Agenda item

Councillor Mrs Cowling, the Leader of the Council, presented the following statement:

 

“What an interesting time since we last met as Council.

 

The result of the Scottish Referendum has continued to set ripples through various regions and sub regions.  The discussions taking place about devolution and devolved powers are taking place more regularly than ever at Leaders’ meetings at the regional and sub regional level.  This is linked to the other agendas including Combined Authorities and the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding LEP about proposed joint committees are discussions we continue to consider for and about Ryedale District Council.

 

We continue to work with the LEP via Julian’s good offices to promote rural schemes particularly those most closely linked to Ryedale and those which have a wider impact on the surrounding area.

 

At the Local Government North Yorkshire and York (LGNY&Y) meeting the Director of Public Health’s Annual Statement and Report was presented. A copy of this report is in the Members’ Room if you are interested. There are 7 main recommendations to the report which have an impact on Ryedale.  Another interesting report was the City of York’s Local Plan which as a near neighbour is important to us in terms of highways infrastructure and housing.

 

Tonight we concentrate our energy on the Budget Strategy for the Council and I would personally like to place on record my thanks to Peter and the team for firstly preparing this Strategy and for getting a clean bill of health from the Auditor and the Audit Committee. A great achievement under lots of pressure.

 

This weekend is ‘War Weekend’ in Pickering so another opportunity for Ryedale to promote its many opportunities and attractions including the Book Festival in Malton.

 

I have attended a couple of events at Derwent Training Association.  The first was to meet the new intake and the second was last night to help present some of the awards to apprentices who are progressing through their apprenticeships.

 

There is increasing interest from Authorities within North Yorkshire and York on alternative methods of delivering appropriate housing for local people who cannot afford to buy houses.  This issue was discussed at the LGNY&Y Housing Board and a housing summit was proposed at the LGNY&Y Board meeting.

 

Last but not least those of you who managed to attend last Thursday will have seen the presentation from our new leisure provider, SLM – Everyone Active.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board and staff of CLL for providing a splendid service to our communities over many years and for a smooth handover to the new operator.”

 

 

 

 

The following questions were received on the Leader’s Statement:

 

1.    From Councillor Wainwright.

 

‘Within your statement you talk about the War Weekend in Pickering and the Book Festival in Malton providing an opportunity for Ryedale to promote its many opportunities and attractions. Another one of those  opportunities and attractions in Ryedale is the Hovingham village market which takes place the first Saturday in every month.  Would you be willing to congratulate the organisers of the Hovingham village market in their winning of the Duke of York Community Initiative Award for 2014?’

 

The Leader replied:

 

‘Had I known that it would have absolutely been in my Leaders Statement yes and if you would pass on congratulations from the whole of this Council - I'm really really pleased about that. I often get visitors into our tea shop in Pickering who tell me just how wonderful this market is and I think they've been rewarded for that. I'm really pleased about it.’

 

2.    From Councillor Clark

 

‘I'm a little surprised in your Leader's Statement that you make no reference to the motion that was passed at Full Council for this Council to write to the LGA and to the Government. Could you let me know what their replies were? ‘

 

The Leader replied:

 

‘If we've had a reply I will get you a copy of it.’

 

3.    From Councillor Woodward

 

‘Talking of the War Weekend and the number of visitors it will bring to Ryedale and in particular to Pickering what is going to be done to ensure that visitors do not return home from Pickering with memories spoilt by swarms of flies?’

 

The Leader replied:

 

‘I wasn't aware that there was a problem in Pickering with swarms of flies. Earlier in the year yes there was a problem but at the moment I'm not aware that there is a problem and I think working in a kitchen on a daily basis I would be aware if we were swarmed by flies. I know our Environmental Health do work with some places that are outside of Pickering to deal with problems like that but I think that was rather a strange question’.

 

Councillor Woodward asked the following supplementary question:

 

‘Coming from a representative for Pickering West and the Leader of Council, I think that was rather a strange answer. It's been all over the local media about the flies, it's been raised I think by the other three representatives for Pickering, it's been raised with the Environmental Health department of this Council and the people of Pickering seem to think they're getting nowhere so I'll ask again. Is there anything the Leader can do to make sure that tourists don't go away - it's even been mentioned on tourist forums and I don't think that a handful of intensive farmers should be potentially spoiling probably the largest industry in Pickering’.

 

The Leader replied:

 

‘I am aware that there was a problem earlier in the year and that our Environmental Health department did deal with that but I'm not aware that there's a problem now.’

 

4.    From Councillor Walker

 

‘With reference to the final paragraph of your statement will this Council have representation on the governing body of SLM? I did ask it before but I didn't get an answer’.

 

The Leader replied:

 

‘I think the answer last time was that it would be dealt with by the Scrutiny Committee and the answer is the same now’.

 

The Chairman invited Councillor Wainwright to clarify:

 

‘I understand that the Scrutiny Committee will be looking into the new provider of sports provision but I was not aware that we would be putting a member on the Board’.

 

The Leader replied:

 

‘Sorry that isn't what I meant at all. What I was meaning that you would be monitoring the performance. I think there has been a written answer to your question Cllr Walker’.

 

Councillor Walker asked the following supplementary question:

 

‘For clarification, I received a reply but they didn't answer the question. The reply referred to the Scrutiny Committee and various good management practices and monitoring procedures and all sort of Sir Humphrey Appleby codswallop but quite frankly it didn't answer my question as to whether there's going to be Council representation on the SLM Board of Management? Simple answer yes or no?’

 

The Leader replied:

 

‘No.’