Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs Frank and Mrs Keal.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Community Services & Licensing Committee held on 26 November 2009.

At the meeting of Council held on 14 January 2010 the Part ‘B’ recommendations were approved subject to the wording of Minute No. 46 - Fees and Charges - being amended to read “that concessions for one-off events be £1.50 per day”.

The minutes of the meeting of the Community Services Committee held on 26 November 2009 were submitted.

         Resolved

         That the minutes of the meeting of the Community Services Committee held on 26 November 2009 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive notice of any urgent business which the Chairman considers should be dealt with at the meeting as a matter of urgency by virtue of Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There was one item of urgent business, which the Chairman considered should be dealt with at the meeting as a matter of urgency by virtue of Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

The item related to the extension of the existing climbing wall at the Northern Ryedale Leisure, Pickering, and was to be dealt with under Part ‘A’ of the agenda.

Members to indicate whether they will be declaring any interests under the Code of Conduct.

Members making a declaration of interest at a meeting of a Committee or Council are required to disclose the existence and nature of that interest.  This requirement is not discharged by merely declaring a personal interest without further explanation.

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct Councillor Hemesley declared an interest in the urgent item as the Council’s representative on the Community Leisure Board of Management.  Councillor Mrs Cowan declared a personal interest in item 8 Waste Collection Commitment, as a member of the Caulklands Landfill Site Committee.

At the meeting of Council held on 14 January 2010 the Chairman reported receipt of a petition from residents as follows: “We the undersigned request Ryedale District Council either to restore weekly green bin refuse collections or, if it is not possible to restore this service all year round, to use the £24,000 from the reduction of brown bin winter collections for restoring weekly summer green bin collections during the school summer holidays”.

In accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules, the petition was referred to the Community Services Committee for consideration.

At a meeting of Council held on 14 January 2010 the Chairman of Council reported receipt of a petition from residents as follows: “We the undersigned request Ryedale District Council either to restore weekly green bin refuse collections or, if it is not possible to restore this service all year round, to use the £24,000 from the reduction of brown bin winter collections for restoring weekly summer green bin collections during the school summer holidays”.

In accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules, the petition had been referred to the Community Services Committee for consideration.

The Head of Environment circulated for information a briefing note on the potential issues arising from the implementation of the measures outlined in the petition.     

Councillor Andrews, as initiator of the petition, attended the meeting by invitation of the Chairman, to speak on the item.  Councillor Andrews requested that a full report be prepared for submission to the next meeting of the Committee.

Members then considered the potential implications of re-instating weekly green bin refuse collections and were of the opinion that the matter should not be pursued.

         Resolved

         That the petition be received and that no action be taken.

The Head of Economy & Housing submitted for information a report, which informed Members of progress made against the Council’s agreed Housing Strategy objectives.

The Head of Economy & Housing drew Members’ attention to salient points within the report and in addition reported that a Member Briefing was to take place on Tuesday 23 February 2010 at 6.30 pm in connection with the revised North Yorkshire Housing Strategy.

         Resolved

         That the report be endorsed.  

The Head of Economy & Housing submitted a report the purpose of which was to inform Members of progress in improving skills levels in Ryedale through the work of the Ryedale Work and Skills Partnership (RWSP), and to seek endorsement of proposed actions including an Employer Engagement Event in spring 2010.

Ryedale had a relatively low wage economy with significant numbers of less skilled jobs.  This contributed to a major gap between the price of housing and what many local people could afford.  The nature of the local economy was reflected in the local skills challenges that were outlined in the report and co-ordinated action was required to address these and issues raised by local employers in the Ryedale Business Skills Survey.  The Ryedale Work and Skills Partnership had identified a number of short-term actions to better align training provision with local needs and to improve awareness of local employment opportunities for learners and others in Ryedale.  Other actions were to be developed during 2010 as strategic changes to skills and training took place.

The RWSP were to meet quarterly to review progress of the key task and finish groups and to progress the Employer Engagement Event.  As further information became available during 2010 through the North Yorkshire Economic Assessment and the revised Regional Skills Strategy the RWSP would develop its priority actions and future approaches.  These would address newly identified issues together with the local challenges as identified in the report, such as basic skills issues and the need to link with economic initiatives to diversify the Ryedale economy and improve local job opportunities.  Further developments were to be reported to Members at that stage.

         Resolved

         That the short-term actions proposed by the Ryedale Work and Skills Partnership to improve local skill levels, including the holding of a Ryedale Employer Engagement Event to link local learners with local employment opportunities be endorsed.  

The Head of Environment submitted a report, which set out details of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) “Waste Collection Commitment and sought approval to sign up to this initiative on behalf of the District Council.  A copy of the guidance document for local authorities was appended to the report.

In August 2009 the Waste and Resources Action Programme, in partnership with the Local Government Association, set out the details of a new national initiative - the Waste Collection Commitment.  All local authorities had been invited to make a commitment to adopt the fist set of principles for a good waste and recycling service based on the views of the public. 

The commitment aimed to help local authorities improve residents’ satisfaction with how their rubbish and recycling was collected and boost recycling levels.  The commitment, which was based on research on residents’ views about the likes and dislikes of existing services and on consultation with local authorities, sets out in simple terms the principles which should underline domestic waste and recycling collection services.  These principles were:

·             Explain clearly what service the public can expect to receive

·             Provide regular collections

·             Provide a reliable collection service

·             Consider any special requests that any individual households have

·             Design our services and carry out collection in a way that does not produce litter

·             Collect as many materials as we can for recycling and explain to the public what happens to them

·             Explain clearly what our service rules are and the reason for them

·             Tell the public in good time if we make changes to services even temporarily

·             Respond to complaints received about our service

·             Tell all our residents about this commitment to collecting waste

            Resolved

            That the report be received and that the Council signs up to WRAPS Waste Collection Commitment.

NB   Councillor Mrs Cowan declared an interest in the above item as a member of the Caulkland Landfill Site Committee.

By virtue of Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 the following item was considered as a matter of urgency.

The Head of Environment reported that at the last meeting of the Strategic Facilities Management Committee, representatives from Lady Lumley’s School reported that they would like to extend the climbing wall.  Due to the community use of the existing facility they would wish Ryedale District Council to contribute to the cost.  The extension, which would provide an artificial rock face, would enable the school to apply to become a National Indoor Climbing Achievement Scheme Awarding Centre.  This was a UK award scheme designed to promote climbing development and accredit individual achievement on indoor climbing walls.  The estimated cost of the extension was £14,990.  The Council have been asked by Lady Lumley’s School to make a contribution of £7500 towards the extension.  The School is in a position to commit £7500 to the scheme in addition to the £25,000 plus they have already invested in the existing wall.  Community Leisure support the application and due to efficiency savings through a re-structure of the Northern Ryedale Leisure Centre operation were no longer asking the Council to pay them up to £10,000 per annum for the over extra cost of managing the Astroturf pitch.  Due to this saving offered by Community Leisure Limited the funding was available within the existing budget.

         Resolved

         That the use of existing budgets to contribute £7500 towards the cost of extending the climbing wall at Lady Lumley’s School, Pickering, for school and community use be endorsed.

NB   In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor Keal declared a personal interest in the above item, as his daughters are pupils at Lady Lumley’s School.

         Councillor Hemesley declared a personal interest in the item as a representative on the Community Leisure Management Board, Councillor Hemesley abstained from voting on the item.

The Head of Economy & Housing submitted a report, which sought the Committee’s recommendation to full Council to approve:

·        the amalgamation of the Ryedale Strategic Partnership Board (RSPB) with the Safer Ryedale Partnership Board (SRPB)

·        the integration of the existing Safer Ryedale Delivery Team (SRDT) into the Ryedale Strategic Partnership structure

Both the RSPB and the SRPB had approved the proposals in principle.  Furthermore, the recommendation complied with the requirements of the Home Office for the partnership to be locally driven, and proposed staffing levels could sustain the partnership under the proposed structure.

An extensive informal consultation process had been carried out with interested parties and all of the delivery partners.  The amalgamation and re-structuring proposals as detailed in the report had been approved in principle by:

·        the Chair and partners of the Ryedale Strategic Partnership

·        the Safer Ryedale Partnership Board

·        the Safer Ryedale Delivery Team

The proposed Ryedale Strategic Partnership Structure was circulated with the report.

         Resolved

         That Council be recommended to approve:

         (a) The amalgamation of the Ryedale Strategic Partnership Board with the Safer Ryedale Partnership Board

         (b) The integration of the existing Safer Ryedale Delivery Team into the Ryedale Strategic Partnership structure.

The meeting closed at 8.30 pm.