Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mark Crane and Gareth Dadd.

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 August 2024, having been printed and circulated, be taken as read and confirmed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Councillor Janet Sanderson declared an interest in Minute 527 on the basis that she was leading one of the pilot community partnerships. 

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice to Elizabeth Jackson, Principal Democratic Services Officer, and supplied the text by midday on Thuirsday 12 September 2024, three working days before the day of the meeting.  Each speaker should limit themselves to 3 minutes on any item.  Members of the public who have given notice will be invited to speak:

·          at this point in the meeting if their questions/statements relate to matters which are not otherwise on the Agenda (subject to an overall time limit of 30 minutes);

·          when the relevant Agenda item is being considered if they wish to speak on a matter which is on the Agenda for this meeting.

If you are exercising your right to speak at this meeting, but do not wish to be recorded, please inform the Leader who will instruct anyone who may be taking a recording to cease while you speak.

There were no public questions or statements.

Recommendations

i)             There is a review of the approved Expressions of Interest by the Assistant Director for Local Engagement with a further report to the Executive. This will consider all Double Devolution proposals and identify those that may be more suitably progressed through operational decision-making arrangements due to the smaller size and nature of the proposals being developed.

ii)           The Scope and Terms of Reference for the operation of Community Partnerships be amended to remove the requirement for Community Partnerships to operate only as informal groups

iii)          The Community Partnerships programme is opened to all Members who wish to bring forward the development of a partnership in their area. 

Considered – A report of the Assistant Chief Executive Local Engagement which provided an update on progress against priorities within the Localities programme and recommended revisions to the scope for the operation of community partnerships.

Councillor Heather Phillips, the Executive Member for Corporate Services, introduced the report which presented the work of the Localities team in delivering against the four pillars of the locality based delivery model of local services and access, local accountability, local action and local empowerment.  Work focused around double devolution of services, increased liaison with town and parish councils and the development of community partnerships.

Councillor Janet Sanderson referred to work with the Forest and Dale Community Partnership, where other communities were showing an interest in learnings, particularly in relation to flooding issues.  The Head of Localities agreed to provide detailed information and updates on the work of each community partnership for discussion by Executive Members and confirmed that four of the five had selected emergency planning, resilience and flooding as a priority.  There was now capacity within the team for additional community partnerships to be brought forward.

Resolved – that:

i)             There is a review of the approved Expressions of Interest by the Assistant Director for Local Engagement with a further report to the Executive. This will consider all Double Devolution proposals and identify those that may be more suitably progressed through operational decision-making arrangements due to the smaller size and nature of the proposals being developed.

ii)           The Scope and Terms of Reference for the operation of Community Partnerships be amended to remove the requirement for Community Partnerships to operate only as informal groups.

iii)          The Community Partnerships programme is opened to all Members who wish to bring forward the development of a partnership in their area. 

Recommendation

Adopt the proposed Housing Assistance and Disabled Facilities Grant Policy for the North Yorkshire Council.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Community Development presenting a new Housing Assistance and Disabled Facilities Grant Policy for adoption.  The policy would ensure that the Council would meet its statutory obligations, bringing together the different policies from the legacy councils to provide consistency across the county and within all tenures.

Councillor Simon Myers, the Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing introduced the report and reported that the policy covered a large group of discretionary grants covering major adaptations beyond statutory works which were intended to support people to live independently in their own homes and also to enable people to get out of hospital more quickly.  The service would be delivered in-house, rather than by external partners.

Resolved:

That the proposed Housing Assistance and Disabled Facilities Grant Policy for the North Yorkshire Council be adopted.

Recommendations

The Executive are requested to:

i)                 Approve the transfer to the council of the services currently operated through Maple Park (Hambleton) LLP and Hambleton District Holdings Limited.

ii)                Approve the winding up of Maple Park (Hambleton) LLP and Hambleton District Holdings Limited.

iii)              Authorise the Company’s directors to apply to Companies House for the voluntary Strike Off of the LLP and Company.

iv)              Delegate any decisions relating to the financial implications of winding up the LLP and Company to the Corporate Director Resources; and

v)               Authorise the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services) to take all other necessary steps to facilitate the strike off the LLP and Company.

Considered – A report of the Assistant Director Regulatory Services and Registration, Coroner and Bereavement Services in which approval was sought to wind up Maple Park (Hambleton) LLP and Hambleton District Holdings Limited and to bring in-house operations currently run through them and to transfer any associated assets to the Council.  The main objective of Maple Park (Hambleton) LLP was for Hambleton District Council to establish and operate a crematorium.

The Assistant Director introduced the report and advised that bringing the crematorium operation in-house would realise savings of approximately £100k per year through being able to reclaim VAT.  The service could be contained within the VAT Partial Exemption limit, which was not available to the smaller council.  It was confirmed that there would be no changes to any of the services available at Maple Park.

Resolved (unanimously) – that:

i)                 The transfer to the Council of the services currently operated through Maple Park (Hambleton) LLP and Hambleton District Holdings Limited be approved,

ii)                The winding up of Maple Park (Hambleton) LLP and Hambleton District Holdings Limited be approved,

iii)              The Company’s directors be authorised to apply to Companies House for the voluntary Strike Off of the LLP and Company,

iv)              Any decisions relating to the financial implications of winding up the LLP and Company be delegated to the Corporate Director Resources; and

v)               The Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to take all other necessary steps to facilitate the strike off of the LLP and Company.

Recommendations

i)       Endorse the Masterplan and confirm that it has been prepared to the satisfaction of the Council as Local Planning Authority for part of the Masterplan area

ii)      Agree that it will form a material planning consideration in the determination of planning applicationsin the Bolton Abbey Core Visitor Area

iii)    Agree that it is published on the NYC website.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Community Development presenting Heritage, People and Place: A Placemaking Strategy for Bolton Abbey, known as the Masterplan, which was a requirement of the adopted Craven District Local Plan Policy EC4A. 

Councillor Simon Myers, the Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing introduced the report and advised that the Masterplan set out guidelines for high quality tourism related development, sensitive to the character of the area.

Councillor Andy Brown addressed the Executive and referred to consideration of the Masterplan at the Skipton and Ripon Area Committee and concerns in relation to development at Bolton Bridge.

Resolved (unanimously) – that:

i)       The Masterplan be endorsed and it be confirmed that it has been prepared to the satisfaction of the Council as Local Planning Authority for part of the Masterplan area

ii)      The Masterplan will form a material planning consideration in the determination of planning applicationsin the Bolton Abbey Core Visitor Area

iii)    The Masterplan is published on the NYC website.

Considered –

The Forward Plan for 9 September 2024 to 30 September 2025 was presented.

Resolved –  That the Forward Plan be noted.