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Council minutes, agendas and reports

Agenda item

Verbal Updates from Executive Members

Minutes:

Considered –

 

Verbal updates of Executive Members on the issues identified below:-

 

·       County Councillor Carl Les (Leader of the Council):-

·         Covid, including the recent increase in the Delta variant, the progress made with vaccinations, and the excellent support provided in North Yorkshire throughout the pandemic.

·         Helen Simpson who had been appointed as the new Chair of the York and North Yorkshire LEP.

·         The Government’s Levelling-Up Fund and the development of a cross-county transport proposal to go to the next round of that Fund.

·         The Government’s Community Renewal Fund, to which the Executive had agreed to submit over 20 bids.

·         The Rural Commission which was scheduled to publish its report in July 2021 and would include recommendations which were likely to be challenging for NYCC and partners. 

·         His fortnightly meetings with the six MPs representing North Yorkshire and their now broadened meeting agenda which included the national Bus Back Better Strategy, Grant Shapps’ Plan for Rail, and Freeports.

·         Remote meetings, and the NYCC response to the Government consultation.

·         His thanks to Councillor Richard Cooper and Harrogate Borough Council for their very rapid response to the Afghan Locally Employed Staff Relocation Scheme.  Councillor Richard Cooper responded.

 

·       County Councillor David Chance (Executive Member for Stronger Communities):-

·         NYCC’s agreement to participate in the Afghan Locally Employed Staff Relocation Scheme, through which between 30 and 50 people would be relocated to North Yorkshire from July 2021.

·         Community Support Organisations’ work was now focussing on helping people gain their mobility and confidence to leave their homes.

 

·       County Councillor Michael Harrison (Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health Integration, including Health and Wellbeing Board and Extra Care):-

·         Covid, in respect of which the situation in North Yorkshire Care Homes had significantly improved compared to earlier in the year, reflecting the success and high take-up rate of the vaccination programme.

·         North Yorkshire Health Sector’s response to a Government consultation about mandatory vaccination, the response supporting mandatory vaccination but making the point that mandatory vaccination should be sector-wide, and that any mandatory vaccination should be limited to this pandemic.

 

·       County Councillor Don Mackenzie (Executive Member for Access):-

·         NY Highways’ commencement of operations as contractor for highways maintenance in the County.

·         The summer highways repair programme was underway, having commenced in Harrogate with resurfacing works during evenings on Leeds Road.

·         Junction 47 works continued on the A59, Flaxby.

·         Sustainable travel and three current initiatives:- (i) the introduction of Active Travel Fund schemes at the A59 out of Knaresborough towards Starbeck, and at Victoria Avenue; (ii) the £8M upgrade for sustainable travel in Station Parade aka the “Harrogate Gateway Project”, and (iii) the NPIF Otley Road improvements.

·         Public transport (rail) – the rail improvement scheme at Cattal had been completed under budget and on-schedule and it was hoped that Northern Rail would introduce double frequency, two trains per hour in each direction, between York and Harrogate with effect from December 2021.

·         Public transport (buses) – a demand responsive service was starting in Ripon on 1 July 2021.

·         Public Wifi was being introduced into Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, backed-up by NYCC’s local full-fibre network.

 

Resolved -

 

(a)    That Executive Members be thanked for their updates.

 

(b)    That the updates be noted.