Agenda and minutes

Executive - Tuesday, 21 September 2021 11.00 am

Venue: Remote meeting held via Microsoft Teams

Contact: Melanie Carr  Email: Melanie.carr1@northyorks.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

639.

Introductions

Minutes:

Members of the Executive and Corporate Management Team introduced themselves, followed by other Councillors present at the meeting.

 

640.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 31 August 2021 pdf icon PDF 454 KB

Minutes:

Resolved –

 

Thatthe public Minutesof themeeting heldon 31 August 2021,having been printedand circulated,betakenas readand confirmedby theChairmanas acorrect record.

 

641.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

County Councillors Carl Les & Janet Sanderson declared a non-pecuniary interest in Agenda Item 6, as Trustees of North Yorkshire Youth.

642.

Public Questions and Statements

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice to Melanie Carr of Democratic and Scrutiny Services and supplied the text (contact details below) by midday on Thursday 16 September 2021, 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 Chairman who will instruct anyone who may be taking a recording to cease while you speak.

 

Minutes:

There were no public questions or statements.

643.

Lowering the age range of Barrowcliff Community Primary School to 2-11 pdf icon PDF 427 KB

Recommendations –

Executive Members are asked to note the contents of this report, and to recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he approve that:

i.     Proposals and statutory notices be published on 1 October to lower the school age range of Barrowcliff Community Primary School from 1 January 2022.

ii.     The Executive schedule taking a final decision on these proposals on 23 November 2021.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

County Councillor Patrick Mulligan introduced areport ofthe Corporate Director - Children and Young People’s Service, on the outcome of an informal consultation carried out by the Governors of Barrowcliff Community Primary School on a proposal to lower the age range of the school from 3-11 to 2-11, in order to offer education for 2 year old children.

 

Executive Members noted the consultation feedback and next steps as detailed in the report, and

 

Resolved – To recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he approve that:

i.     Proposals and statutory notices be published on 1 October to lower the school age range of Barrowcliff Community Primary School from 1 January 2022.

ii.     The Executive schedule taking a final decision on the proposals on 23 November 2021.

 

 

644.

Strategic Review of the Outdoor Learning Service pdf icon PDF 444 KB

Executive Members are asked to note the contents of this report, and to recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he:

i)     Approve in principle the redevelopment of Bewerley Park in two phases, with a new accommodation block in phase 1 funded by a policy investment and the central hub and further accommodation in phase 2 linked to recommendation v.

ii)    Approve in principle improvements at East Barnby to ensure facilities are of a standard which can maintain existing customers and grow the customer base.

iii)    Approve an investment of up to £400,000 for the Outdoor Learning Service alongside the Property Service, Procurement and the North Yorkshire consultancy ‘Align Property Partners’, to move to full business case to include:

·       draw up detailed designs for capital work at both sites

·       investigate and apply for any required planning permission

·       undertake any surveys necessary in securing planning permission

·       go to the market for tenders for the proposed building work

iv)   Offer the Outdoor Learning Service the opportunity to prove it can operate as an efficient service with a commercial ethos by undertaking the following:

·       Implement a new Outdoor Learning Strategy which includes marketing and business development

·       Recruitment to key posts in the service leadership team

·       Evidence of an increase in engagement with customers and external organisations, where permitted.

·       Evidence of investigating commercial opportunities

·       Evidence of seeking out other funding streams

v)    Invites the service to return with a full business case, to agree the implementation of phase 1.

 

Minutes:

Considered –

 

A report of the CorporateDirector– ChildrenandYoungPeoplesService seeking Executive Members views on the findings from a strategic review of the Outdoor Learning Service.

 

County Councillor Patrick Mulligan introduced the report and drew attention to the desk-based research and analysis, extensive stakeholder engagement and property inspections that had taken place as part of the review.

 

 

 

He also outlined a number of challenges facing the service, as detailed at paragraph 3.23 of the report, and noted the significant capital investment that would be required to improve the facilities at the centres and make them fit for purpose going forward.

 

Members welcomed the report and acknowledged the benefits a residential learning experience could bring, and how it could improve the outcomes and experiences for young people in North Yorkshire.  They also recognised that in order to ensure the long term viability of the Service, the facilities at the centres would require significant capital investment and the Service would need to be transformed on to a more commercial footing. 

 

Members were pleased to provide this opportunity but agreed this was only the first step to achieving a long term future for the Service.  They stressed that the Service would need to deliver a strong business case for a financially sustainable model.

 

Stuart Carlton, Director - ChildrenandYoungPeoplesService, reassured Members that the Service understood that it was being given an opportunity to flourish and would work hard to demonstrate its potential.

 

It was noted that the Executive would receive a further report in the future and on that basis, Members agreed to note the contents of the report, and to recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he:

i)        Approve in principle the redevelopment of Bewerley Park in two phases, with a new accommodation block in phase 1 funded by a policy investment and the central hub and further accommodation in phase 2 linked to recommendation v.

ii)       Approve in principle improvements at East Barnby to ensure facilities were of a standard which could maintain existing customers and grow the customer base.

iii)      Approve an investment of up to £400,000 for the Outdoor Learning Service alongside the Property Service, Procurement and the North Yorkshire consultancy ‘Align Property Partners’, to move to full business case to include:

·       The drawing up of detailed designs for capital work at both sites

·       investigating and applying for any required planning permission

·       undertaking any surveys necessary in securing planning permission

·       going to the market for tenders for the proposed building work

iv)      Offer the Outdoor Learning Service the opportunity to prove it can operate as an efficient service with a commercial ethos by undertaking the following:

·       Implementing a new  ...  view the full minutes text for item 644.

645.

Response to Rural Commission report pdf icon PDF 376 KB

Recommendations:  That Executive Members note the contents of this report, and recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he consider and agree a response to the report of the North Yorkshire Rural Commission, based on the draft set out in section 3 of the report.

Minutes:

Considered –

 

A report of the Assistant Director Policy, Partnerships and Communities, updating Executive Members on the report of the North Yorkshire Rural Commission and proposing a response from the County Council to the recommendations in the report.

 

County Councillor Carl Les introduced the report confirming he had asked the Overview & Scrutiny Committees to continue to explore the report and its recommendations.

 

Neil Irving - Assistant Director Policy, Partnerships and Communities, outlined the consultation undertaken by the Commission, and drew attention to their request that their final report ‘not sit on a shelf’, but instead be used to inform positive actions to help support rural communities across the county.  He confirmed that in response, an Advisory Group had been set up and that his report presented a general response to the Rural Commission’s findings, and a specific response to the 26 recommendations for the County Council. 

 

Richard Flinton, Chief Executive Officer confirmed the Commission had proved a very useful exercise with issues from across the county being pulled together, and leading to a co-ordinated response.

 

County Councillor Stuart Parson was disappointed to note there was no recommendation around the funding of homes in the National Parks.  He suggested that the County Council lobby Government for a change in legislation.

 

County Councillor Dom Mackenzie drew attention to the County Council’s digital investment particularly in rural areas and its ongoing financial support for public transport in rural areas.

 

County Councillor Stanley Lumley, Chair of the Scrutiny Board welcomed the opportunity for Overview & Scrutiny to look at the gaps in the report and make further recommendations to the Executive.

 

Overall, Executive Members welcomed the Commission’s findings, and its was

 

Resolved:

·          That the report be noted;

·          That it be recommended to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he consider and agree a response to the report of the North Yorkshire Rural Commission, based on the draft set out in section 3 of the report.

646.

York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy 2021-26 pdf icon PDF 437 KB

Recommendations: Executive Members are asked to note the report, and to recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he approve adoption of the 2021-2026 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Considered –

 

A report of the Corporate Director – Business and Environmental Services providing details on the draft 2021-26 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy.

 

County Councillor Don Mackenzie introduced the report stressing that North Yorkshire remain very safe for all road users with the trend of serious accidents reducing.  He noted however that whilst only 7% of road users were motorcyclists, 26% of accidents involved motorcycles, and an emerging trend in cycling casualties.  He therefore acknowledged the need to focus on vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.

 

Mike Leah, Assistant Director - Travel & Environment, Waste and Countryside Services, went on to provide a detailed overview of the draft Strategy for 2021-2026, including a breakdown of the proposed safe systems approach and the four associated action areas (as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report).

 

Executive Members welcomed the revised strategy.  County Councillor Janet Sanderson noted that speeding offences made up 85% of the total offences recorded, and questioned whether there was an imbalance in the recording of offences as a result of the more costly resource intensive nature of recording other types of offences.

 

County Councillor Stuart Parsons suggested that some form of education for cyclists and car drivers would be helpful particularly as it was the perception of residents that North Yorkshire Police were not interested in speeding.  In response, it was confirmed by County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, that the new Police Fire & Crime Commissioner had made the control of speeding a top priority.

 

Members noted a marked increase nationally in the number of cyclists in the last few years.

 

County Councillor Bryn Griffiths suggested the recording of near misses would support a more pro-active approach to road safety, but it was noted that it would be very difficult to register near misses. 

 

Officers confirmed:

·          In urban areas there was a 50/50 split between motorist and cyclist errors, but in rural areas it was 70% cyclist error;

·          Data was used to identify dangerous stretches of road;

·          There was a higher maintenance regime for popular cyclist routes;

·          There was a criteria in place for where speed vans were deployed – it was suggested this needed revisiting;

 

All Executive Members present voted in favour of the draft 2021-26 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy as presented, and it was

 

Resolved:

 

That it be recommended to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he approve adoption of the 2021-2026 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy.

 

647.

County Council's response to proposed Warding arrangements for the new Unitary Council pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Purpose: This report seeks to inform the Executive Members, and asks the Leader to:

(a)   Approve the submission of interim Ward boundaries for the new North Yorkshire Council for consideration by the Secretary of State.

(b)   Approve a response to questions that are being asked prior to the drafting of the Structural Changes Order.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Considered– A report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal & Democratic Services) and Assistant Director - Policy, Partnerships and Communities seeking the Leader’s approval for the submission of interim ward boundaries for the new North Yorkshire Council, and a response to a number of questions being asked prior to the drafting of the Structural Changes Order.

 

County Councillor Carl Les introduced the report and thanked officers and members of the Working Group for their work on the review of ward boundaries.  He recognised it was a complicated issue and drew attention to the following:

·          The proposal laid out in the report was an interim solution only, and it was not a decision for the County Council but rather for the Secretary of State;

·          The principles that had been applied to the review i.e. that single member wards were considered to be the best form of representation, the maximum limit of 90 Members set by MHCLG, and District Council ward boundaries had to be followed: 

·          The County Council was entitled to submit a supplementary proposal, and that two such proposals were being presented;

·          He was minded to accept the recommendations of the Working Group set out in Appendix B, but would first give due consideration to a number of other options put forward by non-Executive Members;

 

County Councillor John Weighell, Chair of the Working Group confirmed that the rule of using present District Council ward boundaries with a leeway of +/- 30% had created a conflict with the principle of a Unitary Council of 90 members in single member wards.  He noted there were three wards where it had proved impossible to achieve – Easingwold, Bedale and Selby West.  He also noted it was geographically impossible in Whitby, but could be achieved mathematically.

 

He confirmed this had resulted in three different recommendations - Appendix B, which met in total the rules stated, and the two supplementary proposals (shown at Appendices C & D).  He also confirmed the Working Group had not managed to reach a full consensus of agreement, and that there remained a number of contentious items.

 

County Councillor Helen Grant expressed disappointment that the parishes with the largest garrison footprint (Colburn, Scotton and Hipswell) were to be separated.  She confirmed those parishes would be submitting representations to MCHLG to seek to keep the current garrison footprint.

 

County Councillor Stuart Parsons confirmed he could not support the Richmond proposal put forward by the Chair of the Working Group and that the original proposal put forward by officers and his alternative suggestion for the area (A8) had not been properly considered.  He also suggested that neither the political leadership nor the administration at Richmondshire District Council were happy with the Working Group proposal for the area, and instead favoured the original officer proposal.  It was noted that representations had also been received from Richmondshire District Councillor Pat Middlemiss and Scotton Parish Council.

 

In response, County Councillor John Weighell provided clarification on the Working Group’s views on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 647.

648.

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 518 KB

Minutes:

Considered –

 

The Forward Plan for the period 13 September 2021 to 30 September 2022 was presented.

 

Resolved -   That the Forward Plan be noted.