Issue - decisions

To respond favourably, in the following terms, to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the Secretary of State’s proposal to issue a Direction under Section 24 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act, to enable the newly elected Members of the Executive after May to have oversight of expenditure by the District Councils prior to Vesting Date on 1st April 2023:

Dear

Response to consultation on Proposed Draft Direction under Section 24 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act

Thank you for your letter dated 17 March 2022 and we are grateful for all the work that has been undertaken in passing the North Yorkshire (Structural Changes) Order 2022.

I am further grateful for sight of the draft Directions which the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is minded to issue. I can confirm that the draft Direction and timing seeks the right balance of ensuring the sovereignty of the District Councils until Vesting Date, whilst giving the new unitary authority councillors the ability to have oversight of potential decisions that could benefit or burden the new authority after Vesting Date.

The County Council will ensure that there is a meeting of the newly elected Executive so that general consents and any specific consents can be considered at or around 23 May 2022.

Currently all eight councils in North Yorkshire are working collaboratively together and I believe that the Order will strengthen the collaboration of the newly elected members with the existing District and Borough Councils.

Kind regards

Carl

PLEASE NOTE that this decision has been exempted from call in by the Chairman of the County Council under Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 16(h).