Minutes:
MP Attendance:
Considered: A verbal update from Andrew Jones MP regarding issues of key concern in the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency.
The key points within the update provided by Andrew Jones MP were as follows:-
- Since his previous update to the Committee in November 2022 significant progress had been made collecting data that would support a bid to achieve bathing water status for the River Nidd at the Knaresborough Lido. The team had received 30 supporting statements from bodies such as Town and Parish Councils and over 200 people had signed up to help with data collection and monitoring. He had personally delivered the bid to DEFRA and a decision was expected to be delivered by late spring, he would continue lobbying to make clear the supporting case for a positive decision on the bathing water status.
- He also wanted to highlight details regarding Devolution for North Yorkshire. He explained that the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority had now passed all Parliamentary procedures and was on its way to being ready for election of the Mayor in May. The set up of the new combined authority would unlock £540M of funding which is designated to be spent on local priorities that were determined here rather than in Westminster. He was in favour of decisions being made locally and he wanted to express the importance of deciding the precise responsibilities that the Town Council would hold and to avoid duplication of work between the Town Council and the Area Committee.
Andrew Jones MP then responded to questions from Members:
- In response to a question from Councillor Broadbank on spending on education and where North Yorkshire Schools, sat in national school performance tables, particularly in relation to SEND. He explained that SEND was seeing significant growth and this was an issue that was being experienced across the Country. The national budget for this area had gone up by 60% since 2020 and for the next financial year the funding was £10.5B. North Yorkshire received 1500 EHCPs in 2014 but was expecting around 5000 in the current year. This was due in part to a change in the Children and Families Act 2014, that broadened the scope of SEND. This increase was viewed by NYC’s Director of Finance as the primary financial challenge for the new Council. The Council was operating with a deficit in its yearly budget and this deficit was expected to rise with challenges such that this. He explained that it was his view that all children, regardless of ability or need, were fully educated and this was a critical part of public policy. The Council was investing well with education in mind, for example in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area Woodfield Primary School will open in April for 80 pupils and focus upon speech and language communication and other associated mental health needs. In terms of funding he explained that he had met with schools, families, the Council and the children’s Minister to discuss funding needs and there were a few points to note. Firstly the national budget for education was increasing and it was critical that North Yorkshire received its share. The Government had produced a ‘SEND Action Plan’ and he would send a copy of this to all Members. There three main points to the action plan, training for teachers in mainstream schools, in schools’ capital budgets and in the establishment of national standards. He had discussed the grant allocation for North Yorkshire with the Minister and NYC’s grant would increase in the next year to £676 per head for students aged between two and eighteen.
- In response to a question from Councillor Mann on the fair funding formula, the MP explained that he had worked with local organisations such as the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust and the Council. Public services across NY were high performing and there was work ongoing to continue and improve the high level of services provided. He was working with the other NY MPs to ensure that investments in NY’s services worked to provide maximum benefits for the County and its services.
- In response to a question from Councillor Lacey on the delay to setting up a local Town Council, Andrew Jones MP advised that he agreed with the principle of local services delivered locally but that there was more groundwork to be done before a Town Council could be formally constituted. In response to a further question from Councillor Aldred he explained that it was key to understand what responsibilities and functions the Town Council would have before it was set up.
- In response to a question from Councillor Slater, the MP explained that he would support Knaresborough Town Council on any devolution related projects.
- In response to a question from Councillor Gostlow, he responded that a decision on the Nidd bathing water status was due in late spring. Work to improve the water quality of the River Nidd was a lengthy and complex project but this was a hugely successful step that had brought people together and it had highlighted a fantastic part of Knaresborough. Councillor Gostlow followed up that the three designated river swimming areas in the country had subsequently found to be in poor quality and people that swam in them had a high chance of becoming ill from doing so, significant investment was required if improvements were to be seen. He explained that the Environment Agency were monitoring along the Nidd catchment and it would be a complex job to improve the water quality, that being said this was the first Government to attempt to tackle water quality in a significant way and the Government’s action plan broadened the scope of the water quality question from solely a coastal issue to one that included inland waters.
- In response to a question from Councillor Aldred on whether the MP supported the amended Station Gateway plan that had now been submitted for approval, he explained that he was broadly in support of sustainable transport improvements but he was aware that there had been substantial questions regarding the viability of the Station Gateway Scheme. In particular there were concerns about the loss of loading areas and the reduction to one lane of traffic. Andrew explained that he had not seen the amended plan that had been submitted but following an outline provided by Cllr Aldred he was supportive of improvements.
- In response to a question from Councillor Broadbank on the funding of the HCC improvements he explained that the Council was seeking national funding support and he would support this work.
- In response to a question from Councillor Haslam on sustainable transport funding and specifically a plan to construct a train station on Claro Road, the MP explained that he was happy to meet and discuss this with Cllr Haslam but this would be a significantly complex project and would depend on the national budget.
- Councillor Windass asked a question about the River Nidd water quality, following a recent visit from the Environment Agency in which the EA representative had highlighted complex issues from old mine workings, farm slurry run off and Yorkshire Water’s sewerage plants that all had an impact on the water quality. Councillor Windass asked what Government could do to help in light of all these issues. Andrew explained that achieving improvements would require a sustained multi-agency effort and significant funding. Until recently levels of monitoring the river water quality had been as low as 6%. Currently there were efforts to improve the level of monitoring in order that a holistic view and assessment can be made. Soon there would be live monitoring so that members of the public would be able to see in real time what the quality of the water was. Government was working, through DEFRA, with farmers and looking to make capital investments in sewerage works and storm overflows. The MP agreed to distribute the water quality action plan to Members following the meeting.
- In response to a question from Councillor Broadbank on the cost of food waste relating to confusing rules, Andrew explained that he was unable to provide a full answer on this but would look into it and get back to Cllr Broadbank.
- In response to a question from Councillor Aldred on whether the Country was getting value for money on money paid, or agreed to be paid, to the Rwandan and French Governments to assist in remedying the migrant issue, the MP explained that the migrant situation was a significant issue in the Mediterranean. In 2022 2062 people lost their lives attempting to cross that body of water and there was a significant problem of people smuggling with vast amount of money being made at the expense of many people’s lives. The principal aim of the Government was to regain control of our borders and for British people to feel that they, through their Government, are in control of who comes here. The Rwandan scheme was to be seen as a deterrent to reduce the numbers of people trying to enter the country illegally and the Albanian scheme had reduced number the number of people attempting to cross the Channel by 30% last year. In terms of value it was difficult to put a value on the lives of people and if you factored in the significant costs of housing illegal migrants in hostels, amounting to around £8.3M a day, the Government viewed this as a good investment.