Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence

Resolved

That the public Minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2025, having been printed and circulated, be taken as read and confirmed by the Chair as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest.

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 Thursday 30 October 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.

There were no public questions or statements.

Recommendations

1)    Note the draft Plan for Neighbourhoods, ten-year Regeneration Plan and four-year Investment Plan for Scarborough.

2)    delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Community Development and Corporate Director for Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Open to Business and Executive Member for Finance and Resources, to submit the final ten-year Regeneration Plan for Scarborough and the initial four-year Investment Plan to MHCLG by the 28th November 2025 following approval by the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board.

3)    Accept the initial £6.808m of funding from MHCLG to deliver the Plan for Neighbourhoods for Scarborough and initial four-year Investment Plan.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Community Development presenting the Scarborough Plan for Neighbourhoods draft ten-year Regeneration Plan and four-year Investment Plan, which the Council was required to submit to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government by 28 November 2025, following approval by the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board.  Approval was also sought to accept £6.808m of funding from MHCLG to deliver the Plan for Neighbourhoods for Scarborough and initial four-year investment plan.

The Executive Member for Open to Business, Councillor Mark Crane, introduced the item and advised that Scarborough was the only town from North Yorkshire selected for this levelling-up funding.  The Scarborough Neighbourhood Board would meet next Friday to sign off the plans. 

Councillor Janet Jefferson welcomed the report, in particular the interventions in relation to improving community cohesion.  Councillor Liz Collings welcomed the community engagement which had taken place and which provided a clear picture of the problems which needed to be addressed.  The Executive Member confirmed that North Yorkshire Council was the accountable body for the funding whilst the Neighbourhood Board was responsible for making decisions.

Resolved (unanimously)

That the Executive

1)    Note the draft Plan for Neighbourhoods, ten-year Regeneration Plan and four-year Investment Plan for Scarborough.

2)    Delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Community Development and Corporate Director for Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Open to Business and Executive Member for Finance and Resources, to submit the final ten-year Regeneration Plan for Scarborough and the initial four-year Investment Plan to MHCLG by the 28 November 2025 following approval by the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board.

3)    Accept the initial £6.808m of funding from MHCLG to deliver the Plan for Neighbourhoods for Scarborough and initial four-year Investment Plan.

Reasons for recommendations

To ensure that the Council and Scarborough Neighbourhood Board can deliver the Regeneration Plan for Scarborough utilising the Plan for Neighbourhoods funding offered by Government and use it to also lever in York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Funds, other public funding, and private sector investment to drive real change in the town that benefits the whole community.

Alternative options considered

The Plan for Neighbourhoods was a central Government funded programme. The Council must follow the stipulated guidance provided by HM Government for the delivery of the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme within Scarborough. Therefore, no other options were considered for delivering this programme of funding.

The Council could decline the offer of funding for Scarborough and not deliver any interventions for the town through the Plan for Neighbourhoods. This option was not recommended.

Recommendations

For the Executive to:

1)    approve that the Property service submits the 47 new potential development sites as set out in Appendix A to the NYC Local Plan Call for Sites.

2)    note the draft protocol attached at Appendix B, which is intended to provide guidance to address the Council’s dual role in the Call for Sites and future Local Plan process. 

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Resources seeking approval for the submission of 47 Council owned sites to the NYC Local Plan Call for Sites exercise.

The Executive Member for Finance and Resources, Councillor Gareth Dadd, introduced the report and made the following key points:

·       The Council had a duty to maximise its return on all assets, in this case there were potential capital returns.

·       If the Council was successful in getting land included on the Local Plan any capital returns would fund future investments and the future capital programme,  if land was suitable for development it could help with housing targets.

·       The Local Plan process would deal with the suitability of sites, and the decision on that would be taken by full Council.  Individual sites could be supported or objected to at that stage.

·       Not every site proposed at this stage would end up in the Local Plan.

The Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services, Barry Khan, referred to Appendix B and provided legal advice in relation to potential conflicts of interest.  The report stated that the Council would act as both landowner and planning authority, and the matter before members at this meeting was about the Council acting as landowner.  When the Local Plan was considered by full Council Executive Members would need to keep an open mind, however Executive Members had no personal interest in the land being put forward and would have no financial gain.

The Strategic Land Manager, Stewart Brown, advised that councillors and town and parish councils had been contacted to enable the Council to be as transparent as possible which had been appreciated. 

Councillor Subash Sharma referred to Scalby School playing field and requested that it be withdrawn from the submission due to the importance of the site to the community.  The playing field was used regularly by groups outside of the school term and Newby and Scalby Town Council had stated that they would be happy to take on responsibility for running the site once the school moved.  The Executive Member advised that individual sites would not be debated at this stage.

Resolved (unanimously)

That the Executive

1)    approve that the Property service submits the 47 new potential development sites as set out in Appendix A to the NYC Local Plan Call for Sites.

2)    note the draft protocol attached at Appendix B, which is intended to provide guidance to address the Council’s dual role in the Call for Sites and future Local Plan process. 

Reasons for recommendations

To support elected member ambitions around asset rationalisation and to maximise value and outcomes from the Council’s land and property holdings.

Recommendation

That Executive note the report, provide feedback and endorse the draft Local Planning Enforcement Plan to proceed for consultation and engagement with NYC elected members, Parish/Town Councils/Parish Meetings and publication on the Council’s website for public engagement and comment.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Community Development presenting the draft Local Planning Enforcement Plan for endorsement and public consultation.

The Executive Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Heather Phillips, introduced the draft Local Planning Enforcement Plan which would provide a clear and consistent approach to planning enforcement across the county.  The Local Planning Enforcement Plan outlined how and when enforcement action would be taken and had been drafted with regard to the enforcement plans of adjoining authorities and the National Park authorities to ensure consistency of approach.  The Plan had been drafted with regard to national guidelines and legislation.

It was noted that Planning Enforcement was a discretionary service, however Members welcomed the Plan as planning issues were a source of concern to many residents in the county and it was important that the Council had a cohesive and robust policy in place.

Resolved (unanimously)

That the report be noted and the draft Local Planning Enforcement Plan be endorsed to proceed for consultation and engagement with NYC elected members, Parish/Town Councils/Parish Meetings and publication on the Council’s website for public engagement and comment.

Reasons for recommendations

The proposed new North Yorkshire Council Local Planning Enforcement Plan set out a clear, consistent, and robust framework for how the Council would undertake planning enforcement. It aimed to ensure that enforcement was carried out in a fair, proportionate, and effective manner, whilst being robust and ensuring that users of the service understood the planning enforcement process and decisions taken.

The adoption of a Local Planning Enforcement Plan for North Yorkshire was recommended to be undertaken by and in accordance with advice contained within the NPPF and government guidance in order to manage planning enforcement robustly, effectively and proactively in the North Yorkshire area, in a timely manner. The Plan had been prepared with due regard to all relevant legislation, policy, guidance and best practice.

Alternative options considered

Continued reliance upon predecessor planning enforcement policies was not a suitable longer-term position and exposed the Council, and Planning Enforcement Officers, and was an obstacle to successful delivery of a clear, consistent, proactive, customer focused Planning Enforcement function. Therefore, bringing forward a harmonised approach was the appropriate sensible option.

Recommendations

Executive is recommended to:-

1)    make the Clapham cum Newby NDP on or before 13 November 2025

2)    approve the Decision Statement set out at appendix A to this report.

3)    approve the submission to Full Council on 12 November for final ratification.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Community Development presenting the results of the Clapham cum Newby Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) referendum and the requirements of North Yorkshire Council and the Local Planning Authority to ‘make’ or adopt the Clapham cum Newby NDP.

The Executive Member for Open for Business, Councillor Mark Crane, presented the report which set out that at the Clapham cum Newby NDP referendum held on 18 September 2025 more than 50% of those voting voted ‘yes’ to the question: "Do you want North Yorkshire Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Clapham cum Newby to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?".  The detailed results were included at paragraph 3.7 of the report.  Following a successful referendum the Council as Local Planning Authority was required to formally ‘make’ the NDP on or before 13 November 2025 and to approve the Decision Statement attached at Appendix A for publication on the Council’s website.  As a result of this the NDP would form part of the statutory development plan for the area alongside the adopted Craven Local Plan (2019).  The NDP would be considered by full Council on 12 November 2025.

Resolved

That the Executive recommend that full Council on 12 November 2025

1)    make the Clapham cum Newby NDP on or before 13 November 2025

2)    approve the Decision Statement set out at Appendix A to this report for final ratification

Reasons for recommendations

In order to meet the requirements of The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended) following a successful referendum, North Yorkshire Council as the Local Planning Authority was required to make a decision relating to making the Clapham cum Newby NDP and publish a Regulation 19 Decision Statement setting out the decision and the Council’s reasons for making that decision.  The recommendations related to these legal requirements.

Alternative options considered

No other options considered. The report set out the steps the Council was required to take to comply with its legal duties under the Town and Country Planning Act relating to making a decision relating to ‘make’ a neighbourhood development plan.

Recommendations

It is recommended that:

1)    approval in principle is given for investment of approximately £36m in Skipton Leisure and Well Being Hub, Whitby Leisure Centre, Ryedale Swim and Fitness (Pickering) and Selby Leisure and Well Being Hub in accordance with this report and subject to further detailed work being undertaken to develop the design schemes, business planning and programming.

2)    the decision on final approval of the proposals for each site, having considered the overall financial position of the Council, be delegated to the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Community Development and the Executive Member for Resources and Executive Member for Culture, Leisure & Housing.

3)    approval is granted for funding to develop the next stages of the business cases and design works, with funding approval to be delegated to Corporate Director of Resources in consultation with the Executive Member for Resources and Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Housing.

4)    approval is granted for investment of up to a maximum of £3m to replace the Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (gym and fitness equipment) for 12 additional leisure sites across North Yorkshire as a phased programme.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Community Development providing the findings from the assessment of the Council’s leisure facilities and setting out the principles for a strategic approach and making recommendations for areas of investment in the facilities. 

The Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing, Councillor Simon Myers, referred to the new Active North Yorkshire leisure service which had a strong emphasis on achieving better health outcomes for residents, and the Council was making a financial commitment in support of this.  The report presented Phase 1 of the Leisure Investment Strategy, which considered each site and where investment might be best targeted to maximise potential for income generation, efficient delivery and to best support the new delivery model.  Investment of £36m was proposed for facilities in Skipton, Whitby, Pickering and Selby.  This was predicated on sound financial planning by the Council in being able to realise savings in other areas and on future Government funding, and this was confirmed by the Executive Member for Finance and Resources.

Members welcomed the proposed investments which supported the Council’s ambitions in relation to healthy communities.

Resolved (unanimously)

That

1)    approval in principle is given for investment of approximately £36m in Skipton Leisure and Well Being Hub, Whitby Leisure Centre, Ryedale Swim and Fitness (Pickering) and Selby Leisure and Well Being Hub in accordance with this report and subject to further detailed work being undertaken to develop the design schemes, business planning and programming.

2)    the decision on final approval of the proposals for each site, having considered the overall financial position of the Council, be delegated to the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Community Development and the Executive Member for Resources and Executive Member for Culture, Leisure & Housing.

3)    approval is granted for funding to develop the next stages of the business cases and design works, with funding approval to be delegated to Corporate Director of Resources in consultation with the Executive Member for Resources and Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Housing.

4)    approval is granted for investment of up to a maximum of £3m to replace the Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (gym and fitness equipment) for 12 additional leisure sites across North Yorkshire as a phased programme.

Reasons for recommendations

To support the delivery of the aims for Active North Yorkshire, as set out in the Strategic Leisure Review. To ensure the service could contribute towards improving health and well-being and ensure participation in physical activity was accessible to everyone, whilst maintaining facilities that were financially and environmentally sustainable.

Alternative options considered

A range of alternative options had been considered as outlined in section 4 of the report.

Recommendations

1)    Accept the findings of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s investigation into the handling of a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) application.

2)    Endorse the proposed actions to address the issues raised, including improvements to service delivery, waiting list management and publishing of target delivery timescales.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Community Development presenting the findings of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s investigation into the handling of a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) application, and the Council’s proposed actions to address the issues raised, including improvements to service delivery, waiting list management and publishing of target delivery timescales.

In introducing the report the Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing, Councillor Simon Myers, advised that the findings had been accepted by the Council and a comprehensive action plan had been developed to enable DFG applications to be progressed more quickly, with target timescales set out at paragraph 4.7.  It was confirmed that there was currently no waiting list for the handy person service which was introduced last year for minor adaptations.  The Executive Member noted that delays in adaptations resulted in longer hospital stays and increased pressure on Health and Adult Services budgets and therefore it was important that the issues raised were addressed.

Resolved (unanimously)

That the Executive

1)    Accept the findings of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s    investigation into the handling of a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) application.

2)    Endorse the proposed actions to address the issues raised, including improvements to service delivery, waiting list management and publishing of target delivery timescales.

Reasons for recommendations

Having reviewed the Ombudsman’s findings, the service was already taking steps to implement the proposed action plan. This included working towards the good practice timescales, regular reporting, and allocating appropriate resources.

Ensuring both democratic and service-level oversight would support transparency and help improve delivery timescales in relation to adapting the homes of some of our most vulnerable residents.

Alternative options considered

Inaction on the Ombudsman’s findings would risk repeated service failures and signal a lack of accountability, eroding public trust. It may also expose the Council to legal scrutiny and compromise its commitment to improving resident-centred services.

There were no viable alternatives. Failure to implement the proposed actions would risk continued service gaps, delayed responses, and unmet needs, particularly for vulnerable residents who depended on timely support to maintain their independence. Further increases to waiting lists were likely to increase pressure on emergency services, reduce wellbeing outcomes, and damage the Council’s reputation.

Recommendation

That Executive approves the North Yorkshire Council Customer Experience Strategy (CXS) 2025 to 2030.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Resources seeking approval for the North Yorkshire Council Customer Experience Strategy 2025-2030. 

The Executive Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Heather Phillips, introduced the Strategy which set out how the Council would prioritise the needs of its 600,000 residents and ensure that its services were easy to use.  Technology and digital innovation would be key tools to fulfil the aims of the strategy, whilst ensuring that no-one was excluded through the use of technology.

Resolved

That the North Yorkshire Council Customer Experience Strategy (CXS) 2025 to 2030 be approved.

Reasons for recommendations

Adopting the Customer Experience Strategy would deliver better outcomes for customers, empower staff, and support the Council’s vision for thriving communities.

Alternative options considered

The option of not publishing a Customer Experience Strategy was considered and rejected, as it would risk fragmented service delivery, inconsistent customer experiences, and missed opportunities for improvement, as well as hinder our ability to become a more cost-effective and efficient Council.

Considered – The Forward Plan for the period 24 October 2025 to 31 October 2026 was presented.

Resolved

That the Forward Plan be noted.