held at Ryedale House, Malton
on Thursday 27 November 2008
Link to Agenda
Councillors Mrs Cowling (in the Chair), Bailey, Mrs De Wend Fenton, Hemesley, Mrs Hodgson, Hope, Jackson and Woodward.
Substitutes: Councillors Keal and Knaggs
By Invitation of the Chairman: Councillor Andrews
Overview & Scrutiny Committee Observers: Councillors Cussons and Mrs Shields
Ms Baldwin, Mrs B Bennett, Mrs L Carter, N Coakley, P Cresswell, R Etherington,
Mrs L Carr, Mrs M Jackson, P Long, S Richmond, J Rudd and Mrs C Slater
286. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs Arnold, Mrs Frank and Mrs Keal.
287. Minutes
The minutes of a meeting of the Community Services & Licensing Committee held on 25 September 2008 were presented (previously circulated).
It was noted that at the last meeting of Council held on 6 November 2008, the above minutes had been approved and adopted subject to Minute No. 214 (Boiler Replacement Programme & Energy Efficiency Improvements) being amended by the deletion in part (a) of them preamble of the word ‘biomass’ and the substitution of the word ‘woodchip’.
Resolved
That it be noted that the minutes of a meeting of the Community Services & Licensing Committee held on 25 September 2008 were approved and adopted at a meeting of Council held on 6 November 2008, subject to Minute No. 214 (Boiler Replacement Programme & Energy Efficiency Improvements) being amended by the deletion in part (a) of them preamble of the word ‘biomass’ and the substitution of the word ‘woodchip’.
288. Minutes of a meeting of the Community Leisure Working Party held on 7 October 2008
The minutes of a meeting of the Community Leisure Working Party held on 7 October 2008 (PDF, 32k) were submitted (previously circulated).
Resolved
That the minutes of a meeting of the Community Leisure Working Party held on 7 October 2008 as submitted be endorsed.
289. Urgent Business
The Chairman reported that there was one item to be considered as a matter of urgency by virtue of Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The report related to the Homes and Communities Agency and was to be dealt under Part A of the agenda.
290. Declarations of Interest
There were no declarations of interest.
291. Items Referred from Council
Petition - Free Swimming for Under 16s
At the last meeting of Council held on 6 November 2008 the Chairman reported receipt of a petition received in response to the Council’s decision not to provide free swimming for the under 16s. In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 23 (Petitions) the petition was referred to the Community Services & Licensing Committee for consideration.
Following consideration it was agreed that a letter be sent to the organisers of the petition detailing and explaining the existing subsidies available.
Resolved
That a letter be sent to the organisers of the petition detailing the existing subsidies available for swimmers.
PART ‘A’ ITEMS - Matters to be dealt with under delegated powers or matters determined by Committee.
292. Draft Council Plan 2009-2013
The Head of Transformation submitted a report, which presented for comment the first draft of the aims and objectives in the revised Corporate Plan: the Ryedale Council Plan, a copy of which was appended to the report.
The Council adopted the current Corporate Plan in February 2006 for the period 2006-2009. The document attached at Annex B to the report provided a progress report on the delivery of the Corporate Plan to date, in terms of actions delivered and performance levels achieved and a review of the baseline data. It was suggested that the draft plan, which included a draft set of priority aims, strategic objectives and key performance questions, with suggestions for possible priority actions and performance monitoring information be endorsed by this Committee as the basis for further consultation, with the proposal for the finalised new corporate plan, The Ryedale Council Plan 2009-13, to be submitted to Full Council in February 2009.
The report outlined the consultation process to date together with suggested questions for consideration prior to the Member Briefing on 3 December 2008. The report was also to be considered by the Policy & Resources Committee at its meeting on 4 December 2008.
Members considered the report and put forward comments and suggestions for consideration at the Member Briefing on 3 December 2008.
Resolved
(a) That the draft aims and objectives as detailed in Annex A of the report be supported as a basis for wider consultation
(b) That consideration be given to the questions in the report in preparation for the Member Briefing on 3 December 2008
(c) That any comments be reported to the Policy & Resources Committee at its meeting on 4 December 2008.
293. Committee Terms of Reference
The Corporate Director submitted a report the purpose of which was to provide the Committee with re-drafted Committee Terms of Reference, as agreed at the September meeting, and to seek the views of the Committee on whether they wished to recommend any amendments to the Constitution Review Working Party, as part of its wider review of the Constitution.
Members welcomed the re-drafted Terms of Reference and were of the opinion that they should be endorsed as submitted, with no recommendations being made to the Constitution Review Working Party regarding their scope.
Resolved
That the report be received and the re-drafted Terms of Reference as submitted be endorsed.
294. Housing Performance Report
The Head of Economy & Housing submitted a report the purpose of which was to inform Members of progress made against the Council’s agreed Housing policies and to invite comments from the Committee.
The report outlined progress made towards the Councils’ following strategic objectives:
Members welcomed the report and the progress made to date.
Resolved
That the performance report as submitted be endorsed.
295. Mortgage Rescue Scheme
The Head of Economy & Housing submitted a report, which sought the views of Members as to whether they would wish to pursue the development and implementation of a Mortgage Rescue Scheme. In the event that Members wished to pursue a scheme it was requested that guidance be given as to which of the particular schemes referred to in the report should be investigated with a view to implementation.
The Golden Triangle Partnership (GTP), which comprised the local authorities of Leeds, Harrogate and York, had developed proposals and a specification for a mortgage rescue scheme. An overview of the scheme was included at Annex A to the report.
The government had announced a £200m mortgage rescue scheme, which would help up to 6000 of the most vulnerable households facing repossession over the next two years. This was a limited scheme, which could not help those who had borrowed excessively or acted recklessly. It was firmly targeted at those who could not pay rather than those who would not pay. Depending on their specific circumstances, eligible homeowners would be offered one of three products, following an assessment of their case by the local authority, details of which were given in the report.
A local scheme could be developed, which would require an allocation within the capital programme, however the Resources Working Party at its meeting on the 5 November 2008 had not supported the indicative allocation of capital funding for the project. Final capital allocations were to be considered by the Policy & Resources Committee on 4 December 2008 and subsequently Full Council in January 2009.
The report outlined the following options for the Committee’s consideration:
(a) To seek to develop some form of in-house scheme using the Council’s own capital resources. This would require an allocation of some £200,000 if this were to have any meaningful benefit.
(b) To investigate the possibility of securing external funding from the Regional Housing Board and sourcing a partner Registered Social Landlord to deliver a scheme similar to that proposed by the Golden Triangle Partnership.
(c) To await further details of the proposed government scheme which were due to be released later in the year.
The Chairman reported that at the present time the Committee was being asked to consider the general principle and not the full detail of scheme to be implemented. In the event of the Committee supporting the development of a scheme it would be necessary to submit a recommendation to the Policy & Resources Committee due to the budgetary implications.
Councillor Knaggs reported that it was understood that Ryedale was the only local authority in the area not currently pursuing a mortgage rescue scheme. There was no guarantee that Ryedale would be successful in obtaining government funding and it was suggested that consideration should be given to the development of a time limited scheme. It was further suggested that the Council consider the development of a scheme on the lines of the Golden Triangle Partnership scheme.
Resolved
(a) That the Policy & Resources Committee be recommended to allocate a sum of £200,000 to support the development and implementation of a Mortgage Rescue Scheme. The detail of the scheme to be agreed by Officers in consultation with the Chairman of the Community Services & Licensing Committee
(b) That the government mortgage rescue scheme be pursued when details were made available.
NB In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct Councillor Keal declared a personal interest in the above item as he is currently undertaking work on behalf of a Registered Social Landlord.
296. Fuel Poverty Performance Report
The Head of Environment submitted a comprehensive report the purpose of which was to provide Members with a background to fuel poverty, including recent trends, reports and possible future scenarios in preparation for the forthcoming presentation and reporting on the private sector stock condition survey.
Fuel poverty was of increasing concern nationally, due to worsening economic conditions and increasing energy prices, and locally due to many Ryedale residents living in older housing outside areas served by natural gas connections.
The report detailed the following:
The report concluded that wholesale energy prices had been falling, and this would feed through to fuel poverty figures to some extent, so that the level of fuel poverty should remain fairly static next year. However, this was due to the worldwide financial downturn and temporarily reduced expected demand for energy. It was anticipated that in the medium term United Kingdom energy prices would increase as a result of the rapidly increasing gap between domestic supply and demand, together with the increasing reliance on imported oil and gas, with little storage capability at a time of increasing worldwide energy demand. In the long term comprehensive energy efficiency improvements would become more and more important as the only permanent way of alleviating fuel poverty.
Members were requested to consider the performance information in the report and whether they wished to see the Council develop any further actions or support.
Members welcomed the report and the significant improvements being made. Members were of the opinion that the Council should seek to build on the success achieved to date. It was suggested that the team should include a representative from Yorkshire Housing and that a formal review of the Ryedale Energy Conservation Group be undertaken with a view to providing added value, and that a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.
Resolved
(a) That the report be noted and a formal review of the Ryedale Energy Conservation Group be undertaken with a view to providing added value and building upon success achieved to date
(b) That a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.
297. York & North Yorkshire Waste Partnership Performance Report
The Head of Environment submitted a report, which updated Members on the work currently being undertaken by the York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership (the Partnership).
The Partnership comprised two Waste Disposal Authorities, namely North Yorkshire County Council and the City of York Council, as well as seven Waste Collection Authorities at District level, Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale Scarborough and Selby Councils. The Partnership had been operating for some ten years, albeit under different names.
Member and Officer representatives from each Authority met regularly to discuss issues regarding waste management across the York and North Yorkshire area. The aim of the Partnership was to provide a more strategic approach to finding solutions to deal with municipal waste issues arising across the Partnership area.
The Partnership discussed issues surrounding waste collection and disposal, as well as initiatives such as public consultation, waste minimisation and communication campaigns.
There was a strong suggestion from government that Councils in 2-tier authority areas should work closely together to deliver services.
As waste collection and disposal functions were split between District and County Councils, the government was urging 2-tier authorities in England to work in partnership, in order to deliver efficiency or cost savings.
The government had consulted on whether to make it a duty for 2-tier Councils to set up a separate Joint Waste Authority to deliver waste services across Council boundaries. It was considered that the York and North Yorkshire Partnership was therefore an important group to help deliver on this agenda and all Authorities in the Partnership area had expressed their support.
The report detailed the main areas of work being undertaken by the Partnership.
Resolved
That the report be endorsed.
298. Local Air Quality Management - Detailed Assessment Update
The Head of Environment submitted a report on progress made with the Council’s Detailed Assessment of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Pollution in Malton, including the implications for the Council.
A full background to the requirements of the local air quality management (LAQM) framework was available in the Progress Report submitted to the Committee on 5 April 2007. The Local Air Quality Progress Report reported to the Committee on 26 July 2007 set out details of the requirement for the Council to undertake a Detailed Assessment of nitrogen dioxide in Malton and identified sources of funding for the work.
The report detailed the work that had been undertaken to date. Initial monitoring had been undertaken at the Maltings, Castlegate for a 9-month period starting at the beginning of October 2007. Results in June 2008 indicated that there was a likelihood that the annual mean objective for nitrogen dioxide may be exceeded. The report outlined the action that had been taken since that time.
The report concluded that subject to final data verification, the monitoring results indicated that it was likely that the annual mean objective was exceed at relevant receptor locations in Malton. The Air Quality Modelling being undertaken would assist the Authority in determining the geographical extend of the exceedence area and the extent of any Air Quality Management Area that may be declared.
Resolved
That the report be endorsed.
299. Overview & Scrutiny Committee Review of Wentworth Street Car Park Trial
The Corporate Director (s151) submitted a report the purpose of which was to inform Members of the outcome of the review of the Wentworth Street Car Park Trial undertaken by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.
Members were reminded that at a meeting held on 7 August 2008, the Overview & Scrutiny Committee had agreed to undertake the above review as part of the Committee’s work plan. The scope of the review had been agreed as follows:
To examine the decision of the Community Services & Licensing Committee of the 31 January 2008, with a focus on the following:
It was further agreed that the outcome of the review would be reported to the Community Services & Licensing Committee on 27 November 2008.
The report gave details of a series of meetings that had been held as part of the review since 1 October 2008, together with the unanimously agreed statements from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.
The report concluded that Members were of the opinion that they had successfully reviewed the trial as outlined in the scope, with no significant issues arising. It was not considered possible for the Committee to make recommendations on future charging proposals without further considerable work on demand and sales after the trial. The Overview & Scrutiny Committee was not able to accommodate this work in its work programme at the present time.
Councillor Andrews had asked that it be noted that he was not in agreement with the decision that Members were unable to make positive recommendations on future charges for parking in Malton, based on the review undertaken.
The Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Mrs Shields, attended the meeting by invitation of the Chairman and endorsed the findings of the review.
Councillor Andrews attended the meeting by invitation of the Chairman and circulated two documents for the Committee’s consideration.
Resolved
That the outcome of the Overview & Scrutiny Review of the Wentworth Street Car Parking Trial be received and the conclusions in the report be endorsed.
NB In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct Councillor Andrews declared a personal interest in the above item as a member of the Car Park Action Group.
300. Hackney Carriage Fares 2009/10
The Head of Environment submitted a report, which sought approval of hackney carriage fares for 2009/10.
Members were reminded that the Council set a table of hackney carriage fares, which were the maximum charges that could be applied and meters were set accordingly.
The proposals for the 2009/2010 tariff card sought to change the flagfall distances and introduce a new tariff band together with price increases, details of which were given in the report.
Hackney carriage fares were reviewed annually to ensure reasonable rates for passengers and also that the fares were acceptable to the hackney carriage trade. The proposed fares as set out in the report had been agreed in consultation with the hackney carriage proprietors and were considered to reflect a suitable tariff card for the next financial year.
Resolved
That the report be received and the proposed Hackney Carriage tariff card for 2009/2010 as submitted be approved.
301. Urgent Business
The following item was considered as the Chairman was of the opinion that it should be dealt with at the meeting as a matter of urgency by virtue of Section 100(B)(4)(b).
302. Homes and Communities Agency
The Head of Economy & Housing submitted a report the purpose of which was to outline the new Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) and to agree initial priorities for the Ryedale area to be addressed in partnership.
The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 paved the way for the official launch of two new agencies – the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the Tenants Services Authority (TSA – a new watchdog for social tenants) - on 1 December 2008. The Homes and Communities Agency is a new housing and regeneration agency for England, which is intended to create opportunities:
The Homes and Communities Agency was to join up the delivery of housing and regeneration, bringing together the functions of English Partnerships, the investment functions of the Housing Corporation, the Academy for Sustainable Communities and key housing and regeneration programmes delivered by Communities and Local Government. This included Growth Areas, Thames Gateway delivery, Housing Market Renewal, Decent Homes, Mixed Communities, the Places of Change Programme and Gypsy and Traveller Sites Grant.
This integrated approach would enable the HCA to have a ‘single conversation’ with local authorities and other partners on the housing and regeneration needs of individual areas, providing practical support as well as professional expertise.
With an investment budget of over £5 billion per year, the Government considered that HCA's scale and resources meant it would be able to bring about a step change in housing supply and enhance people's quality of life. This entailed the delivery of much needed housing (both affordable and within the private sector) and the creation and regeneration of sustainable communities within which these homes were built. Government describes the HCA as an investment agency for housing, regeneration, growth and renewal. It was to agree local investment and delivery plans that would help deliver the vision for the place, shared outcomes and priorities. This would dovetail planned investment of key partners, making best use of funds and improving efficiency. The Yorkshire & Humber Regional Director is David Curtis (previously with Sheffield City Council and York City Council).
Resolved
(a) That the establishment of the Homes & Communities Agency be welcomed
(b) That the Council seeks to maximise the assistance of the Homes & Communities Agency in addressing the Ryedale issues and actions as set out in the report.
PART ‘B’ ITEMS - Matters referred to Council
303. Fees and Charges - 2009/10 - Streetscene and Health and Environment
The Head of Environment submitted a report the purpose of which was to present for approval the proposed fees and charges for Streetscene and Environmental Health budget headings in 2009/2010.
Members were requested to consider the increase in non-statutory fees and charges for the financial year commencing April 2009. The schedules at Annex 1 and 2 (PDF, 24k), Annex 3 (PDF, 14k), and Annex 4 (PDF, 32k), Annex 5b (PDF, 19k) of the report detailed the current charges together with the proposed charges for 2009/10, revised Annexes reflecting the recent reduction in the VAT rate were circulated at the meeting.
The services covered in the report were:
In accordance with the agreed budget strategy process an increase of at least 4% had been applied to all fees and charges.
In considering the report and the proposed charges relating to refuse collection services, Members were of the opinion that the proposed new charge of £25 for a replacement wheeled bin for existing properties should not be implemented.
Resolved
That Full Council be recommended to approve the proposed charges for Streetscene, Health and Environment as set out in Annex 1, 2, 3 and 4 to these minutes subject to the deletion of the proposed charge of £25 for replacement wheeled bins for existing properties.
304. Review of Ryecare Service Charges 2009/2010
The Head of Economy & Housing submitted a report in connection with the fees and charges for the Ryecare Lifeline Service for the financial year 2009/10.
Members were requested to consider the increase in non-statutory fees and charges for the Ryecare Lifeline Service for the next financial year commencing on 1 April 2009. The charges had been set in the context of the financial strategy for the forth coming financial year and the policy led budgetary requirements.
Resolved
That Full Council be recommended to approve the proposed charges as shown at Annex 5 (PDF, 14k) to these minutes.