Issue - meetings

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive note the double devolution proposal for the transfer of the Market Place Public Conveniences at Malton together with the one-off grant of £57,000 to Malton Town Council to support the Town Council’s ongoing operation of those facilities and, subject to an in principle decision from the Corporate Director of Resources and negotiation of suitable heads of terms for the asset transfer and subsidy control compliance, to agree in principle to the transfer and grant of the facilities to the Town Council and to authorise the closure of the Wentworth Street public toilets upon successful transfer of the site at Market Place.

Considered a report of the Assistant Chief Executive Local Engagement which sought approval in principle of the transfer to Malton Town Council of the Market Place Public Conveniences Malton under double devolution.

The Executive Member for Managing our Environment, Councillor Greg White presented the report commending its proposals to transfer this discretionary council service to a town council which would be in better position to deliver an improved service, in accordance with North Yorkshire Council’s locality ambitions.

Local division Councillor Lindsay Burr, and Mayor of Malton Town Council, also commended the report’s recommendations which had attracted unanimous support by Malton Town Council.

Other Executive Members echoed these sentiments and encouraged other local councils to come forward with similar proposals; there was a query however as to why the decision had to come back to the Executive for final approval, and why it could not be delegated to the relevant officer in consultation with the Executive Member.  Upon receiving advice from the Monitoring Officer, the motion was amended accordingly.

The Chair thanked Councillor Greg White, Executive Member for Managing our Environment, for his work at his last Executive meeting before stepping down from his portfolio.

Resolved (unanimously) that:

       i.         The Executive note the double devolution proposal for the transfer of the Market Place Public Conveniences at Malton together with the one-off grant of £57,000 to Malton Town Council to support the Town Council’s ongoing operation of those facilities and, subject to an in principle decision from the Corporate Director of Resources and negotiation of suitable heads of terms for the asset transfer and subsidy control compliance, to agree in principle to the transfer and grant of the facilities to the Town Council and to authorise the closure of the Wentworth Street public toilets upon successful transfer of the site at Market Place.

     ii.         The final decision on the double devolution proposal, once agreed in principle by the Executive, be delegated to the Corporate Director of Resources in consultation with the relevant Executive Member.

Reasons for recommendations

For the reasons set out in the body of this report and in the appendices, the recommendations set out below are proposed to the Executive.