Agenda

Members are recommended to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of each of the items of business listed in Column 1 of the following table on the grounds that they each involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraph(s) specified in column 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to information)(Variation) Order 2006:-

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, democraticservices.central@northyorks.gov.uk and supplied the text by midday on Thursday 2 January 2025, 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.

Recommendations

The Council’s Executive is asked to note the contents of this report, and to agree:

a.       That the Council applies a Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) of 0% in the calculation of mainstream school budgets for the 2025/26 financial year.

b.       That the Council uses Lump Sum as the methodology for the allocation to school budgets of any surplus funding available within the Schools Block DSG after the calculation of the school funding formula using National Funding Formula (NFF) values for the 2025/26 financial year

c.        That the Council uses a higher funding gains cap and higher scaling back percentage for managing the recovery of any funding shortfall on the Schools Block DSG after the calculation of the school funding formula using NFF values for the 2025/26 financial year. In the event of any funding shortfall being too significant to manage through the use of the capping and scaling mechanism, the Corporate Director – Resources and the Corporate Director – Children & Young People’s Service, in consultation with the Chair of the Schools Forum, will determine a school funding methodology that delivers affordability within the 2025/26 Schools Block DSG and associated reserves.

d.     That the Council includes an exceptional circumstance lump sum of £50,000 for very small sparse secondary schools (which would otherwise be unable to attract sufficient funding to remain viable) in the 2025/26 North Yorkshire school funding formula.

e.     That, pending confirmation of Secretary of State approval, the Council transfers 0.5% of funding from the Schools Block Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) to the High Needs Block.

f.       That the Council applies MFG funding protection of 0% for special schools for the 2025/26 financial year, as prescribed by the DfE.

g.     That the Council applies 0% to the Banded Funding allocations (top up/ ‘element 3’ allocations) received by mainstream and special schools and academies for the 2025/26 financial year.

h.     That the Council applies 0% to the Banded Funding allocations (top up / element 3 allocations) received by pupil referral units and alternative provision settings for the 2025/26 financial year.

i.       That the Council applies 0% to the factor elements within the Special school contextual funding for the 2025/26 financial year.

j.       That the Council will continue to lobby for a fairer and more equitable funding settlement for schools in North Yorkshire. We will also continue to lobby for a fairer settlement of High Needs resources.

Recommendations

1)     That the Executive authorises the acceptance of the grant of up to £9.5m per annum for a maximum of three years from The Warm Homes: Local Grant to upgrade privately owned houses for low-income households.

2)     That the acceptance of the final grant award allocation be delegated to the Corporate Director Resources in consultation with the Corporate Director Community Development, Executive Member for Resources and Finance and the Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing of up to £9.5m per annum for 3 years from the Warm Homes: Local Grant. Along with the authority to exceed the originally agreed Grant award by up to 50% under the provisions of the MOU, if delivery performance is in line with or exceeding delivery forecasts and written permission is provided by DESNZ.

Recommendations

1)     That the Executive approve the acceptance of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund grant of up to £34,345,388 and approves of The North Yorkshire Council match funding of up to £28,945,587.

2)     That the acceptance of the final grant award allocation, subject to suitable terms and conditions, be delegated to the Corporate Director Resources following consultation with the Corporate Director Community Development, the Executive Member for Resources and Finance, the Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing and the Executive Member for Managing our Environment.

Recommendations

1)     That Executive notes the options considered to address the escalating pressures on HAS budgets driven by the requirement to purchase increasing levels of specialist older people’s residential care in the independent care sector, alongside the risk and issues faced with the current EPH estate.

2)     That Executive approves the recommended option to develop new Council-run Care & Support Hubs in place of existing Elderly Person’s Homes with delegated responsibility to the Corporate Director of Resources in consultation with the Corporate Director – Health and Adult Services, the Executive Member – Finance & Resources, and the Executive Member – Health & Adult Services to consider and approve individual strategic business cases on a locality basis.

3)     That Executive approves delegation of responsibility for approval of individual site-specific Net Zero business cases to the Corporate Director of Resources in consultation with the Executive Member – Finance & Resources, Deputy Leader and Executive Member – Managing Environment. 

4)     That Executive approves inclusion of the proposal as part of the Capital Budget put forward to Executive on 21^st January 2025

Recommendations

That, subject to any comments Members may have:

(a)   the proposed amendments to the Constitution set out in Part A of Appendix 1 be recommended to full Council for approval;

(b)   Members note the amendments to the Constitution set out in Part B of Appendix 1 to this report, made by the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services under his delegated powers, for reporting back to full Council for information;

(c)   the proposed amendments to Council Procedure Rule 2.3 as set out in Appendix 2 to this report be recommended to full Council for approval;

(d)   the proposed amendments to the Code of Practice for Councillors and Officers dealing with Planning Matters in Part 5 of the Constitution, as set out by way of tracked changes at Appendix 3 to this report be recommended to full Council for approval;

(e)   the proposed amendments to the General Licensing and Registration Committee Terms of Reference as set out by way of tracked changes at Appendix 4 to this report be recommended to full Council for approval;

(f)     the proposed amendments to Council Procedure Rule 10.6(b) as set out by way of tracked changes at Appendix 5 to this report be recommended to full Council for approval;

(g)   the proposed amendments to the Health and Wellbeing Board’s Terms of Reference as set out by way of tracked changes at Appendix 6 to this report be recommended to full Council for approval;

(h)   the proposed amendments to the Guidance Notes on the Members’ Allowances Scheme as set out by way of tracked changes at Appendix 7 to this report be recommended to full Council for approval;

(i)     the proposed amendments to the Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules set out in Appendix 8 to this report be recommended to full Council for approval;

(j)     the proposed amendments to Council Procedure Rule 11 as set out in Appendix 10 to this report be recommended to full Council for approval.

Recommendation

That the Executive notes the report and considers any matters arising from the work of the six Area Committees, that merits further scrutiny, review or investigation at a county-level.

Any other items which the Leader agrees should be considered as a matter of urgency because of special circumstances

Enquiries relating to this agenda please contact Elizabeth Jackson

Principal Democratic Services Officer

Tel: 01423 556409 or e-mail: democraticservices.central@northyorks.gov.uk

Website: www.northyorks.gov.uk