Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

The Executive is asked to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 7 April 2022.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 7 April 2022.

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 7 April 2022.

A copy of the Register of Interest for each Selby District Councillor is available for inspection at www.selby.gov.uk.

Councillors should declare to the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest in any item of business on this agenda which is not already entered in their Register of Interests.

Councillors should leave the meeting and take no part in the consideration, discussion or vote on any matter in which they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Councillors should also declare any other interests. Having made the declaration, provided the other interest is not a disclosable pecuniary interest, the Councillor may stay in the meeting, speak and vote on that item of business.

If in doubt, Councillors are advised to seek advice from the Monitoring Officer.

There were no disclosures of interest.

The Executive are asked to consider report E/22/1 and agree the Visitor Economy Strategy Refresh.

The Executive Member for Health and Culture presented the report which gave details of the refresh of the Council’s Visitor Economy Strategy 2022 – 2025 which aimed to promote Selby District as a Great Place to Live and a Great Place to Grow. This meant using what set the District apart and made it special to attract visitors, to improve quality of life for residents and to encourage investment.

Members expressed their support for the work of Officers which had been stalled by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Executive Member endorsed the Visitor Economy Strategy Refresh 2022 – 2025 for agreement by the Executive.

RESOLVED:

The Executive agreed the Visitor Economy Strategy Refresh 2022 - 2025.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The Visitor Economy Strategy Refresh 2022 – 2025 was required to secure a strategic focus for the development of the district’s visitor economy. It will enable the Council to move through Local Government Reorganisation with clear intent for delivery of Visitor Economy priorities, ensuring the ambition and needs of the sector are recognised and understood

That Executive are asked to consider report E/22/2 and recommend to Council that the Conservation Area Appraisals attached at Appendix 1 are adopted.

Appendix 1 must be accessed by clicking on the link below, as it is too large to be included in the agenda pack.

Please note that due to the large size of the file, it may take longer to download than usual when accessing it via the link.

Appendix 1 – Conservation Area Appraisals

The Executive Member for Place Shaping presented the report which detailed the review of the Conservation Areas to fulfil the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1980 and to help to inform the preparation of the Selby District Local Plan. Conservation Area Appraisals had been undertaken in Selby Town, Tadcaster, Appleton Roebuck, Brayton, Cawood, Hemingbrough, Monk Fryston and Riccall.

The Conservation Area Appraisals would be considered by Council at its July 2022 meeting; the Executive were being asked to recommend their adoption to Council.

Members agreed that the development of such areas was not always easy and that further work by the consultants had been required.

The Executive Member commended the Conservation Area Appraisals to the Executive for recommendation to Council.

RESOLVED:

The Executive recommend to Council that the Conservation Area Appraisals be adopted.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To fulfil the statutory requirements set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1980 and provide a sound basis for planning decisions which may impact Conservation Areas.

The Executive are asked to consider report E/22/3 to allow projects and initiatives not completed in year to be rolled over to the following year and to make adequate appropriations to reserves in the General Fund and HRA to mitigate future spending priorities.

The Executive Member for Finance and Resources presented the report which set out financial performance of the Council as at the end of the 2021-22 financial year.

Officers advised the Executive on the additional technical adjustments that would be required relating to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and the Collection Fund Accounts. It was proposed that in addition to the recommendation, it be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and Resources to make further technical adjustments in the finalisation of the 2021-22 accounts.

The Executive noted that the HRA capital programme was underspent in 2021-22 and agreed that carrying forward the underspend to fund works on energy efficiency and home insulation in the Council’s housing stock was appropriate.

An Executive Member gave examples of housing in their ward that required remedial work. There were several bungalows built before the second world war whose residents had occupied them for over twenty years. The bungalows in question did not have good insulation, and with the recent rise in heating costs it could prove to be increasingly expensive for their inhabitants.

The Executive agreed that surveys should be undertaken and work on such properties commenced promptly.  

RESOLVED:

1.    That Members approve:

i)          the revenue General Fund and HRA carry forward proposals totalling £1,517.2k and £18.6k respectively as set out in Appendix E.

ii)        the capital General Fund and HRA carry forward proposals totalling £427.1k and £525.2k respectively as set out in Appendix E.

iii)       the carry forward of the Programme for Growth funds as set out in Appendix D totalling £2,034.0k.

iv)       the surplus on the General Fund be transferred to the Business Rates Equalisation Reserve.

v)        the HRA surplus be transferred to ‘HRA Major Repairs Reserve to support the future capital programme.

vi)       a virement from the covid contingency of £91.59k is proposed in 2.4 to cover the additional financial support required for the leisure service.

2.    That the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and Resources, be authorised to make further technical adjustments in the finalisation of the 2021-22 accounts.

3.    That the HRA capital programme underspend be carried forward for home insultation and energy efficiency works to the Council's housing stock.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To ensure that budget exceptions are brought to the attention of the Executive in order to approve remedial action where necessary.

That the Executive consider report E/22/4 and endorse the actions of Officers on the Council’s treasury activities for Q4 2021/22 and approve the report. To comply with the Treasury Management Code of Practice, the Executive is required to receive and review regular treasury management monitoring reports.

The Executive Member for Finance and Resources presented the report which reviewed the Council’s borrowing and investment activity (Treasury Management) for the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 and presented performance against the Prudential Indicators.

The Lead Executive Member for Finance and Resources explained that this was the final monitoring report for treasury management in 2021/22 and during this period the Council had complied with its legislative and regulatory requirements. The report included updates on the performance of the Council’s NYCC pool and property funds, borrowing and the Council’s affordable limits for borrowing, which had not been breached in the period.

The Executive Member endorsed the report’s recommendation to the Executive for agreement.

RESOLVED:

The Executive endorsed the actions of Officers on the Council’s treasury activities for Q4 2021/22 and approved the report.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To comply with the Treasury Management Code of Practice, the Executive is required to receive and review regular treasury management monitoring reports.

The Executive are asked to consider report E/22/5 which asks for authority to carry out an informal consultation with the Hackney Carriage Trade (HC), on a proposed maximum fare charge, prior to a full consultation being carried out, after the consultation responses have been considered.

The Executive Member for Health and Culture presented the report which to sought authority to carry out an informal consultation with the Hackney Carriage Trade (HC), on a proposed maximum fare charge, prior to a full consultation being carried out, after the consultation responses had been considered.

Members noted that three requests had been made to the Licensing Authority asking to consider a fare increase due to rising fuel costs, which was likely to continue for the foreseeable future. The last fare increase took effect on the 1 April 2019.

The Executive Member endorsed the report’s recommendation for agreement.

RESOLVED:

To authorise an informal consultation on the proposed taxi fare increase (fare cap), in line with the increased proposal for Harrogate, which would comply with harmonising fares in North Yorkshire ready for Local Government reorganisation (LGR).

REASON FOR DECISION:

The need to align the taxi fares with the other districts within North Yorkshire under Local Government reorganisation.

The Executive are asked to consider report E/22/6 to make its appointments to outside bodies for the 2022-23 municipal year, and to authorise those appointed to act on behalf of the Executive in accordance with the legal and constitutional requirements of both the Executive and the outside body.

The Leader of the Council presented the report which informed the Executive of the proposed representatives for 2022-23 on Outside Bodies which it appointed and sought approval of the proposals.  

Members noted that under Executive arrangements, the responsibility for appointing representatives on Outside Bodies was split between the Executive and the Council; the Executive were asked to consider the appointments within its remit. There was just one vacancy on the Davnm Drainage Board. There had been no expressions of interest for the post, but Members had been asked to notify the Executive if they wished to be appointed to the organisation.  

The Executive discussed the appointments as well as several amendments.

RESOLVED:

1.    The Executive approved the appointments to Outside Bodies as set out at Appendix A to the report, subject to the following amendments:

·      Ouse and Derwent Internal Drainage Board – remove Councillors M Crane and R Musgrave and replace with Councillors G Ashton and C Richardson;

·      Selby Area Internal Drainage Board – remove Councillors C Lunn and D Buckle and replace with Councillors G Ashton and C Richardson;

·      add Councillor R Musgrave as Councillor M Crane’s substitute on the York, North Yorkshire, East Riding LEP Infrastructure and Assets Board; and

2.    authorise those appointed to act on behalf of the Executive in accordance with the legal and constitutional requirements of both the Executive and the outside body.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To ensure the Council is represented on outside bodies as necessary in 2021/22.