Issue - meetings

Recommendations

That the Executive

       i.         notes the position on the Council’s Treasury Management activities during the third quarter of 2025/26.

     ii.         refers this report to the Audit Committee for their consideration as part of the overall monitoring arrangements for Treasury Management. 

    iii.         note the updated Q3 2025/26 Capital Plan.

    iv.         approve the allocation of £175k of Strategic Capacity Reserve to deliver the pay-on-entry technology to 15 public convenience sites pending approval of proposals to be presented to Executive (paragraph 4.2).

     v.         approve the extension to the repayment deadline for the existing Yorwaste loan to 27 March 2028 (paragraph 4.3).

    vi.         approve the extension to the term for the existing Bracewell Homes loan to 31 March 2036 (paragraph 4.4).

   vii.         notes the forecast outturn position against the 2025/26 Revenue Budget, as summarised in paragraph 2.2.1.

 viii.         approves up to £3.6m over a three year period to fund a programme of Prevention Plus as set out in section 2.6 and delegates authority to the Corporate Director, Resources in consultation with the Corporate Director, HAS and the Executive Members for Finance and HAS to reframe the approach including the overall funding (up to a maximum of £3.6m over three years) in the event that NHS partners do not provide sufficient contribution to the overall funding.

Considered – A joint report of the Chief Executive and Corporate Director Resources bringing together key aspects of the Council’s performance on a quarterly basis.

The Executive Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Heather Phillips, introduced the report which covered the period 1 October 2024 to 31 December 2025 and highlighted improved performance of Allerton Park and good progress on the Housing Revenue Account.

The Leader welcomed Members of Scrutiny Board to the meeting, including Councillor Steve Shaw-Wright who was attending his first meeting as Chair of the Housing and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and Councillor Caroline Goodrick who was attending her first meeting as Chair of Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee. In response to questions to Executive Members from Scrutiny Chairs and Member Champions the following was confirmed:

Thriving Places and Empowered Communities

·       The Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing referred to the new mobile library which had added 18 new stops to the existing 24, enabling visits to more villages and communities.

·       The Executive Member for Open to Business reported that 32 Town Investment Plans were scheduled for delivery during the year and that work had already commenced in 23 locations.

·       Vacancy rates in Scarborough and Malton – it was explained that vacancy levels in Scarborough and Malton were broadly in line with the national average.  The Council was exploring opportunities to acquire properties to support new business start‑ups and was working to improve the vitality of high streets, noting that high streets were becoming places for social interaction rather than solely retail.

·       A separate response would be provided in relation to outreach, livestream and community project engagement numbers.

·       Households in temporary accommodation / homelessness prevention – it was confirmed that a range of preventative actions were being undertaken with landlords in order to reduce evictions wherever possible. Legislative changes would assist this work and the Council could provide rent payments or bonds when needed. Despite these efforts, numbers in temporary accommodation and continued to rise due to limited housing options and there was ongoing investment in the Council’s own temporary accommodation stock to increase capacity.

Sustainable and Connected Places

·       The Executive Member for Managing our Environment advised that the Council was progressing towards harmonising bin collections across the area, with Richmondshire scheduled later in the year, supporting the long‑term aim of achieving one unified collection system across North Yorkshire.

·       Residual waste levels – In response to concerns about continuing high levels of residual waste, it was explained that a new waste strategy would be developed alongside renewed communications to encourage residents to place the correct materials in the correct bins. They confirmed participation in the BBC “bin day” campaign and joint work with the Rotters to improve public understanding of recycling requirements, with the aim of reducing residual waste as far as possible.

·       Waste to landfill – whilst landfill was used only as a last resort, temporary shutdown periods at the Allerton Park plant could necessitate it when alternative plants were unavailable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 851