authorities, and 10 days lost annually per FTE county and single tier councils. 
 
 The average length of service at the council is approximately 9 years.
 
 In 2021 79% of staff said they have the resources (e.g. technology and equipment) they need to complete work effectively.
 
 In 2021 74% of staff said they have started to identify new solutions for future working and service delivery. 
 Identifying and delivering commercial returns through trading our services and relevant investments.

 

 

 


Corporate Performance Management Indicators

 

Leading for North Yorkshire

Carbon neutral by or close to 2030.

Number of volunteers directly supporting the local authority

 

Level of CO2e from scope 1,2,3

  • Scope 1 – direct emissions through activities owned or controlled by the council, for example boilers in council buildings and council owned vehicles
  • Scope 2 – indirect energy emissions through the consumption of purchased electricity
  • Scope 3 – all other indirect emissions that occur in the value chain, for example business travel using staff’s own cars, waste or procurement

 

Levels of employment in North Yorkshire

Visitor economic impact for North Yorkshire

Short term (1yr)  COVID-19 support and leadership

Number of Stronger Community grants

Superfast broadband coverage

 

All children and young people are safe, happy, healthy and able to achieve in North Yorkshire

The number of children who are Elective Home Education.

The percentage of children achieving a good level of development at the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile

School Readiness: the percentage of children with free school meal status achieving a good level of development at the end of reception

The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level or above in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2

Average Attainment 8 score at Key Stage 4

Progress 8 score at Key Stage 4

Overall absence rate as % of total possible sessions (primary/secondary)

Percentage of young people with a qualification by age 19 (Level 2 / Level 3)

The percentage of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in academic year 12 and year 13

The percentage of care leavers aged 19, 20 and 21 that are in education, employment or training

The percentage of pupils who attend a good or outstanding school (primary/secondary)

The percentage of all new Education Health and Care Plans issued within 20 weeks

Rate of children with an Education Health Care Plan as % of school population

Children receiving SEN Support as % of school population

GCSE 9-5 pass in English and Maths (Basics) at KS4

Persistent absence as % of school population (primary/secondary)

Exclusion rate as % of school population (fixed-term/permanent)

Adult Learning - 19+ Adult Skills funded learners - Overall Achievement Rates

Proportion of Education, Health & Care plans placed in independent/non-maintained out of authority specialist settings (i.e.  non-maintained special school & independent special school)

Smoking at time of delivery

Children who have excess weight

 

Hospital admissions caused by unintentional and deliberate injuries to children under 15 years per 100,000. 

The rate of children and young people admitted to hospital as a result of self-harm

The rate of children and young people admitted to hospital for mental health conditions per 100,000

Breastfeeding initiation rate

Under 18 conceptions

Face-to-face new birth visits undertaken within 14 days by a health visitor (%)

Eligible infants that receive a 12-month review by 15 months of age (%)

Eligible children receiving a 2-2.5 year review by the time they were 2.5 years (%)

Reception aged children completing a check (%)

Year 6 children completing a check (%)

First time entrants to the youth justice system aged 10-17 (per 100,000 population)

The number of open early help cases (Prevention)

The total number of children subject to a child protection plan (rate per 10,000)

The total number of Children in Need (DfE Definition) Rate per 10,000

The total number of looked after children

The percentage of referrals to children’s social care that are repeat referrals

% of Care Leavers (aged 19, 20 or 21) that the local authority is not ‘in-touch’ with

% of Care Leavers (aged 19, 20 or 21) in suitable accommodation

The percentage of parents/carers who strongly agree/agree that the Education, Health & Care Plan identifies realistic and positive outcomes for their child. 

The percentage of parents/carers who strongly agree/agree that the Education, Health & Care Plan identifies the right support to achieve the outcomes. 

% of respondents who were either satisfied or very satisfied with the involvement from the Children & Families Service

 

 

Every adult has a longer, healthier and independent life

Admissions to residential and nursing care homes, per 100,000 population, for people aged 18-64

Admissions to residential and nursing care homes, per 100,000 population, for people aged 65

Referrals to Adult Social Care (ASC) as % of ASC contacts

% of referrals resulting in no further action (incl: NFA, case closed, no service required, support declined)

% of assessments resulting in no service provision

Smoking Prevalence

Successful quitters at 4 weeks (smokers)

Excess weight in adults

Percentage of physically active adults

Successful completion of drug treatment (opiate / non-opiate / alcohol treatment)

Proportion of dependent drinkers not in treatment

Number of Living Well referrals

% of reablement clients not receiving a subsequent package of social care support within 91 days

Reablement packages delivered in the period as % of all weekly services delivered in the period

Clients receiving a review/reassessment in the year as a % of all open clients during the year

Over 65s with an open weekly social care service as a % of the population aged over-65

Rate of total DTOC bed days per 100,000 population

% of residential/nursing beds for older people above NYCC rate

% of safeguarding concerns progressing to enquiry

% of DoLS applications granted

Life expectancy at birth (male / female)

Slope index of inequality in Life Expectancy at birth (male / female)

Life expectancy at 65 - (male / female)

New STI diagnoses

Cumulative percentage of the eligible population aged 40-74 invited for an NHS Health check

Cumulative percentage of the eligible population aged 40-74 who received an NHS Health check

Suicide rate

Aged 18-64 admissions to residential and nursing care homes, per 100,000 population

Aged 65+ admissions to residential and nursing care homes, per 100,000 population

Flu vaccination coverage 65+

Rate of safeguarding concerns per 10,000 population

Excess winter deaths

North Yorkshire is a place with a strong economy and a commitment to sustainable growth

Total employee jobs in North Yorkshire

The number of North Yorkshire Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) that are within the 20% most deprived nationally

Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme rating

National Highways and Transportation survey: KBI23 - Satisfaction with the condition of highways

Road condition: % of lesser user roads Cat 4a, 4b, 5 where maintenance should be considered. 

Road Condition: % of other heavily used roads Cat 2, 3a, 3b where maintenance should be considered. 

Road Condition: % of principal roads where maintenance should be considered (NI168)

Number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads, (NY, calendar year)

% of high risk inspections undertaken

County matter’ planning applications determined within 13/16 week timescales or within agreed extension of time (EoT).  2-year rolling measure

PRoW Network condition: % of network passable

Mobile Coverage

Superfast broadband coverage

The percentage of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in academic year 12 and year 13 (Cross ref to” Best Start in Life”)

Number of employers signed up to healthy workplace initiatives

% waste arising to landfill (NI193)

Housing affordability: Ratio

Number of housing completions

Average weekly wage (based on residence)

GVA per head of population

Number of passengers supported by the Integrated Passenger Transport service

Number of volunteer hours (Countryside volunteers and NY Rotters)

DMMO completed

PPO completions

AWRP energy generation

 

We are an innovative and forward thinking council

Percentage of contacts received via on-line services / percentage of customer transactions / contacts for portal services

NYES Forecasted Profit

Brierley Group YTD Profit

Number of NYES Customers

Staff absence (sickness) rate

Staff turnover rate

Spend on agency staff

Spend against apprenticeship levy

 

Number of employees working from home

Teams usage

Corporate resources – mileage

Corporate resources - printing

Property rationalisation and savings

% of total Council spend with local suppliers

% of total Council spend with SME suppliers

% total Council spend with the voluntary and community sector

% of customers rated the service they received as "fully meets expectation" or above.


Equality Objectives:

 

 

·         Identify and address inequality as a result of the impact of COVID-19 and work to support vaccine take-up across all communities

·         Identify and address inequality in outcomes for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) customers

·         To improve inclusion and diversity of staff working for the County Council

·         To improve health and educational outcomes amongst Gypsy, Roma, Traveller (GRT) communities in the county

·         To ensure service delivery and commissioning, particularly social care and public health, is inclusive of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans+ adults

·         To improve wellbeing, inclusion and feeling safe for vulnerable groups of children and young people

·         To support digital inclusion for North Yorkshire’s communities and ensure that digital access to our services is inclusive of the widest range of customers as possible, taking into account different access requirements and the needs of those who experience digital exclusion

 

 

More detail available on our website - Our Equality Objectives | North Yorkshire County Council

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How you can get involved

 

Residents
by having your say and keeping us informed of what matters most to you, sharing your thoughts and ideas about what we could be doing differently and by telling us about the things we do that make the most difference to you.

 

North Yorkshire Views is one of the ways you can have your say and share ideas to help us understand your priorities and influence council decisions. Join here: NorthYorkshireViews 

 

Councillors…
by keeping the conversation going and listening to communities and residents, connecting people and places by providing community leadership, helping shape services based on your understanding of local communities and opportunities, championing the needs of the most vulnerable.

 

Staff…
by putting forward your ideas for how we can innovate and be more enterprising, focusing on improvements you think are needed, putting the customer at the heart of everything you do, making best use of your local knowledge and experience, focusing your time and skills where you can most add value

 

Partners…
by talking to us about opportunities where we can shape things together and save the public purse, sharing learning and skills, providing challenge and insight from another perspective.

 

Contact us

Web: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/contact-us


Telephone:
01609 780 780

Our Customer Service Centre is open Monday to Friday 8.00am - 5.30pm (closed weekends and bank holidays). 

Post:

North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 8AD

 

Facebook: https://facebook.com/northyorkscc

Twitter: @northyorkscc

Instagram: @northyorkscc

 

If you would like this information in another language or format, please ask us. 

Telephone 01609 780 780 or email customer.services@northyorks.gov.uk

 

 


Appendix B

 

Equality Impact Assessment (EIA)

Equality impact assessment (EIA) form: evidencing paying due regard to protected characteristics

(Form updated May 2015)

 

Council Plan 2022 - 2023

 

 

If you would like this information in another language or format such as Braille, large print or audio, please contact the Communications Unit on 01609 53 2013 or email communications@northyorks.gov.uk.

question mark

 

Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) are public documents.  EIAs accompanying reports going to County Councillors for decisions are published with the committee papers on our website and are available in hard copy at the relevant meeting.  To help people to find completed EIAs we also publish them in the Equality and Diversity section of our website.  This will help people to see for themselves how we have paid due regard in order to meet statutory requirements. 

 

Name of Directorate and Service Area

Strategic Support Service, Central Services

 

Lead Officer and contact details

Alaina Kitching, Graduate trainee Strategy and Performance Officer.

Alaina.Kitching@northyorks.gov.uk

 

Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the EIA

Deborah Hugill, Senior Strategy and Performance Officer.

Deborah.Hugill@northyorks.gov.uk

 

How will you pay due regard? e.g. working group, individual officer

This overarching EIA has been carried out with advice and assistance from colleagues in the corporate equality, diversity and inclusion group. Individual EIAs have or will be carried out on each of specific service changes related to the council’s priorities for the next year, and the methods used will vary appropriately.

When did the due regard process start?

September 2021

 

Section 1. Please describe briefly what this EIA is about. (e.g. are you starting a new service, changing how you do something, stopping doing something?)

 

The Council Plan is the County Council’s overall high-level strategic plan. It is the public facing document expressing the Council’s vision for modernising and refocusing the organisation to enable it to achieve the major budget savings which will be required.

 

The Council Plan is also the key strategic document which sets the performance framework for all Council services. As such, the Plan does not contain detailed information about specific service delivery. Detail at service level has been and/or will be impact assessed by directorate colleagues.

 

Individual elements of the Plan are also subject to specific and separate impact assessments as part of the budget decision-making process. Members in agreeing the budget, will also take into account compounding factors, such as the rural nature of the county.

 

Section 2. Why is this being proposed? What are the aims? What does the authority hope to achieve by it? (e.g. to save money, meet increased demand, do things in a better way.)

 

The purpose of the plan is inform stakeholders including elected members, officers, partners, the public, and the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities about the Council’s vision, how the Council sees its role going forward and the priorities for the organisation. This plan has been developed in the context of post COVID-19 economic recovery and public sector financial restraint, and unprecedented service demand pressures. Therefore, saving money is clearly a vital outcome but the County Council’s transformation programme also grasps the opportunity to achieve efficiencies and improve the customer experience, where this is possible, as well as lay strong foundations for the new unitary council. The plan gives performance information, plans for the coming year and the budget position.

 

Section 3. What will change? What will be different for customers and/or staff?

 

Our approach in the Council Plan focuses on providing leadership on the key issues for people and places in North Yorkshire, enabling people to do more for themselves, and ensuring the delivery of infrastructure services to enable a thriving county and services to the most vulnerable people.

 

Our approach to achieving our required savings includes:

  • The council will no longer be able to provide some services that it has traditionally provided
  • Some services will be significantly reduced
  • Some services will be community run or delivered by organisations other than the council
  • Some eligibility thresholds for support will be higher
  • There will be more need for customers to self-serve using digital technology
  • The council will employ less staff

 

Specific changes to services are being developed as part of the Council’s transformation programme and for each project within this programme due regard will be paid to equalities. This will include separate equality impact assessments where screening suggests this is necessary, and where relevant, consultation. Work to assess cumulative impacts of the programme through aggregation of information from these individual assessments is on-going. A summary of equality impacts for projects with savings in 2022/23 is provided with the budget papers and documentation evidencing due regard is provided, through a web link, for all projects.

 

By the end of 2022/23 we will have delivered a total of £200m of savings, which is approximately 40% of our spending power. However, further savings will be required to balance the books. This will be extremely challenging to achieve, but we will remain focused on maintaining a strong financial grip and on delivering further financial savings or income growth, to provide strong foundations for the new council.

 

Section 4. Involvement and consultation (What involvement and consultation has been done regarding the proposal and what are the results? What consultation will be needed and how will it be done?)

 

The ambitions, outcomes and priorities within the plan were subject to consultation via an online survey, which ran for 6 weeks. The vast majority of respondents saw the ambitions within the plan as important.

 

Section 5. What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs?

 

Please explain briefly why this will be the result.

 

The Council Plan 2022 – 2023 will have significant financial implications as it outlines the key programmes of work that will be carried out, all of which have been identified during development of the annual budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy.

 

Section 6. How will this proposal affect people with protected characteristics?

No impact

Make things better

Make things worse

Why will it have this effect? Provide evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.

The ambitions expressed in the Council Plan aim for better outcomes for everyone in North Yorkshire.

Age

 

X

 

North Yorkshire has a lower proportion of young people than the national average – 24.8% under 25 compared to 29.7% nationally.[1]

 

In 2020 1% of 16 – 17 year olds were identified as NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training). The percentage across the UK who were NEET in July to September 2021 was 2.8%[2]. Nationally the unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds is high. The unemployment rate for people aged 16 and over for the UK was 4.2%, for the period August to October 2021.[3]

 

Employment levels in North Yorkshire are higher than national and regional averages.  81.9% of the working age population are economically active compared to 78.9% nationally of which 80% are in employment or self-employed compared with 75.6% nationally.  2.2% of the working age population are unemployed compared to 4.1% nationally.

 

In 2020 24.9% of the county's adult population was over the age of 65. This is higher than the national percentage of 18.5%. Every year the population of older people increases, and with it the demand for the care and support which the council provides. By 2035, 32.60% of North Yorkshire’s total population will be aged 65+ and 5.97% will be aged 85+.

Nationally 23.26% will be 65+ and 4.05% will be 85+ by 2035.

The outcomes we want for children and young people include great education, good career choices with access to relevant skills, living safely and happily, and being healthy. Detailed EIAs will be undertaken on specific projects implemented to realise these ambitions.

 

Our ambitions for older people are that they have control and choice in relation to their health, independence and social care support, and can access good public health services and social care. We also want vulnerable people to be safe, with individuals, organisations and communities all playing a part in preventing, identifying and reporting neglect or abuse. Detailed EIAs will be undertaken on specific projects implemented to realise these ambitions.

Disability

 

X

 

North Yorkshire has a lower proportion of people with a disability or long-term limiting illness whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot of 19.3%, against the national average of 23.69%.[4]

However this will rise to 20.89% of the 65+ population in North Yorkshire, against a national average of 24.86%.

 

Our ambitions for disabled and other vulnerable people are that they will be safe, live longer, healthier, independent lives and that we ensure that people have more choice and control over support to meet their social care needs. Detailed EIAs will be undertaken on specific projects implemented to realise these ambitions.

Sex (Gender)

X

 

 

At county level the proportion of females is slightly higher (50.7%) than that of males (49.3%)[5]. This pattern is reflected across all districts, with the exception of Richmondshire where the large number of predominantly male military personnel have the effect of reversing the proportions.

 

There were 13,648 lone parent households in North Yorkshire in 2011[6], of which 11,958 had a female lone parent (87.6%).

 

Our ambitions will not have any anticipated impacts on people specifically due to them sharing this particular protected characteristic.

Race

X

 

 

North Yorkshire has a much lower proportion (2.65%) of Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) citizens than the national average (14.57%)[7] according to the 2011 census.

 

Our ambitions will not have any anticipated impacts on people specifically due to them sharing this particular protected characteristic.

Gender reassignment

X

 

 

The Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) suggests that across the UK:

 

1% of employees and service users may be experiencing some degree of gender variance. At some point, about 0.2% may undergo transition (i.e. gender reassignment).  Around 0.025% have so far sought medical help and about 0.015% have probably undergone transition. In any year 0.003% may start transition.

 

Our ambitions will not have any anticipated impacts on people specifically due to them sharing this particular protected characteristic.

Sexual orientation

X

 

 

The government estimates that 5 – 7% of the population are gay, lesbian or bisexual. We have no evidence to suggest that this is not the case in North Yorkshire. (2011 census)

 

Our ambitions will not have any anticipated impacts on people specifically due to them sharing this particular protected characteristic.

Religion or belief

X

 

 

North Yorkshire has higher levels of Christians (69%) than the national average (59%), and lower levels of all other religions than the national average. Percentages of those with no religion or not stating their religion are broadly similar to the national average. (2011 census)

 

Our ambitions will not have any anticipated impacts on people specifically due to them sharing this particular protected characteristic.

Pregnancy or maternity

X

 

 

In 2019 there were 5049 live births in North Yorkshire.

 

In 2018 the conception rate per 1000 for under 18’s was 12.8. This is below the rate for England (16.7).

 

In 2019 4,457 live births (88%) were to mothers born in the UK. 592 live births (12%) were to mothers born outside the UK.

 

Our ambitions will not have any anticipated impacts on people specifically due to them sharing this particular protected characteristic.

Marriage or civil partnership

X

 

 

A higher percentage of North Yorkshire’s population is married or in a civil partnership (53.7%) than the national average (46.8%).[8] (2011 census)

 

Our ambitions will not have any anticipated impacts on people specifically due to them sharing this particular protected characteristic.

 

Section 7. How will this proposal affect people who….?

No impact

Make things better

Make things worse

Why will it have this effect? Provide evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.

..live in a rural area?

 

 

 

X

 

The population in North Yorkshire is generally sparser than the national average (0.77 people per hectare as opposed to 3.94 nationally). In some parts of the county this is lower still (Ryedale 0.37, Richmondshire 0.41)6. Distance travelled to access services is further than the national average. The Lower Super Output Area (LSOA), which covers the Dales ward in Ryedale, is in the 10% most deprived in England for Geographical Barriers to Services.[9]

Rurality can also mean higher costs for such things as fuel for heating.

One of our ambitions is for North Yorkshire to have more resilient, resourceful and confident communities co-producing with the County Council. This is particularly important in rural areas where provision of traditional services is likely to change.

 

One of our key priorities for North Yorkshire is to support the county’s most rural communities. The first of its kind nationally the North Yorkshire Rural Commission completed its task to investigate the challenges faced by those living in rural communities across the county and published its findings in 2021. The Commission examined key issues and challenges including farming, transport, education, housing, environment, economy and accessibility. The council has set up an Advisory Task Force to support and monitor progress with implementation of the Commission’s actions.

 

Detailed EIAs will be undertaken on specific projects implemented to realise these ambitions.  

…have a low income?

 

 

 

X

 

At local authority level North Yorkshire is among the least deprived in England8. Figures for long term unemployment in North Yorkshire (0.1%) are lower than the national average (0.4%)[10]. However, North Yorkshire has a number of lower super output areas within the 20% most deprived in England (24 in 2019, rising from 23 in 2015 and from 18 in 2010) and three LSOAs in Scarborough town are within the most deprived 1% in England.[11]

 

The percentage of the working age population who claim out of work benefits in North Yorkshire is 2.5%, compared to a Great Britain percentage of 4.6% (Nomis – ONS November 2021)

 

One of our ambitions is for North Yorkshire to be a place with a strong economy and a commitment to sustainable growth. Improved job opportunities could impact positively on those on a low income. Detailed EIAs will be undertaken on specific projects implemented to realise these ambitions.

…. are carers?

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

Carers’ allowance claimants make up 0.9% of North Yorkshire’s population.[12] This is lower than the average for England (1.3%) but there are variations across the county with the highest percentage being in Scarborough (1.4%). It is likely, however, that these figures do not reflect the true number of people carrying out caring roles in the county as many do not claim allowances.

 

Two of our ambitions are for every child and young person to have the best possible start in life and to ensure every adult has a longer, healthier and independent life. Supporting carers across North Yorkshire will impact positively on their lives.

 

Detailed EIAs will be undertaken on specific projects implemented to realise these ambitions.

 

Section 8. Will the proposal affect anyone more because of a combination of protected characteristics? (e.g. older women or young gay men) State what you think the effect may be and why, providing evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.

 

No.

 

Section 9. Next steps to address the anticipated impact. Select one of the following options and explain why this has been chosen. (Remember: we have an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people can access services and work for us)

Tick option chosen

1.      No adverse impact - no major change needed to the proposal. There is no potential for discrimination or adverse impact identified.

X

2.      Adverse impact - adjust the proposal - The EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. We will change our proposal to reduce or remove these adverse impacts, or we will achieve our aim in another way which will not make things worse for people.

 

3.      Adverse impact - continue the proposal - The EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. We cannot change our proposal to reduce or remove these adverse impacts, nor can we achieve our aim in another way which will not make things worse for people. (There must be compelling reasons for continuing with proposals which will have the most adverse impacts. Get advice from Legal Services)

 

4.      Actual or potential unlawful discrimination - stop and remove the proposal – The EIA identifies actual or potential unlawful discrimination. It must be stopped.

 

Explanation of why option has been chosen. (Include any advice given by Legal Services.)

 

Our ambitions and high level outcomes as detailed in the Council Plan aspire to improve outcomes for everyone in North Yorkshire.

 

Section 10. If the proposal is to be implemented how will you find out how it is really affecting people? (How will you monitor and review the changes?)

 

Progress against priority actions in the Council Plan are monitored on a quarterly basis as part of our Performance Framework. Reports are taken to Management Board, and the Executive.

 

 

Section 11. Action plan. List any actions you need to take which have been identified in this EIA, including post implementation review to find out how the outcomes have been achieved in practice and what impacts there have actually been on people with protected characteristics.

Action

Lead

By when

Progress

Monitoring arrangements

Ensure that individual plans relating to the specific service changes contributing to achieving the broad outcomes of the Council Plan are appropriately assessed to identify any potential equality impacts on people with protected characteristics before specific decisions are taken.

Will depend on service: likely to be appropriate Assistant Director

 

As plans are developed and before specific decisions taken

 

 

Ensure that any cumulative impacts on people with protected characteristics are identified by providing an overview of individual plans

Corporate Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Group

As plans are developed and before specific decisions taken

 

 

 

Section 12. Summary Summarise the findings of your EIA, including impacts, recommendation in relation to addressing impacts, including any legal advice, and next steps. This summary should be used as part of the report to the decision maker.

 

Our ambitions in the Council Plan are for better outcomes for all North Yorkshire residents despite a tough fiscal climate of post COVID-19 economic recovery and unprecedented service demand pressures. Our transformation programme aims to save money but also to make sure we are doing things more efficiently and effectively by making the best decisions at the right time, as well as building strong foundations for the new council.

 

The anticipated impacts of our ambitions are therefore positive ones. Due regard to equalities will be paid when making decisions on actions to realise these ambitions and, where appropriate, these will be subject to full EIAs.

 

Section 13. Sign off section

 

This full EIA was completed by:

 

Name: Alaina Kitching

Job title: Graduate Trainee Strategy and Performance Officer

Directorate: Central Services

Signature: Alaina Kitching

Completion date: 15 December 2021

 

Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature): Neil Irving

Date: 15 December 2021


Appendix CClimate change impact assessment                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

The purpose of this assessment is to help us understand the likely impacts of our decisions on the environment of North Yorkshire and on our aspiration to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030, or as close to that date as possible. The intention is to mitigate negative effects and identify projects which will have positive effects.

 

This document should be completed in consultation with the supporting guidance. The final document will be published as part of the decision making process and should be written in Plain English.

 

If you have any additional queries which are not covered by the guidance please email beyond.carbon@northyorks.gov.uk

 

Version 2: amended 11 August 2021

Please note: You may not need to undertake this assessment if your proposal will be subject to any of the following: 
 Planning Permission
 Environmental Impact Assessment
 Strategic Environmental Assessment
 
 However, you will still need to summarise your findings in the summary section of the form below.
 
 Please contact beyond.carbon@northyorks.gov.uk for advice. 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Title of proposal

North Yorkshire County Council, Council Plan 2022-2023

Brief description of proposal

The Council Plan is the County Council’s overall high-level strategic plan. It is the public facing document expressing the Council’s vision for modernising and refocusing the organisation to enable it to achieve the major budget savings which will be required.

 

The Council Plan is also the key strategic document which sets the performance framework for all Council services. As such the Plan does not contain detailed information about specific service delivery. Detail at service level has been and/or will be impact assessed by directorate colleagues.

 

Individual elements of the Plan are also subject to specific and separate impact assessments.

Directorate

Central Services

Service area

Strategy and Performance

Lead officer

Alaina Kitching, Graduate Trainee Strategy and Performance Officer

Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the impact assessment

Deborah Hugill, Senior Strategy and Performance Officer 

Date impact assessment started

04/01/22

 

Options appraisal

Were any other options considered in trying to achieve the aim of this project? If so, please give brief details and explain why alternative options were not progressed.

 

No other options were considered in trying to achieve the aim of this project. The Council Plan is the County Council’s overall high level strategic plan for the direction of the Council. This Climate Change Impact Assessment for the Council Plan is a high-level assessment. Individual elements of the Plan will be subject to specific and separate impact assessments where deemed necessary.

What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs?

 

Please explain briefly why this will be the result, detailing estimated savings or costs where this is possible.

 

The Council Plan 2022 – 2023 will have significant financial implications as it outlines the key programmes of work that will be carried out, all of which have been identified during development of the annual budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy.

 

By the end of 2022/23 we will have delivered a total of £200m of savings, which is approximately 40% of our spending power. However, further savings will be required to balance the books. This will be extremely challenging to achieve, but we will remain focused on maintaining a strong financial grip and on delivering further financial savings or income growth, to provide strong foundations for the new council.

 

 

 

How will this proposal impact on the environment?


N.B. There may be short term negative impact and longer term positive impact. Please include all potential impacts over the lifetime of a project and provide an explanation.

Positive impact - (Place a X in the box below where relevant)

No impact - (Place a X in the box below where relevant)

Negative impact - (Place a X in the box below where relevant)

Explain why will it have this effect and over what timescale?

 

Where possible/relevant please include:

·      Changes over and above business as usual

·      Evidence or measurement of effect

·      Figures for CO2e

·      Links to relevant documents

Explain how you plan to mitigate any negative impacts.

 

Explain how you plan to improve any positive outcomes as far as possible.

Minimise greenhouse gas emissions e.g. reducing emissions from travel, increasing energy efficiencies etc.

 

Emissions from travel

X

 

 

The Council Plan ambition Leading for North Yorkshire has a priority to deliver our carbon reduction goals. The carbon reduction plan refers to transitioning our fleet to low or zero carbon options, promoting public and staff active travel and use of public transport, and building electric vehicle charging capacity. Working towards these goals will have a positive impact on the environment.

The Council Plan ambition Innovative and Forward Thinking Council has a priority to review and challenge the way services operate including introducing new ways of working. New ways of working will allow for more remote working, which will have a positive impact on the environment, as less staff will travel to work.

 

 

Emissions from construction

 

X

 

The Council Plan is not putting forward any plans for new large-scale construction projects.

 

This CCIA is a high-level assessment and specific impact assessments will be carried out for projects where necessary.

 

 

Emissions from running of buildings

X

 

 

Within the Leading for North Yorkshire section of the Council Plan there is a priority to reduce the causes and impacts of climate change, now and for future generations. We recognise that delivering council services creates carbon emissions and are committed to reducing these with an aspiration to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030, or as near to that date as possible.  We also recognise the role that the council can play in reducing carbon emissions of our county.  We have developed and published a Carbon Reduction Plan that sets out our vision, ambitions, achievements to date and what we need to do next. 

 

The Council Plan also has a priority to ‘Deliver our carbon reduction goals’. The carbon reduction Plan specifically refers to reducing overall footprint of property, decarbonising buildings and heating, and reviewing potential to generate energy.

 

 

Emissions from data storage

 

X

 

The Council Plan does not directly impact on data storage.

 

This CCIA is a high-level assessment and specific impact assessments on individual projects will be carried out where necessary.

 

 

Other

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimise waste: Reduce, reuse, recycle and compost e.g. reducing use of single use plastic

X

 

 

A priority within the Council Plan is delivering our carbon reduction goals. The carbon reduction plan includes reducing the overall footprint of waste operations, as well as minimising waste by encouraging reduction, re-use and recycling within the council and general community.

 

 

Reduce water consumption

 

X

 

The Council Plan does not specifically refer to reducing water consumption. However, the council plan includes a priority to reduce the causes and impacts of climate change, now and for future generations. Furthermore, the council plan has a priority to deliver our carbon reduction goals through the Beyond Carbon programme, which includes reducing water consumption.

 

 

Minimise pollution (including air, land, water, light and noise)

 

X

 

 

The Council Plan ambition Leading for North Yorkshire has a priority to deliver our carbon reduction goals. The carbon reduction plan refers to transitioning our fleet to low or zero carbon options, promoting public and staff active travel and use of public transport, and building electric vehicle charging capacity. Working towards these goals will have a positive impact on the environment and reduce air pollution.

 

The ambition Innovative and Forward Thinking Council has a priority to review and challenge the way services operate including introducing new ways of working. New ways of working will allow for more remote working, which will have a positive impact on the environment and air pollution as less staff will travel to work.

 

 

Ensure resilience to the effects of climate change e.g. reducing flood risk, mitigating effects of drier, hotter summers

X

 

 

The Council Plan’s ambition ‘North Yorkshire is a place with a strong economy and a commitment to sustainable growth’ has a priority to reduce the impact of climate change, particularly in relation to severe flood events.

 

 

Enhance conservation and wildlife

 

 

X

 

The Council Plan does not specifically refer to enhancing conservation and wildlife. However, the plan includes a priority to reduce the causes and impacts of climate change, for now and for future generations, as well as deliver our carbon reduction goals including how we can protect our county.

 

 

Safeguard the distinctive characteristics, features and special qualities of North Yorkshire’s landscape

 

 

X

 

At a high level the Council Plan includes our vision for North Yorkshire ‘We want North Yorkshire to be a thriving county, which adapts to a changing world and remains a special place for everyone to live, work and visit’. It is noted that ‘Our county has an enviable identity, globally renowned for its culture, spectacular landscapes, high standards of education provision and a varied and vibrant local economy’.

 

To achieve our vision we need to protect what makes North Yorkshire special, including the special qualities of its landscapes. This high-level vision is therefore embedded in the work of the council and its partnerships to enhance the environment and develop tourism and the green economy.

 

Specific impact assessments will be carried out for projects where necessary.  

 

 

 

Other (please state below)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are there any recognised good practice environmental standards in relation to this proposal? If so, please detail how this proposal meets those standards.

 

No.

 

Summary Summarise the findings of your impact assessment, including impacts, the recommendation in relation to addressing impacts, including any legal advice, and next steps. This summary should be used as part of the report to the decision maker.

 

The Council Plan is a high-level strategic document that sets the direction for the council. As such, the Plan does not contain detailed information about specific service delivery. Detail at service level has been and/or will be impact assessed by directorate colleagues.

 

The priorities within the Council Plan ‘Reducing the causes and impacts of climate change, now and for future generations’ and ‘Delivering our carbon reduction goals’ set our goals and vision for tackling climate change and aim to have a positive impact on the environment. We as a council aspire to become more environmentally sustainable, further reduce carbon emissions and increase the resilience of the county to climate change. 

 

Sign off section

 

This climate change impact assessment was completed by:

 

Name

Alaina Kitching

Job title

Graduate Trainee Strategy and Performance Officer

Service area

Strategy and Performance

Directorate

Central Services

Signature

Alaina Kitching

Completion date

05/01/22

 

Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature):  Neil Irving

 

Date: 07/01/22

 

 

 



[1] Office for National Statistics Population Estimates mid-2020

[2] GOV.uk NEET and participation: local authority figures 2021

[3] ONS UK labour market statistics 2021

[4] Poppi 2019

[5] Office of National Statistics Mid-2019 population estimates

[6] Census 2011

[7] Census 2011

[8] 2011 census

[9] Index of Multiple Deprivation, Indices of Deprivation 2019

[10] November 2017, ONS

[11] Index of multiple deprivation 2019

[12] May 2017, ONS