Agenda item

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

 

“I always feel that the New Year is a good time to look back and see what we have achieved over the last 12 months.  I think we as a Council have a lot to celebrate.

 

The adoption of our Local Plan must count as a great relief and cause for celebration for the District.  Planning applicants (householders and employers) will have more certainty about their investment decisions and this is good news for everyone in Ryedale.

 

 The opening of the Brambling Fields junction has opened the way for future expansion of employment land in Norton and is expected to contribute to improved air quality and a reduction of traffic in the centre of Malton and Norton.

 

The roll out of super fast broadband will help existing businesses and hopefully help attract new businesses to our District. 

 

Our apprenticeship scheme was very popular and has supported local businesses over the next 2 years to employ 35 new apprenticeships for young people.

 

The Opportunity Knocks event was a massive success, connecting young people in our schools with potential future employers.

 

The opening of Derwent Lodge, our facility for supported accommodation is a great achievement - thanks to our dedicated staff who don't seem to know the meaning of the word ‘no’.

 

Last, but not least, this week we have seen the official start of work to implement the latest stage of the flood alleviation plans for Pickering - which has only been possible because of the money pledged by this Council. 

 

These are just a few of the things we have achieved.

 

Looking forward to the coming year

 

We need to continue to work on the Local Plan and the site allocations document for housing and employment land including the Helmsley Plan.

 

This year should see our community infrastructure levy agreed, examined and in place. Through work with our partners we hope to put in place infrastructure which will make Ryedale an even more attractive place for employers to locate their businesses.  

 

Hopefully our bids for funding through the Local Enterprise Partnership will be successful, thereby allowing more economic growth in our district.

 

We have now received planning applications which if approved will aid the relocation of the Livestock Market.  In fact the planning department is going to be very busy as we have the resubmitted Gladman's application at Kirkbymoorside and the application for a supermarket on WSCP.  To that end resources are being put into the planning department to ensure that we have the capacity to deal with this unprecedented workload.

 

After we have evaluated the success of our apprenticeship scheme we shall be able to decide if we wish to repeat the scheme and help more young people into work.

 

Now that our New Homes Bonus is not to be top sliced, we shall have extra money in 2015/16 which we need to decide how to use.  That could be for economic development or housing, but we mustn't lose sight of the need to fund the delivery of the LEP projects.  On that subject I am very pleased to tell you that Julian has been selected for secondment to the LEP, specifically to work on delivery of their housing responsibilities, this secondment is initially for 3 days a week until the end of March 2014.

 

It has been awful to hear of the flooding and storms in other parts of the country and I extend my thoughts and sympathy to those who have suffered in recent weeks.”

 

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

 

1.    From Councillor Paul Andrews

 

“Regarding the local plan and the challenge by Gladmans, what is the state of that challenge and has it been turned down by the courts or is it progressing and if it is progressing at what stage is it at?”

 

The Leader asked the Council Solicitor to reply on her behalf:

 

“Just for the sake of clarity RDC currently has 2 legal challenges at the moment. The 1^st legal challenge is a challenge by way of judicial review of the grant of planning permission to Gladmans for development at Kirkbymoorside.  The 2^nd challenge is a Section 113 challenge of the Ryedale local plan strategy.  In relation to the 1^st JR challenge leave has been granted for that challenge to go to a substantive hearing. However given that Gladmans have submitted a 3^rd planning application in relation to proposed residential development at Kirkbymoorside all the parties involved in the Judicial Review action have agreed a stay of proceedings pending the determination of the 3^rd planning application, so essentially that matter has been put on ice until the 3^rd planning application has been dealt with.  The deadline for the determination of the 3^rd planning application is the 14^th of February and Officers fully anticipate ensuring that a report goes to either a planning committee or an extraordinary planning committee before that deadline on the 14^th February of this year. And in relation to the Section 113 challenge the current position there is that all the papers have been submitted in relation to that and there is a court hearing at the Manchester High Court on the 11^th April of this year, so we need to wait until the 11^th April to know the outcome of that case.”

 

Councillor Paul Andrews then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“Does that mean that leave to proceed has been given by the judge?”

 

The Leader asked the Council Solicitor to reply on her behalf:

 

“If Cllr Andrews is talking about the Section 113 challenge of the Ryedale Local Plan Strategy leave does not need to be granted it doesn’t involve a leave procedure it is going to a substantive hearing on the 11^th April of this year.”

 

2.    From Councillor Woodward

 

“If we turn to the minutes on page 15 I asked a question regarding the apprenticeship scheme and Cllr Cowling replied that it was regarding speaking to the businesses that had been turned down, and Cllr Cowling replied that it was an Officers job to speak to them not hers but she had spoken to some of them and would speak to the rest of them after tonight which was the 31^st October, I just wondered if she had spoken to the rest of them yet?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“I did expect this question but not to come from you, no I haven’t because my advice was that I really was treading on Officer’s toes if I did that and it really is there job to speak to applicants not mine.”

 

Councillor Woodward then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“As a follow up then do we know if Officers have spoken to those businesses yet?”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

“Yes they definitely have they have spoken to all of them.”

 

3.    From Councillor Mrs Shields

 

“I notice that Mrs Cowling says that they are going to evaluate the success of the apprenticeship scheme at sometime presumably at the end of the year is that it, and when they do will they also hopefully include the 4 people or the 4 businesses 2 in Malton and 2 in Norton which were omitted for various reasons not really clear. Will they have the chance to be considered again next time thank you?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“I don’t really understand your question but yes when we evaluate the success of the apprenticeship scheme that is just what we will do the apprentices that have been taken on we will look how well that’s worked out and how the business feel it has helped them, if as a Council we feel that it was successful and was worth doing and we are going to run it again then it will be open to all businesses in Ryedale to apply again.”

 

Councillor Mrs Shields then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“Can I just say is that again going to be including people who were ignored last night and turned down for no clear reasons after all the Officers had laid down the criteria and it seemed to fit every single business that actually applied?”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

“It will be up to this Council to decide the criteria it sets for any new grants that we decide to give and it will be open to all businesses who fit that criteria of we decide to do it again.”

 

4.    From Councillor Ward

 

“Cllr Mrs Cowling you talk about the roll out of the Superfast Broadband helping existing business and helping to attract new business.  The last time I heard anything about that was quite frankly a very disappointing presentation at a Parish Liaison meeting some months ago and I just wonder whether you could update Council on what progress if any has been made?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“What I will do is get Jos to give you a written update on it but if I could just tell you a little anecdote which is my personal experience a few weeks ago I got a letter at my business in Pickering telling me that the fiber optic was available now and if was to get in touch with my provider then I could upgrade to Superfast Broadband, so I did that thought that would be brilliant and they told me not available for businesses.  So not a good experience yes.”

 

5.    From Councillor Clark

 

“Could the leader of council please tell us if she expects to be congratulating RDC at the end of the year that we are now in when recycling levels have fallen from 50% plus to under 40?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“I think you are really getting at the new arrangements for green waste aren’t you and that it will cause a fall in performance. Well you may be concerned about that, personally I am not. I would far sooner that we were composting and not running about with wagons that do about 4 miles to the gallon which I don’t think is good for the environment so if it’s a choice between looking after the environment or being really high up in the performance tables, I think the environment wins hands down for me every time.”

 

Councillor Clark then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“In view of the fact that these wagons at 4 miles per gallon will be going round collecting green waste from those members of the public who are going to pay how much does she expect the distances travelled by those wagons to be reduced because of what changes her group has made?”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

“I will get Phil Long to give you the answer to that and I will ask him to distribute it to the whole of the Council.”

 

6.    From Councillor Clark

 

“Does the leader of council look forward to congratulating RDC at the end of 2014 for no longer having a regional standard facility in Ryedale i.e. the loss of the bowls club?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“I am afraid I don’t have a crystal ball so I can’t really say what the position will be at the end of this year so I will have to wait and see whether I am in a position to congratulate them on still being there or commiserate with them if they are no longer there.”

 

Councillor Clark then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“Would she not agree with me that the decision to put the Bowls Club on the market was her group and her group alone and the decision as to whether to sell it, leave it on the market or continue with that facility is in her groups’ hands,  If she is making promises earlier on this evening to Cllr Wainwright as to what will happen and what won’t all she has to do is decide, get her group together get agreement from the whole of her group in one group, and then get on with keeping that facility. It’s no good blaming the let’s wait and see brigade.”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

“The decision to market the building that was formally the Ryedale Indoor Bowls Club was taken in response to the RIBC telling us that they could no longer afford to pay the rent.  The interest which has come forward from a community group since then is very welcome and I think they know that I wish them every success with that venture and I really hope that it does happen.  This Council cannot afford to take on the cost of running another sport facility I think we all know that, so we have to wait and see what that community group can do.”

 

7.    From Councillor Wainwright

 

“My question refers to Broadband, my comments are this - that back in July I had an email from Jos Holmes that said that the Hovingham exchange would be on Broadband by the end of September and we are still waiting. Please could the Leader inform all the Councillors how much of Ryedale is on Broadband and when are the expected dates to implement the remaining exchanges to be on Broadband?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“I will get you a written answer and make sure it goes out to all the Members.”

 

8.    From Councillor Mrs Keal

 

“I would like to very much welcome the Pickering flood defence scheme and the fact that it’s actually underway and I wish it well and hope it will protect properties in Pickering. My question is I understand that (I would just like clarification really) the amount RDC is putting forward, could you please confirm that that amount is going to be paid to the Environment Agency and the relevant bodies by installments please?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“Correct it is going to be paid by installments and it is £950 000.”

 

9.    From Councillor Paul Andrews

 

“It arises from the comments in regards to the applications at Kirkbymoorside and the supermarket on Wentworth Street Car Park.  To that end you say that resources are being put into the planning department to ensure that we have the capacity to deal with this unprecedented workload.  Now I understand that the resources as far as Wentworth Street Car Park are concerned is a retail consultant and I understand his name is Mr. England and I am concerned we are not getting into a situation whereby we appoint somebody who is going to give us the answer that we want, as opposed to a clear and independent view, so I have to ask these questions. I don’t necessarily need the answers at this time but I would like the answers in writing within the next 7 days.  First of all who is Mr. England, how was he appointed, who appointed him, who recommended him to whoever for appointment, what other councils has he worked for, what process of selection was gone through before he was appointed and were any Members consulted before he was appointed and if so which Members? I don’t expect a full answer at this time but I would like a written answer within 7 days?”

 

The Chairman confirmed a written answer would be provided.

 

10.From Councillor Woodward

 

“Going to the last paragraph of the Leader’s statement I just wondered if the Leader would also extend her gratitude to the RSPCA who are co-ordinating the rescue of stranded animals in the floods on the same day that the Head of the Countryside Alliance tweeted he was having a good day blasting pheasants out of the sky?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“Just for once Councillor Woodward I prefer not to answer your question.”

 

11.From Councillor Clark

 

“Does the Leader look forward to congratulating this Council when over 2014 we have lost the collection of green waste free of charge?”

 

The Leader replied:

 

“I don’t really understand why you are asking the question. Nothing is free of charge. Everything that we do for the rate payers of Ryedale they pay for through their council tax. We are making the collection of green waste optional and for those who want to have their green waste collected they can pay for it.”

 

Councillor Clark then asked the following supplementary question:

 

“This is new economics that I don’t quite grasp. Nothing is for free, well yes, there are some exceptions but we won’t go into those in a public meeting. However would she not agree with me, she is saying paying for them through the council tax is what we did but people are still paying for it through the council tax and no longer getting the service.  Now I don’t know where that fits in the nothing is for free but it doesn’t sound like a good deal to most of the people that I’ve talked to on the subject, so if is part of the council tax, why are we going to be charging for it, and if it’s not part of the council tax, it’s not for free any more and we go back to the first question, it’s no longer part of the council tax and free, so does she look forward to explaining this and congratulating the council at the end of this year on that unexplainable mess.”

 

The Leader then replied:

 

“Councillor Clark you are being very pedantic in what you are saying. You are also very aware of how successful the introduction of charging for green waste has been in other authorities, as are all of us here, it’s been very well accepted. As an environmentalist it doesn’t sit well with your beliefs to think that you think we should be running around with wagons collecting stuff that should be composted. I don’t get where you are coming from at all, you seem to be disagreeing with what we are doing just for the hell of it.”